tiffi' 


/(' 


As  for  the  seaman,  he  fell  like  a  log  as  the  wheel  flew  round." 

— Homeward  Bound,  page  335. 


HOMEWARD    BOUND: 

OR, 

THE   CHASE. 

A   TALE   OF   THE   SEA. 


BY  THE  AUTHOR   OF   "  THE.  PILOT,"    "  THE   SPY,"    ETC. 


"  Is  it  not  strange,  Canidius 
That  from  Tarentum,  and  Brundusium, 
He  could  so  quickly  cut  the  Ionian  sea, 
And  take  in  Toryne  ?  " 

— SHAKESPEARE. 


f  0 


NEW  YORK 

JOHN   W.   LOVELL   COMPANY 
150  WORTH  STREET,  CORNER  MISSION  PLACE 


Univ.  Library,  UC  Sana  Gmz  1966 


•tmrma  AND  BOOKBINDING  COMPANY. 

NEW  VORK. 


W  |(i  up 


PREFACE. 


IN  one  respect,  this  book  is  a  parallel  to  Franklin's  well- 
known  apologue  of  the  hatter  and  his  sign.  It  was  commenced 
with  a  sole  view  to  exhibit  the  present  state  of  society  in  the 
United  States,  through  the  agency,  in  part,  of  a  set  of  charac- 
ters with  different  peculiarities,  who  had  freshly  arrived  from 
Europe,  and  to  whom  the  distinctive  features  of  the  country 
would  be  apt  to  present  themselves  with  greater  force,  than  to 
those  who  had  never  lived  beyond  the  influence  of  the  things 
portrayed.  By  the  original  plan,  the  work  was  to  open  at  the 
threshold  of  the  country,  or  with  the  arrival  of  the  travellers  at 
Sandy  Hook,  from  which  point  the  tale  was  to  have  been 
carried  regularly  forward  to  its  conclusion.  But  a  consultation 
with  others  has  left  little  more  of  this  plan  than  the  hatter's 
friends  left  of  his  sign.  As  a  vessel  was  introduced  in  the  first 
chapter,  the  cry  was  for  "  more  ship,"  until  the  work  has  be- 
come "  all  ship ;  "  it  actually  closing  at,  or  near,  the  spot  where 
it  was  originally  intended  it  should  commence.  Owing  to  this 
diversion  from  the  author's  design — a  design  that  lay  at  the 
bottom  of  all  his  projects — a  necessity  has  been  created  of 
running  the  tale  through  two  separate  works,  or  of  making  a 
hurried  and  insufficient  conclusion.  The  former  scheme  has, 
consequently,  been  adopted. 

It  is  hoped  that  the  interest  of  the  narrative  will  not  be 
essentially  diminished  by  this  arrangement. 

There  will  be,  very  likely,  certain  imaginative  persons,  who 
will  feel  disposed  to  deny  that  every  minute  event  mentioned 
in  these  volumes  ever  befell  one  and  the  same  ship,  though 
reacly  enough  to  admit  that  they  may  very  well  have  occurred 
to  several  different  ships ;  a  mode  of  commenting  that  is  much 
in  favor  with  your  small  critic.  To  this  objection,  we  shall 
make  but  a  single  answer.  The  caviller,  if  any  there  should 
prove  to  be,  is  challenged  to  produce  the  log-book  of  the  Mon- 
tauk,  London  packet,  and  if  it  should  be  found  to  contain  a 


4  PREFACE. 

single  sentence  to  controvert  any  one  of  our  statements  or 
facts,  a  frank  recantation  shall  be  made.  Captain  Truck  is 
quite  as  well  known  in  New  York  as  in  London  or  Portsmouth, 
and  to  him  also  we  refer  with  confidence,  for  a  confirmation  of 
all  we  have  said,  with  the  exception,  perhaps,  of  the  little  occa- 
sional touches  of  character  that  may  allude  directly  to  himself. 
In  relation  to  the  latter,  Mr.  Leach,  and  particularly  Mr. 
Saunders,  are  both  invoked  as  unimpeachable  witnesses. 

Most  of  our  readers  will  probably  know  that  all  which  ap- 
pears in  a  New  York  journal  is  not  necessarily  as  true  as  the 
Gospel.  As  some  slight  deviations  from  the  facts  accidentally 
occur,  though  doubtless  at  very  long  intervals,,  it  should  not  be 
surprising  that  they  sometimes  omit  circumstances  that  are 
quite  as  veracious  as  anything  they  do  actually  utter  to  the 
world.  No  argument,  therefore,  can  justly  be  urged  against 
the  incidents  of  this  story,  on  account  of  the  circumstance  of 
their  not  being  embodied  in  the  regular  marine  news  of  the 
day. 

Another  serious  objection  on  the  part  of  the  American 
reader  to  this  work  is  foreseen.  The  author  has  endeavored  to 
interest  his  readers  in  occurrences  of  a  date  as  antiquated  as 
two  years  can  make  them,  when  he  is  quite  aware,  that,  in  order 
to  keep  pace  with  a  state  of  society  in  which  there  was  no  yes- 
terday, it  would  have  been  much  safer  to  anticipate  things,  by 
laying  his  scene  two  years  in  advance.  It  is  hoped,  however, 
that  the  public  sentiment  will  not  be  outraged  by  this  glimpse 
at  antiquity,  and  this  the  more  so,  as  the  sequel  of  the  tale 
will  bring  down  events  within  a  year  of  the  present  moment. 

Previously  to  the  appearance  of  that  sequel,  however,  it 
may  be  well  to  say  a  few  words  concerning  the  fortunes  of 
some  of  our  characters,  as  it  might  be  en  attendant. 

To  commence  with  the  most  important :  the  Montauk  her- 
self, once  deemed  so  "  splendid "  and  convenient,  is  already 
supplanted  in  the  public  favor  by  a  new  ship ;  the  reign  of  a 
popular  packet,  a  popular  preacher,  or  a  popular  anything-else, 
in  America,  being  limited  by  a  national  esprit  de  corps,  to  a  time 
materially  shorter  than  that  of  a  lustre.  This,  however,  is  no 
more  than  just ;  rotation  in  favor  being  as  evidently  a  matter 
of  constitutional  necessity,  as  rotation  in  office. 

Captain  Truck,  for  a  novelty,  continues  popular,  a  circum- 
stance that  he  himself  ascribes  to  the  fact  of  his  being  still  a 
bachelor. 

Toast  is  promoted,  figuring  at  the  head  of  a  pantry  quite 
equal  to  that  of  his  great  master,  who  regards  his  improvement 


PREFACE.  5 

with  some  such  eyes  as  Charles  the  Twelfth  of  Sweden  re« 
garded  that  of  his  great  rival  Peter,  after  the  affair  of  Pultowa. 

Mr.  Leach  now  smokes  his  own  cigar,  and  issues  his  own 
orders  from  a  monkey  rail,  his  place  in  the  line  being  supplied 
by  his  former  "  Dickey."  He  already  speaks  of  his  great 
model,  as  of  one  a  little  antiquated,  it  is  true,  but  as  a  man 
who  had  merit  in  his  time,  though  it  was  not  the  particular 
merit  that  is  in  fashion  to  day. 

Notwithstanding  these  little  changes,  which  arc  perhaps 
inseparable  from  the  events  of  a  period  so  long  as  two  years  in 
a  country  as  energetic  as  America,  and  in  which  nothing  seems 
to  be  stationary  but  the  ages  of  Tontine  nominees  and  three- 
life  leases,  a  cordial  esteem  was  created  among  the  principal 
actors  in  the  events  of  this  book,  which  is  likely  to  outlast  the 
passage,  and  which  will  not  fail  to  bring  most  of  them  together 
again  in  the  sequel. 

April,  1838. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


CHAPTER  I. 

An  inner  room  I  have, 

Where  thou  shalt  rest  and  some  refreshment  take, 
And  then  we  will  more  fully  talk  of  this. 

ORRA. 

THE  coast  of  England,  though  infinitely  finer  than  our  owiy 
is  more  remarkable  for  its  verdure,  and  for  a  general  appear- 
ance of  civilization,  than  for  its  natural  beauties.  The  chalky 
cliffs  may  seem  bold  and  noble  to  the  American,  though  com- 
pared to  the  granite  piles  that  buttress  the  Mediterranean  they 
are  but  mole-hills  ;  and  the  travelled  eye  seeks  beauties 
instead,  in  the  retiring  vales,  the  leafy  hedges,  and  the  cluster- 
ing towns  that  dot  the  teeming  island.  Neither  is  Portsmouth 
a  very  favorable  specimen  of  a  British  port,  considered  solely 
in  reference  to  the  picturesque.  A  town  situated  on  a  humble 
point,  and  fortified  after  the  manner  of  the  Low  Countries, 
with  an  excellent  haven,  suggests  more  images  of  the  useful 
than  of  the  pleasing  ;  while  a  background  of  modest  receding 
hills  offers  little  beyond  the  verdant  swales  of  the  country.  In 
this  respect  England  itself  has  the  fresh  beauty  of  youth, 
rather  than  the  mellowed  hues  of  a  more  advanced  period  of 
life  ;  or  it  might  be  better  to  say,  it  has  the  young  freshness 
and  retiring  sweetness  that  distinguish  her  females,  as  com- 
pared with  the  warmer  tints  of  Spain  and  Italy,  and  which, 
women  and  landscape  alike,  need  the  near  view  to  be  appre- 
ciated. 

Some  such  thoughts  as  these    passed   through   the  mind  of 


8  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

the  traveller  who  stood  on  the  deck  of  the  packet  Montauk^ 
resting  an  elbow  on  the  quarter-deck  rail,  as  he  contemplated 
the  view  of  the  coast  that  stretched  before  him  east  and  west 
for  leagues.  The  manner  in  which  this  gentleman,  whose 
temples  were  sprinkled  with  gray  hairs,  regarded  the  scene, 
denoted  more  of  the  thoughtfulness  of  experience,  and  of 
taste  improved  by  observation,  than  it  is  usual  to  meet  amid 
the  bustling  and  commonplace  characters  that  compose  the 
majority  in  almost  every  situation  of  life.  The  calmness  of  his 
exterior,  an  air  removed  equally  from  the  admiration  of  the 
novice  and  the  superciliousness  of  the  tyro,  had,  indeed,  so 
strongly  distinguished  him  from  the  moment  he  embarked  in 
London  to  that  in  which  he  was  now  seen  in  the  position  men- 
tioned, that  several  of  the  seamen  swore  he  was  a  man-of-war's- 
man  in  disguise.  The  fair-haired,  lovely,  blue-eyed  girl  at  his 
side,  too,  seemed  a  softened  reflection  of  all  his  sentiment, 
intelligence,  knowledge,  tastes,  and  cultivation,  united  to  the 
artlessness  and  simplicity  that  became  her  sex  and  years. 

"  We  have  seen  nobler  coasts,  Eve,"  said  the  gentleman, 
pressing  the  arm  that  leaned  on  his  own  ;  "  but,  after  all,- 
England  will  always  be  fair  to  American  eyes." 

"  More  particularly,  so  if  those  eyes  first  opened  to  the 
light  in  the  eighteenth  century,  father." 

"  You,  at  least,  my  child,  have  been  educated  beyond  the 
reach  of  national  foibles,  whatever  may  have  been  my  own 
evil  fortune  ;  and  still,  I  think  even  you  have  seen  a  great  deal 
to  admire  in  this  country,  as  well  as  in  this  coast." 

Eve  Effingham  glanced  a  moment  towards  the  eye  of  her 
father,  and  perceiving  that  he  spoke  in  playfulness,  without 
suffering  a  cloud  to  shadow  a  countenance  that  usually  varied 
with  her  emotions,  she  continued  the  discourse,  which  had, 
in  fact,  only  been  resumed  by  the  remark  first  mentioned. 

"  I  have  been  educated,  as  it  is  termed,  in  so  many  dif- 
ferent^ places  and  countries,"  returned  Eve,  smiling,  "  that  I 
sometimes  fancy  I  was  born  a  woman,  like  my  great  prede- 
cessor and  namesake,  the  mother  of  Abel.  If  a  congress  of 
nations,  in  the  way  of  masters,  can  make  one  independent  of 
prejudice,  I  may  claim  to  possess  the  advantage.  My  greatest 
fear  is,  that  in  acquiring  liberality,  I  have  acquired  nothing 
else." 

Mr.  Effingham  turned  a  look  of  parental  fondness,  in  which 
parental  rjride  was  clearly  mingled,  on  the  face  of  his  daughter, 
and  said  with  his  eyes,  though  his  tongue  did  not  second  the 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  g 

expression,  "  This  is  a  fear,  sweet  one,  that  none  besides  thy- 
self would  feel." 

"  A  congress  of  nations,  truly ! "  muttered  another  male 
voice  near  the  father  and  daughter.  "  You  have  been  taught 
music  in  general,  by  seven  masters  of  as  many  different  states, 
besides  the  touch  of  the  guitar  by  a  Spaniard  ;  Greek  by  a 
German ;  the  living  tongues  by  the  European  powers,  and 
philosophy  by  seeing  the  world  ;  and  now,  with  a  brain  full  of 
learning,  ringers  full  of  touches,  eyes  full  of  tints,  and  a  per- 
son full  of  grace,  your  father  is  taking  you  back  to  America,  to 
*  waste  your  sweetness  on  the  desert  air.'  " 

"  Poetically  expressed,  if  not  justly  imagined,  cousin  Jack," 
returned  the  laughing  Eve  ;  "  but  you  have  forgot  to  add,  and 
a  heart  full  of  feeling  for  the  land  of  my  birth." 

"  We  shall  see,  in  the  end." . 

"  In  the  end,  as  in  the  beginning,  now  and  for  evermore." 

"  All  love  is  eternal  in  the  commencement." 

"  Do  you  make  no  allowance  for  the  constancy  of  woman  ? 
Think  you  that  a  girl  of  twenty  can  forget  the  country  of  her 
birth,  the  land  of  her  forefathers — or,  as  you  call  it  yourself 
when  in  a  good  humor,  the  land  of  liberty  ?" 

"  A  pretty  specimen  you  will  have  of  its  liberty  !  "  returned 
the  cousin  sarcastically.  "  After  having  passed  a  girlhood  of 
wholesome  restraint  in  the  rational  society  of  Europe,  you  are 
about  to  return  home  to  the  slavery  of  American  female  life, 
just  as  you  are  about  to  be  married." 

"  Married  !  Mr.  Effingham?  " 

"  I  suppose  the  catastrophe  will  arrive,  sooner  or  later ;  and 
it  is  more  likely  to  occur  to  a  girl  of  twenty  than  to  a  girl  of 
ten." 

"  Mr.  John  Effingham  never  lost  an  argument  for  the  want 
of  a  convenient  fact,  my  love,"  the  father  observed  by  way  of 
bringing  the  brief  discussion  to  a  close.  "  But  here  are  the 
boats  approaching ;  let  us  withdraw  a  little  and  examine  the 
chance  medley  of  faces  with  which  we  are  to  become  familiar 
by  the  intercourse  of  a  month." 

"  You  will  be  much  more  likely  to  agree  on  a  verdict  of 
murder,"  muttered  the  kinsman. 

Mr.  Effingham  led  his  daughter  into  the  hurricane-house — • 
or,  as  the  packet-men  quaintly  term  it,  the  <r0#^-house,  where 
they  stood  watching  the  movements  on  the  quarterdeck  for 'the 
next  half  hour ;  an  interval  of  which  we  shall  take  advantage 
to  touch  in  a  few  of  the  stronger  lights  of  our  picture,  leaving 


10.  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

the  softer  tints  and  the  shadows  to  be  discovered  by  the  man- 
ner in  which  the  artist  "  tells  the  story." 

Edward  and  John  Effingham  were  brothers'  children  ;  were 
born  on  the  same  day ;  had  passionately  loved  the  same  woman, 
who  had  preferred  the  first-named,  and  died  soon  after  Eve  was 
born  ;  had,  notwithstanding  this  collision  in  feeling,  remained 
sincere  friends,  and  this  the  more  so,  probably,  from  a  mutual 
and  natural  sympathy  in  their  common  loss ;  had  lived  much 
together  at  home,  and  travelled  much  together  abroad,  and 
were  now  about  to  return  in  company  to  the  land  of  their  birth, 
after  what  might  be  termed  an  absence  of  twelve  years  ;  though 
both  had  visited  America  for  short  periods  in  the  intervals, — • 
John  not  less  than  five  times. 

There  was  a  strong  family  likeness  between  the  cousins, 
their  persons  and  even  features  being  almost  identical ;  though 
it  was  scarcely  possible  for  two  human  beings  to  leave  more 
opposite  impressions  on  mere  casual  spectators  when  seen 
separately.  Both  were  tall,  of  commanding  presence,  and 
handsome  ;  while  one  was  winning  in  appearance,  and  the 
other,  if  not  positively  forbidding,  at  least  distant  and  repulsive. 
The  noble  outline  of  face  in  Edward  Effingham  had  got  to  be 
cold  severity  in  that  of  John ;  the  aquiline  nose  of  the  latter, 
seeming  to  possess  an  eagle-like  and  hostile  curvature, — his 
compressed  lip,  sarcastic  and  cold  expression,  and  the  fine 
classical  chin,  a  feature  in  which  so  many  of  the  Saxon  race 
fail,  a  haughty  scorn  that  caused  strangers  usually  to  avoid  him. 
Eve  drew  with  great  facility  and  truth,  and  she  had  an  eye,  as 
her  cousin  had  rightly  said,  "  full  of  tints."  Often  and  often 
had  she  sketched  both  of  these  loved  faces,  and  never  without 
wondering  wherein  that  strong  difference  existed  in  nature 
which  she  had  never  been  able  to  impart  to  her  drawings.  The 
truth  is.  that  the  subtle  character  of  John  Effingham's  face 
would  have  puzzled  the  skill  of  one  who  had  made  the  art  his 
study  for  a  life,  and  it  utterly  set  -the  graceful  but  scarcely  pro- 
found knowledge  of  the  beautiful  young  painter  at  defiance. 
All  the  points  of  character  that  rendered  her  father  so  amiable 
and  so  winning,  and  which  were  rather  felt  than  perceived,  in 
his  cousin  were  salient  and  bold,  and  if  it  may  be  thus  ex- 
pressed, had  become  indurated  by  mental  suffering  and  disap 
pointment. 

The  cousins  were  both  rich,  though  in  ways  as  opposite  as 
their  dispositions  and  habits  of  thought.  Edward  Effingham 
possessed  a  large  hereditary  property,  that  brought  a  good  in 
come,  and  which  attached  him  to  this  world  of  ours  by  kindly 


HOME  WARD  BOUND.  !  x 

feelings  towards  its  land  and  water;  while  John,  much  the 
wealthier  of  the  two,  having  inherited  a  large  commercial  for« 
tune,  did  not  own  ground  enough  to  bury  him.  As  he  some- 
times deridingly  said,  he  "  kept  his  gold  in  corporations,  that 
were  as  soulless  as  himself." 

Still,  John  Effingham  was  a  man  of  cultivated  mind,  of  ex 
tensive  intercourse  with  the  world,  and-  of  manners  that  varied 
with  the  occasion ;  or  perhaps  it  were  better  to  say  with  his 
humors.  In  all  these  particulars  but  the  latter  the  cousins 
were  alike  ;  Edward  Effingham's  deportment  being  as  equal  as 
his  temper,  though  also  distinguished  for  a  knowledge  of 
society. 

These  gentlemen  had  embarked  at  London,  on  their  fiftieth 
birthday,  in  the  packet  of  the  ist  of  October,  bound  to. New 
York  ;  the  lands  and  family  residence  of  trie  proprietor  lying 
in  the  state  of  that  name,  of  which  all  of  the  parties  were 
natives.  It  is  not  usual  for  the  cabin  passengers  of  the  Lon- 
don packets  to  embark  in  the  docks ;  but  Mr.  Effingham, — as 
we  shall  call  the  father  in  general,  to  distinguish  him  from  the 
bachelor,  John, — as  an  old  and  experienced  traveller,  had 
determined  to  make  his  daughter  familiar  with  the  peculiar 
odors  of  the  vessel  in  smooth  water,  as  a  protection  against 
sea-sickness  ;  a  malady,  however,  from  which  she  proved  to  be 
singularly  exempt  in  the  end.  They  had,  accordingly,  been  on 
board  three  days,  when  the  ship  came  to  an  anchor  off  Ports- 
mouth,.the  point  where  the  remainder  of  the  passengers  were 
to  join  her  on  that  particular  day  when  the  scene  of  this  tale 
commences. 

At  this  precise  moment,  then,  the  Montauk  was  lying  at  a 
single  anchor,  not  less  than  a  league  from  the  land,  in  a  flat 
calm,  with  her  three  topsails  loose,  the  courses  in  the  brails, 
and  with  all  those  signs  of  preparation  about  her  that  are  so 
bewildering  to  landsmen,  but  which  seamen  comprehend  as 
clearly  as  words.  The  'captain  had  no  other  business  there 
than  to  take  on  board  the  wayfarers,  and  to  renew  his  supply 
of  fresh  meat  and  vegetables  ;  things  of  so  familiar  import  on 
shore  as  to  be  seldom  thought  of  until  missed,  but  which  swell 
into  importance  during  a  passage  of  a  month's  duration.  Eve 
had  employed  her  three  days  of  probation  quite  usefully, 
having,  with  the  exception  of  the  two  gentlemen,  the  officer  of 
the  vessel,  and  one  other  person,  been  in  quiet  possession  of 
all  the  ample,  not  to  say  luxurious  cabins.  It  is  true,  she  had 
a  female  attendant ;  but  to  her  she  had  been  accustomed  from 
childhood,  and  Nanny  Sidley,  as  her  quondam  nurse  and  actuaJ 


12  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

lady's-maid  was  termed,  appeared  so  much  a  part  of  herself, 
that,  while  her  absence  would  be  missed  almost  as  greatly  as 
that  of  a  limb,  her  presence  was  as  much  a  matter  of  course  as 
a  hand  or  foot.  Nor  will  a  passing  word  concerning  this  ex- 
cellent and  faithful  domestic  be  thrown  away,  in  the  brief  pre- 
liminary explanations  we  are  making. 

Ann  Sidley  was  one  of  those  excellent  creatures  who,  it  is 
the  custom  with  the  European  travellers  to  say,  do  not  exist  at 
all  in  America,  and  who,  while  they  are  certainly  less  numerous 
than  could  be  wished,  have  no  superiors  in  the  world,  in  their 
way.  She  had  been  born  a  servant,  lived  a  servant,  and  was 
quite  content  to  die  a  servant, — and  this,  too,  in  one  and  the 
same  family.  We  shall  not  enter  into  a  philosophical  examin- 
ation, of  the  reasons  that  had  induced  old  Ann  to  feel  certain 
she  was  in  the  precise  situation  to  render  her  more  happy  than 
any  other  that  to  her  was  attainable ;  "but  feel  it  she  did,  as 
John  Effingham  used  to  express  it,  "  from  the  crown  of  her 
head  to  the  sole  of  her  foot."  She  had  passed  through  infancy, 
childhood,  girlhood,  up  to  womanhood,  pari  passu,  with  the 
mother  of  Eve,  having  been  the  daughter  of  a  gardener,  who 
died  in  the  service  of  the  family,  and  had  heart  enough  to  feel 
that  the  mixed  relations  of  civilized  society,  when  properly 
understood  and  appreciated,  are  more  pregnant  of  happiness 
than  the  vulgar  scramble  and  heart-burnings,  that  in  the  melee 
of  a  migrating  and  unsettled. population,  are  so  injurious  to  the 
grace  and  principles  of  American  life.  At  the  death  of  Eve's 
mother,  she  had  transferred  her  affections  to  the  child ;  and 
twenty  years  of  assiduity  and  care  had  brought  her  to  feel  as 
much  tenderness  for  her  lovely  young  charge  as  if  she  had  been 
her  natural  parent.  But  Nanny  Sidley  was  better  fitted  to  care 
for  the  body  than  the  mind  of  Eve ;  and  when,  at  the  age  of 
ten,  the  latter  was  placed  under  the  control  of  an  accomplished 
governess,  the  good  woman  had  meekly  and  quietly  sunk  the 
duties  of  the  nurse  into  those  of  the  maid. 

One  of  the  severest  trials — or  "  crosses,"  as  she  herself 
termed  it — that  poor  Nanny  had  ever  experienced,  was  endured 
when  Eve  began  to  speak  in  a  language  she  could  not  herself 
comprehend  ;  for,  in  despite  of  the  best  intentions  in  the  world, 
and  twelve  years  of  use,  the  good  woman  could  never  make 
anything  of  the  foreign  tongues  her  young  charge  was  so  rap- 
idly acquiring.  One  day,  when  Eve  had  been  maintaining  an 
animated  and  laughing  discourse  in  Italian  with  her  instruc- 
tress, Nanny,  unable  to  command  herself,  had  actually  caughc 
the  child  to  her  bosom,  and,  bursting  into  tears,  implored  her 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  13 

not  to  estrange  herself  entirely  from  her  poor  old  nurse.  The 
caresses  and  solicitations  of  Eve  soon  brought  the  good  woman 
to  a  sense  of  her  weakness  ;  but  the  natural  feeling  was  so 
strong,  that  it  required  years  of  close  observation  to  reconcile 
her  to  the  thousand  excellent  qualities  of  Mademoiselle  Vief- 
ville,  the  lady  to  whose  superintendence  the  education  of  Miss 
Effingham  had  been  finally  confided. 

This  Mademoiselle  Viefville  was  also  among  the  passen- 
gers, and  was  the  one.  other  person  who  now  occupied  the 
cabins  in  common  with  Eve  and  her  friends.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  a  French  officer  who  had  fallen  in  Napoleon's  cam- 
paigns, had  been  educated  at  one  of  those  admirable  estab- 
lishments which  form  points  of  relief  in  the  ruthless  history  of 
the  conqueror,  and  had  now  lived  long  enough  to  have  edu- 
cated two  young  persons,  the  last  of  whom  was  Eve  Effingham. 
Twelve  years  of  close  communion  with  her  eleve  had  created 
sufficient  attachment  to  cause  her  to  yield  to  the  solicitations 
of  the  father  to  accompany  his  daughter  to  America,  and  to 
continue  with  her  during  the  first  year  of  her  probation,  in  a 
state  of  society  that  the  latter  felt  must  be  altogether  novel  to 
a  young  woman  educated  as  his  own  child  had  been. 

So  much  has  been  written  and  said  of  French  governesses, 
that  we  shall  not  anticipate  the  subject,  but  leave  this  lady  to 
speak  and  act  for  herself  in  the  course  of  the  narrative.  Nei- 
ther is  it  our  intention  to  be  very  minute  in  these  introductory 
remarks  concerning  any  of  our  characters ;  but  having  thus 
traced  their  outlines,  we  shall  return  again  to  the  incidents  as 
they  occurred,  trusting  to  make  the  reader  better  acquainted 
with  all  the  parties  as  we  proceed. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Lord  Cram  and  Lord  Vultur, 
Sir  Brandish  O'Cultur, 
With  Marshal  Carouzer, 
And  old  Lady  Mouser 

BATH  Gumfc. 

THE  assembling  of  the  passengers  of  a  packet-ship  is  at  all 
times  a  matter  of  interest  to  the  parties  concerned.  During 
the  western  passage  in  particular,  which  can  never  safely  be 
set  down  at  less  than  a  month,  there  is  the  prospect  of  being 
shut  up  for  the  whole  of  that  period,  within  the  narrow  compass 


I4  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

of  a  ship,  with  those  whom  chance  has  brought  together,  in- 
fluenced by  all  the  accidents  and  caprices  of  personal  charac« 
ter,  and  a  difference  of  nations,  conditions  in  life,  and  educa- 
tion. The  quarter-deck,  it  is  true,  forms  a  sort  of  local 
distinction,  and  the  poor  creatures  in  the  steerage  seem  the 
rejected  of  Providence  for  the  time  being ;  but  all  who  know 
life  will  readily  comprehend  that  the  pele-mele  of  the  cabins  can 
seldom  offer  anything  very  enticing  to  people  of  refinement  and 
taste.  Against  this  evil,  however,  there  is  one  particular 
source  of  relief  ;  most  persons  feeling  a*  disposition  to  yield  to 
the  circumstances  in  which  they  are  placed,  with  the  laudable 
and  convenient  desire  to  render  others  comfortable,  in  order 
that  they  may  be  made  comfortable  themselves. 

A  man  of  the  world  and  a  gentleman,  Mr.  Effingham  had 
looked  forward  to  this  passage  with  a  good  deal  of  concern,  on 
account  of  his  daughter,  while  he  shrank  with  the  sensitiveness 
of  his  habits  from  the  necessity  of  exposing  one  of  her  delicacy 
and  plastic  simplicity  to  the  intercourse  of  a  ship.  Accompanied 
by  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  watched  over  by  Nanny,  and  guarded 
by  himself  and  his  kinsman,  he  had  lost  some  of  his  apprehen- 
sions on  the  subject  during  the  three  pobationary  days,  and 
now  took  his  stand  in  the  centre  of  his  own  party  to  observe 
the  new  arrivals,  with  something  of  the  security  of  a  man  who 
is  entrenched  in  his  own  door-way. 

The  place  they  occupied,  at  the  window  of  the  hurricane- 
house,  did  not  admit  of  a  view  of  the  water ;  but  it  was  suffi- 
ciently evident  from  the  preparations  in  the  gangway  next  the 
land,  that  boats  were  so  near  as  to  render  that  unnecessary. 

"  Genus,  cockney ;  species,  bagman,"  muttered  John  Effing- 
ham, as  the  first  arrival  touched  the  deck.  "  That  worthy  has 
merely  exchanged  the  basket  of  a  coach  for  the  deck  of  a 
packet ;  we  may  now  learn  the  price  of  buttons." 

It  did  not  require  a  naturalist  to  detect  the  species  of  the 
stranger,  in  truth ;  though  John  Effingham  had  been  a  little 
more  minute  in  his  description  than  was  warranted  by  the  fact 
The  person  in  question  was  one  of  those  mercantile  agents  that 
England  scatters  so  profusely  over  the  world,  some  of  whom 
have  all  the  most  sterling  qualities  of  their  nation,  though  a 
majority,  perhaps,  are  a  little  disposed  to  mistake  the  value  of 
other  people  as  well  as  their  own.  This  was  the  genus,  as  John 
Effingham  had  expressed  it ;  but  the  species  will  best  appear  on 
dissection.  The  master  of  the  ship  saluted  this  person  cordially, 
and  as  an  old  acquaintance,  by  the  name  of  Monday, 

"  A  mousquetaire  resuscitated,"  said  Mademoiselle  Viefvjlle, 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  I$ 

in  her  broken  English,  as  one  who  had  come  in  the  same  boat 
as  the  first-named,  thrust  his  whiskered  and  mustachoed  visage 
above  the  rail  of  the  gangway. 

"  More  probably  a  barber,  who  has  converted  his  own  head 
into  a  wig-block,"  growled  John  Effingham. 

"  It  cannot,  surely,  be  Wellington  in  disguise  !  "  added  Mr. 
Effingham,  with  a  sarcasm  of  manner  that  was  quite  unusual 
for  him. 

"  Or  a  peer  of  the  realm  in  his  robes  ! "  whispered  Eve,  who 
was  much  amused  with  the  elaborate  toilet  of  the  subject  of 
their  remarks,  who  descended  the  ladder  supported  by  a  sailor, 
and,  after  speaking  to  the  master,  was  formally  presented  to  his 
late  boat-companion,  as  Sir  George  Templemore.  The  two 
bustled  together  about  the  quarter-deck  for  a  few  minutes,  using 
eye-glasses,  which  led  them  into  several  scrapes,  by  causing 
them  to  hit  their  legs  against  sundry  objects  they  might  have 
avoided,  though  both  were  much  too  high-bred  to  betray 
feelings — or  fancied  they  were,  which  answered  the  same  pur- 
pose. 

After  these  flourishes,  the  new  comers  descended  to  the 
cabin  in  company,  not  without  pausing  to  survey  the  party  in 
the  hurricane-house,  more  especially  Eve,  who,  to  old  Ann's 
great  scandal,  was  the  subject  of  their  manifest  and  almost 
avowed  admiration  and  observation. 

"  One  is  rather  glad  to  have  such  a  relief  against  the 
tediousness  of  a  sea-passage,"  said  Sir  George  as  they  went  down 
the  ladder.  "  No  doubt  you  are  used  to  this  sort  of  thing,  Mr. 
Monday  ;  but  with  me,  it  is  voyage  the  first, — that  is,  if  I  ex- 
cept the  Channel  and  the  seas  one  encounters  in  making  the 
usual  run  on  the  Continent." 

"  Oh,  dear  me  !  I  go  and  come  as  regularly  as  the  equinoxes, 
Sir  George,  which  you  know  is  quite,  in  rule,  once  a  year.  I 
call  my  passages  the  equinoxes,  too,  for  I  religiously  make  it 
a  practice  to  pass  just  twelve  hours  out  of  the  twenty-four  in 
my  berth." 

This  was  the  last  the  party  on  deck  heard  of  the  opinions  of 
tli3  two  worthies,  for  the  time  being ;  nor  would  they  have  been 
favored  with  all  this,  had  not  Mr.  Monday  what  he  thought  a 
rattling  way  with  him,  which  caused  him  usually  to  speak  in  an 
octave  above  every  one  else.  Although  their  voices  were  nearly 
mute,  or  rather  lost  to  those  above,  they  were  heard  knocking 
about  in  their  state-rooms ;  and  Sir  George,  in  particular,  as 
frequently  called  out  for  the  steward,  by  the  name  of  "  Saun- 


T6  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

ders,"  as  Mr.  Monday  made  similar  appeals  to  the  steward's 
assistant  for  succor,  by  the  appropriate  appellation  of  "  ^oast." 

"  I  think  we  may  safely  claim  this  person,  at  least,  for  a 
countryman,"  said  John  Effingnam  :  "  he  is  what  I  have  heard 
termed  an  American  in  a  European  mask." 

"  The  character  is  more  ambitiously  conceived  than  skil- 
fully maintained,"  replied  Eve,  who  had  need  of  all  her  retenul 
of  manner  to  abstain  from  laughing  outright.  ''Were  I  to 
hazard  a  conjecture,  it  would  be  to  describe  the  gentleman  as 
a  collector  of  costumes,  who  had  taken  a  fancy  to  exhibit  an 
assortment  of  his  riches  on  his  own  person.  Mademoiselle 
Viefville,  you,  who  so  well  understand  costumes,  may  tell  us 
from  what  countries  the  separate  parts  of  that  attire  have  been 
collected?"  . 

"  I  can  answer  for  the  shop  in  Berlin  where  the  travelling 
cap  was  purchased,"  returned  the  amused  governess  ;  "  in  no 
other  part  of  the  world  can  a  parallel  be  found." 

"  I  should  think,  ma'am,"  put  in  Nanny,  with  the  quiet 
simplicity  of  her  nature  as  well  as  of  her  habits,  "that  the 
gentleman  must  have  bought  his  boots  in  Paris,  for  they  seem 
to  pinch  his  feet,  and  all  the  Paris  boots  and  shoes  pinch  one's 
feet, — at  least,  all  mine  did." 

"  The  watch-guard  is  stamped  '  Geneva,' "  continued 
Eve. 

"The  coat  comes  from  Frankfort:  c1  est  une  equivoque" 

"  And  the  pipe  from  Dresden,  Mademoiselle  Viefville." 

"  The  conchiglia  savors  of  Rome,  and  the  little  chain  an- 
nexed bespeaks  the  Rialto  ;  while  the  moustaches  are  anything 
but  indigenes,  and  the  tout  ensemble  the  world  :  the  man  is  trav- 
elled, at  least." 

Eve's  eyes  sparkled  with  humor  as  she  said  this  :  while 
the  new  passenger,  who  had  been  addressed  as  Mr.  Dodge, 
and  as  an  old  acquaintance  also,  by  the  captain,  came  so  near 
them  as  to  admit  of  no  further  comments.  A  short  conversation 
between  the  two  soon  let  the  listeners  into  the  secret  that  the 
traveller  had  come  from  America  in  the  spring,  whither,  after 
having  made  the  tour  of  Europe,  he  was  about  to  return  in  the 
autumn. 

"  Seen  enough,  ha  !  "  added  the  captain  with  a  friendly  nod 
of  the  head,  when  the  other  had  finished  a  brief  summary  of 
his  proceedings  in  the  eastern  hemisphere.  "  All  eyes,  and  na 
leisure  or  inclination  for  more  ?  " 

"  I've  seen  as  much  as  I  warnt  to  see,"  returned  the  travel- 
ler, with  an  emphasis  on,  and  a  pronunciation  of,  the  word  we 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  l>j 

have  italicized,  that  cannot  be  committed  to  paper,  but  which 
were  eloquence  itself  on  the  subject  of  self-satisfaction  and 
self-knowledge. 

"  Well,  that  is  the  main  point.  When  a  man  has  got  all  he 
wants  of  a  thing,  any  addition  is  like  over-ballast.  Whenever 
I  can  get  fifteen  knots  out  of  the  ship,  I  make  it  a  point  to  be 
satisfied,  especially  under  close-reefed  topsails  and  on  a  taut 
bow-line." 

The  traveller  and  the  master  nodded  their  heads  at  each 
other,  like  men  who  understood  more  than  they  expressed ; 
when  the  former,  after  inquiring  with  marked  interest  if  his 
room-mate,  Sir  George  Templemore,  had  arrived,  went  below. 
An  intercourse  of  three  days  had  established  something  like 
an  acquaintance  between  the  latter  and  the  passengers 
she  had  brought  from  the  River,  and  turning  his  red 
quizzical  face  towards  the  ladies,  he  observed  with  inimitable 
gravity,— 

"  There  is  nothing  like  understanding  when  one  has  enough, 
even  if  it  be  of  knowledge.  I  never  yet  met  with  the  navigator 
who  found  two  '  noons '  in  the  same  day,  that  he  was  not  in 
danger  of  shipwreck.  Now  I  daresay,  Mr.  Dodge  there,  who 
has  just  gone  below,  has,  as  he  says,  seen  all  he  warnts  to  see, 
and  it  is  quite  likely  he  knows  more  already  than  he  can  clever- 
ly get  along  with. — Let  the  people  be  getting  the  booms  on  the 
yards,  Mr.  Leach ;  we  shall  be  warnting  to  spread  our  wings 
before  the  end  of  the  passage." 

As  Captain  Truck,  though  he  often  swore,  seldom  laughed, 
his  mate  gave  the  necessary  order  with  a  gravity  equal  to  that 
with  which  it  had  been  delivered  to  him  ;  and  even  the  sailors 
went  aloft  to  execute  it  with  greater  alacrity  for  an  indulgence 
of  humor  that  was  peculiar  to  their  trade,  and  which,  as  few 
understood  it  so  well,  none  enjoyed  so  much  as  themselves. 
As  the  homeward-bound  crew  was  the  same  as  the  outward 
bound,  and  Mr.  Dodge  had  come  abroad  quite  as  green  as  he 
was  now  going  home  ripe,  this  traveller  of  six  months'  finish  did 
not  escape  divers  commentaries  that  literally  cut  him  up  "  from 
clew  to  ear-ring,"  and  which  flew  about  in  the  rigging  much  as 
active  birds  flutter  from  branch  to  branch  in  a  tree.  The  subject 
of  all  this  wit,  however,  remained  profoundly,  not  to  say  hap- 
pily, ignorant  of  the  sensation  he  had  produced,  being  occupied 
in  disposing  of  the  Dresden  pipe,  the  Venetian  chain,  and  the 
Roman  conchiglia  in  his  state-room,  and  in  '*  instituting  an  ac* 
quaintance,"  as  he  expressed  it,  with  his  room-mate,  Sir  George 
Templemore. 


X8  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  We  must  surely  have  something  better  than  this,"  observed 
Mr.  Effingham,  "for  I  observed  that  two  of  the  staterooms  in 
the  main  cabin  are  taken  singly." 

In  order  that  the  general  reader  may  understand  this,  it 
may  be  well  to  explain  that  the  packet  ships  have  usually  two 
berths  in  each  stateroom,  but  they  who  can  afford  to  pay  an 
extra  charge  are  permitted  to  occupy  the  little  apartment 
singly.  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  add,  that  persons  of  gentle- 
manly feeling,  when  circumstances  will  at  all  permit,  prefer 
economizing  in  other  things  in  order  to  live  by  themselves  for 
the  month  usually  consumed  in  the  passage,  since  in  nothing 
is  refinement  more  plainly  exhibited  than  in  the  reserve  of 
personal  habits. 

"  TKere  is  no  lack  of  vulgar  fools  stirring  with  full  pockets," 
rejoined  John  Effingham  ;  "  the  two  rooms  you  mention  may 
have  been  taken  by  some  '  yearling '  travellers,  who  are  little 
better  than  the  semi-annual  savant  who  has  just  passed  us." 

"  It  is  at  least  something,  cousin  Jack,  to  have  the  wishes  of 
a  gentleman." 

"  It  is  something.  Eve,  though  it  end  in  wishes,  or  even  in 
caricature." 

"  What  are  the  names  ?  "  pleasantly  asked  Mademoiselle 
Viefville  ;  "  the  names  may  be  a  clue  to  the  characters." 

"  The  papers  pinned  to  the  bed-curtains  bear  the  antithet- 
ical titles  of  Mr.  Sharp  and  Mr.  Blunt ;  though  it  is  quite 
probable  the  first  is  wanting  of  a  letter  or  two  by  accident,  and 
the  last  is  merely  a  synonyme  of  the  old  nom  de  guerre  *  Cash.'  " 

"  Do  persons,  then,  actually  travel  with  borrowed  names  in 
our  days  ?  "  asked  Eve,  with  a  little  of  the  curiosity  of  the  com' 
mon  mother  whose  name  she  bore. 

"  That  do  they,  and  with  borrowed  money  too,  as  well  as  in 
other  days.  I  dare  say,  however,  these  two  co-voyagers  of  out:* 
will  come  just  as  they  are,  in  truth,  Sharp  enough,  and  Blutv; 
enough." 

"  Are  they  Americans,  think  you  ? " 

"  They  ought  to  be ;  both  the  qualities  being  thoroughly 
indigenes,  as  Mademoiselle  Viefville  would  say." 

"  Nay,  cousin  John,  I  will  bandy  words  with  you  no  longer ; 
for  the  last  twelve  months  you  have  done  little  else  than  try  to 
lessen  the  joyful  anticipations  with  which  I  return  to  the  home 
of  my  childhood." 

"  Sweet  one,  I  would  not  willingly  lessen  one  of  thy  young 
and  generous  pleasures  by  any  of  the  alloy  of  my  own  bitter- 
ness ;  but  what  wilt  thou  ,?  A  little  preparation  for  that  which 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  tg 

is  as  certain  to  follow  as  that  the  sun  succeeds  the  dawn,  will 
rather  soften  the  disappointment  thou  art  doomed  to  feel." 

Eve  had  only  time  to  cast  a  look  of  affectionate  gratitude 
towards  him, — for  whilst  he  spoke  tauntingly,  he  spoke  with  a 
feeling  that  her  experience  from  childhood  had  taught  her  to 
appreciate, — ere  the  arrival  of  another  boat  drew  the  common 
attention  to  the  gangway.  A  call  from  the  officer  in  attendance 
brought  the  captain  to  the  rail ;  and  his  order  "  to  pass  in  the 
luggage  of  Mr.  Sharp  and  Mr.  Blunt,"  was  heard  by  all  near. 

"  Now  for  les  indigenes"  whispered  Mademoiselle  Viefville, 
with  the  nervous  excitement  that  is  a  little  apt  to  so  betray  a 
lively  expectation  in  the  gentler  sex. 

Eve  smiled,  for  there  are  situations  in  which  trifles  help  to 
awaken  interest,  and  the  little  that  had  just  passed  served  to 
excite  curiosity  in  the  whole  party.  Mr.  Effingham  thought  it 
a  favorable  symptom  that  the  master,  who  had  had  interviews 
with  all  his  passengers  in  London,  walked  to  the  gangway  to 
receive  the  new  comers ;  for  a  boat  load  of  the  quarter-deck  oi 
fiolloi  had  come  on  board  a  moment  before  without  any  other 
notice  on  his  part  than  a  general  bow,  with  the  usual  order  to 
receive  their  effects.  - 

"The  delay  denotes  Englishmen,"  the  caustic  John  had 
time  to  throw  in,  before  the  silent  arrangement  at  the  gangway 
was  interrupted  by  the  appearance  of  the  passengers. 

The  quiet  smile  of  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  as  the  two  trav- 
ellers appeared  on  deck,  denoted  approbation,  for  her  practised 
eye  detected  at  a  glance,  that  both  were  certainly  gentlemen. 
Women  are  more  purely  creatures  of  convention  in  their  way 
than  men,  their  education  inculcating  nicer  distinctions  and 
discriminations  than  that  of  the  other  sex  ;  and  Eve,  who  would 
have  studied  Sir  George  Templemore  and  Mr.  Dodge  as  she 
would  have  studied  the  animals  of  a  caravan,  or  as  creatures 
with  whom  she  had  no  affinities,  after  casting  a  sly  look  of  cu- 
riosity at  the  two  who  now  appeared  on  deck,  unconsciously 
averted  her  eyes  like  a  well-bred  young  person  in  a  drawing- 
room. 

"They  are  indeed  English,"  quietly  remarked  Mr.  Effing- 
ham  ;  "  but,  out  of  question,  English  gentlemen." 

"  The  one  nearest  appears  to  me  to  be  Continental,"  an« 
swered  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  who  had  not  felt  the  same  im- 
pulse to  avert  her  look  as  Eve  ;  "  he  v&jamais  Anglais  /" 

Eve  stole  a  glance  in  spite  of  herself,  and,  with  the  intuitive 
penetration  of  a  woman,  intimated  that  she  had  come  to  the 
same  conclusion.  The  two  strangers  were  both  tall,  and  de 


20  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

cidedly.  gentleman-like  young  men,  whose  personal  appearance 
would  cause  either  to  be  remarked.  The  one  whom  the  cap- 
tain addressed  as  Mr.  Sharp  had  the  most  youthful  look,  his 
complexion  being  florid,  and  his  hair  light ;  though  the  other 
was  altogether  superior  in  outline  of  feature  as  well  as  in  ex- 
pression ;  indeed,  Mademoiselle  Viefville  fancied  she  never 
saw  a  sweeter  smile  than  that  he  gave  on  returning  the  salute 
of  the  deck ;  there  was  more  than  the  common  expression  of 
suavity  and  of  the  usual  play  of  features  in  it,  for  it  struck  her 
as  being  thoughtful  and  as  almost  melancholy.  His  companion 
was  gracious  in  his  manner,  and  perfectly  well  toned ;  but  his 
demeanor  had  less  of  the  soul  of  the  man  about  it,  partaking 
more  of  the  training  of  the  social  caste  to  which  it  belonged. 
These  may  seem  to  be  nice  distinctions  for  the  circumstances ; 
but  Mademoiselle  Viefville  had  passed  her  life  in  good  com- 
pany, and  under  responsibilities  that  had  rendered  observation 
and  judgment  highly  necessary,  and  particularly  observations 
of  the  other  sex. 

Each  of  the  strangers  had  a  servant ;  and  while  their  lug- 
gage was  passed  up  from  the  boat,  they  walked  aft  nearer  to 
the  hurricane-house,  accompanied  by  the  captain.  Every 
American,  who  is  not  very  familiar  with  the  world,  appears  to 
possess  the  mania  of  introducing.  Captain  Truck  was  no  ex- 
ception to  the  rule  ;  for,  while  he  was  perfectly  acquainted  with 
a  ship,  and  knew  the  etiquette  of  the  quarter-deck  to  a  hair, 
he  got  into  blue  water  the  moment  he  approached  the  finesse 
of  deportment.  He  was  exactly  of  that  school  of  elegants  who 
fancy  drinking  a  glass  of  wine  with  another,  and  introducing, 
are  touches  of  breeding ;  it  being  altogether  beyond  his  com- 
prehension that  both  have  especial  uses,  and  are  only  to  be  re- 
sorted to  on  especial  occasions.  Still,  the  worthy  master,  who 
had  begun  life  on  the  forecastle,  without  any  previous  knowl- 
edge of  usages,  and  who  had  imbibed  the  notion  that  "  man- 
ners make  the  man,"  taken  in  the  narrow  sense  of  the  axiom, 
was  a  devotee  of  what  he  fancied  to  be  good  breeding,  and  one 
of  his  especial  duties,  as  he  imagined,  in  order  to  put  his  pas- 
sengers at  their  ease,  was  to  introduce  them  to  each  other ;  a 
proceeding  which,  it  is  hardly  necessary  to  say,  had  just  a  con- 
trary effect  with  the  better  class  of  them. 

"  You  are  acquainted  gentlemen  ? "  he  said,  as  the  three 
approached  the  party  in  the  hurricane-house. 

The  two  travellers  endeavored  to  look  interested,  while  Mr. 
Sharp  carelessly  observed  that  they  had  met  for  the  first  time 
in  the  boat.  This  was  delightful  intelligence  to  Captain 


HOME  WARD  BOUKD.  2  \ 

who  did  not  lose  a  moment  in  turning  it  to  account.  Stopping 
short,  he  faced  his  companions,  and,  with  a  solemn  wave  of  the 
hand,  he  went  through  the  ceremonial  in  which  he  most  de» 
lighted,  and  in  which  he  piqued  himself  at  being  an  adept. 

"  Mr.  Sharp,  permit  me  to  introduce  you  to  Mr.  Blunt ;— • 
Mr.  Blunt,  let  me  make  you  acquainted  with  Mr.  Sharp." 

The  gentlemen,  though  taken  a  little  by  surprise  at  the  dig- 
nity and  formality  of  the  captain,  touched  their  hats  civilly  to 
each  other,  and  smiled.  Eve,  not  a  little  amused  at  the  scene, 
watched  the  whole  procedure ;  and  then  she  too  detected  the 
sweet  melancholy  of  the  one  expression,  and  the  marble-like 
irony  of  the  other.  It  may  have  been  this  that  caused  her  to 
start,  though  almost  imperceptibly,  and  to  color. 

"  Our  turn  will  come  next,"  muttered  John  Effingham  ;  "get 
the  grimaces  ready." 

His  conjecture  was  right ;  for,  hearing  his  voice  without 
understanding  the  words,  the  captain  followed  up  his  advantage 
to  his  own  infinite  gratification. 

"  Gentlemen, — Mr.  Effingham,  Mr.  John  Effingham  " — 
(everyone  soon  came  to  make  this  distinction  in  addressing 
the  cousins) — "  Miss  Effingham,  Mademoiselle  Viefville  : 
— Mr.  Sharp,  Mr.  Blunt,  ladies  ; — gentlemen,  Mr.  Blunt,  Mr. 
Sharp." 

The  dignified  bow  of  Mr.  Effingham,  as  well  as  the  faint 
and  distant  smile  of  Eve,  would  have  repelled  any  undue 
familiarity  in  men  of  less  tone  than  either  of  the  strangers,  both 
of  whom  received  the  unexpected  honor  like  those  who  felt 
themselves  to  be  intruders.  As  Mr.  Sharp  raised  his  hat  to 
Eve,  however,  he  held  it  suspended  a  moment  above  his  head, 
and  then  dropping  his  arm  to  its  full  length,  he  bowed  with 
profound  respect,  though  distantly.  Mr.  Blunt  was  less 
elaborate  in  his  salute,  but  as  pointed  as  the  circumstances  at 
all  required.  Both  gentlemen  were  a  little  struck  with  the 
distant  hauteur  of  John  Effingham,  whose  bow,  while  it  fulfilled 
all  the  outward  forms,  was  what  Eve  used  laughingly  to  term 
"  imperial."  The  bustle  of  preparation,  and  the  certainty 
that  there  would  be  no  want  of  opportunities  to  renew  the  in- 
tercourse, prevented  more  than  the  general  salutations,  and  the 
new-comers  descended  to  their  staterooms. 

"  Did  you  remark  the  manner  in  which  those  people  took 
my  introduction  ?"  asked  Captain  Truck  of  his  chief  mate, 
whom  he  was  training  up  in  the  ways  of  packet  politeness, 
as  one  in  the  road  of  preferment.  "Now,  to  my  notion, 


22  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

they  might  have  shook  hands  at  least.  That's  what  I  call 
Valid." 

"  One  sometimes  falls  in  with  what  are  rum  chaps,"  re« 
turned  the  other,  who,  from  following  the  London  trade,  had 
caught  a  few  cockneyisms.  "  If  a  man  chooses  to  keep  his 
hands  in  the  beckets,  why  let  him,  say  I ;  but  I  take  it  as  a 
slight  to  the  company  to  sheer  out  of  the  usual  track  in  such 
matters." 

"  I  was  thinking  as  much  myself ;  but  after  all,  what  can 
packet-masters  do  in  such  a  case  ?  We  can  set  luncheon  and 
dinner  before  the  passengers,  but  we  can't  make  them  eat. 
Now,  my  rule  is,  when  a  gentleman  introduces  me,  to  do  the 
thing  handsomely,  and  to  return  shake  for  shake,  if  it  is  three 
times  three  ;  but  as  for  a  touch  of  the  beaver,  it  is  like  setting 
a  top-gallant  sail  in  passing  a  ship  at  sea,  and  means  just 
nothing  at  all.  Who  would  know  a  vessel  because  he  has  let 
run  his  halyards  and  swayed  the  yard  up  again  ?  One  would 
do  as  much  to  a  Turk  for  manners'  sake.  No,  no  !  there  is 

something  in  this,  and,  d me,  just  to  make  sure  of  it,  the 

first  good  opportunity  that  offers,  I'll  —  ay,  I'll  just  introduce 
them  all  over  again  ! — Let  the  people  ship  their  handspikes,  Mr. 
Leach,  and  heave  in  the  slack  of  the  chain. — Ay,  ay !  I'll  take 
an  opportunity  when  all  hands  are  on  deck,  and  introduce  them, 
shipshape,  one  by  one,  as  your  greenhorns  go  through  a  lubber's- 
hole,  or  we  shall  have  no  friendship  during  the  passage." 

The  mate  nodded  approbation,  as  if  the  other  had  hit  upon 
the  right  expedient,  and  then  he  proceeded  to  obey  the  orders, 
while  the  cares  of  his  vessel  soon  drove  the  subject  temporarily 
from  the  mind  of  his  commander. 


CHAPTER  III. 

By  all  description,  this  should  be  the  place. 

Who's  here  ?— Speak,  ho  !— No  answer  !— What  is  this  ? 

TIMON  OF  ATHENS. 

A  SHIP  with  her  sails  loosened  and  her  ensign  abroad  is 
always  a  beautiful  object ;  and  the  Montauk,  a  noble  New 
York-built  vessel  of  seven  hundred  tons  burthen,  was  a  first- 
class  specimen  of  the  "  kettle-bottom  "  school  of  naval  archi- 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  33 

lecture,  wanting  in  nothing  that  the  taste  and  experience  of 
the  day  can  supply.  The  scene  that  was  now  acting  before 
their  eyes  therefore  soon  diverted  the  thoughts  of  Mademoiselle 
Viefville  and  Eve  from  the  introductions  of  the  captain,  both 
watching  with  intense  interest  the  various  movements  of  the 
crew  and  passengers  as  they  passed  in  review. 

A  crowd  of  well-dressed,  but  of  an  evidently  humbler  class 
of  persons  than  those  farther  aft,  were  thronging  the  gangways, 
little  dreaming  of  the  physical  suffering  they  were  to  endure 
before  they  reached  the  land  of  promise, — that  distant  America, 
towards  whicl\the  poor  and  oppressed  of  nearly  all  nations  turn 
longing  eyes  in  quest  of  a  shelter.  Eve  Saw  with  wonder  aged 
men  and  women  among  them  ;  beings  who  were  about  to  sever 
most  of  the  ties  of  the  world  in  order  to  obtain  relief  from  the 
physical  pains  and  privations  that  had  borne  hard  on  them  for 
more  than  threescore  years.  A  few  had  made  sacrifices  of 
themselves  in  obedience  to  that  mysterious  instinct  which  man 
feels  in  his  offspring;  while  others,  again,  went  rejoicing, 
flushed  with  the  hope  of  their  vigor  and  youth.  Some,  the  vic- 
iims  of  their  vices,  had  embarked  in  the  idle  expectation  that 
a  change  of  scene,  with  increased  means  of  indulgence,  could 
produce  a  healthful  change  of  character.  All  had  views  that 
the  truth  would  have  dimmed,  and,  perhaps,  no  single  adven- 
turer^.mong  the  emigrants  collected  in  that  ship  entertained 
either  sound  or  reasonable  notions  of  the  mode  in  which  his 
step  was  to  be  rewarded,  though  many  may  meet  with  a  success 
that  will  surpass  their  brightest  picture  of  the  future.  More,  no 
doubt,  were  to  be  disappointed. 

Reflections  something  like  these  passed  through  the  mind 
of  Eve  Effingham,  as  she  examined  the  mixed  crowd,  in  which 
some  were  busy  in  receiving  stores  from  boats ;  others  in 
holding  party  conferences  with  friends,  in  which  a  few  were 
weeping ;  here  and  there  a  group  were  drowning  reflection  in 
the  parting  cup ;  while  wondering  children  looked  up  with 
anxiety  into  the  well-known  faces,  as  if  fearful  they  might  lose 
the  countenances  they  loved,  and  the  charities  on  which  they 
habitually  relied,  in  such  a  melee. 

Although  the  stern  discipline  which  separates  the  cabin  and 
steerage  passengers  into  castes  as  distinct  as  those  of  the 
Hindoos  had  not  yet  been  established,  Captain  Truck  had  too 
profound  a  sense  of  his  duty  to  permit  the  quarterdeck  to  be 
unceremoniously  invaded.  This  part  of  the  ship,  then,  had 
partially  escaped  the  confusion  of  the  moment ;  though  trunks, 
boxes,  hampers,  and  other  similar  appliances  of  travelling, 


24  HOME  WARD  BOUND. 

were  scattered  about  in  tolerable  affluence.  Profiting  by  the 
space,  of  which  there  was  still  sufficient  for  the  purpose,  most 
of  the  party  left  the  hurricane-house  to  enjoy  the  short  walk 
that  a  ship  affords.  At  that  instant,  another  boat  from  the 
land  reached  the  vessel's  side,  and  a  grave-looking  personage, 
who  was  not  disposed  to  lessen  his  dignity  by  levity  or  an 
omission  of  forms,  appeared  on  deck,  where  he  demanded  to 
be  shown  the  master.  An  introduction  was  unnecessary  in  this 
instance  ;•  for  Captain  Truck  no  sooner  saw  his  visitor  than  he 
recognized  the  well-known  features  and  solemn  pomposity  of  a 
civil  officer  of  Portsmouth,  who  was  often  employed  to  search 
the  American  packets,  in  pursuit  of  delinquents  of  all  degrees  of 
crime  and  folly. 

"  I  had  just  come  to  the  opinion  I  was  not  to  have  the 
pleasure  of  seeing  you  this  passage,  Mr.  Grab,"  said  the 
captain,  shaking  hands  familiarly  with  the  myrmidon  of  the 
law  ;  "  but  the  turn  of  the  tide  is  not  more  regular  than  you 
gentlemen  who  come  in  the  name  of  the  king.  Mr.  Grab,  Mr. 
Dodge  ;  Mr.  Dodge,  Mr  Grab.  And  now,  to  what  forgery,  or 
bigamy,  or  elopement,  or  scandalum  magnatum,  do  I  owe  the 
honor  of  your  company  this  time  ? — Sir  George  Templemore, 
Mr.  Grab  ;  Mr.  Grab,  Sir  George  Templemore." 

Sir  George  bowed  with  the  dignified  aversion  an  honest 
man  might  "be  supposed  to  feel  for  one  of  the  other's  employ- 
ment ;  while  Mr.  Grab  looked  gravely  and  with  a  counter  dig- 
nity at  Sir  George.  The  business  of  the  officer,  however,  was 
with  none  in  the  cabin  ;  but  he  had  come  in  quest  of  a  young 
woman  who  had  married  a  suitor  rejected  by  her  uncle, — an 
arrangement  that  was  likely  to  subject  the  latter  to  a  settle- 
ment of  accounts  which  he  found  inconvenient,  and  which  he 
had  thought  it  prudent  to  anticipate  by  bringing  an  action  of 
debt  against  the  bridegroom  for  advances,  real  or  pretended, 
made  to  the  wife  during  her  nonage.  A  dozen  eager  ears 
caught  an  outline  of  this  tale  as  it  was  communicated  to  the 
captain,  and  in  an -incredibly  short  space  of  time  it  was  known 
throughout  the  ship,  with  not  a  few  embellishments. 

"  I  do  not  know  the  person  of  the  husband,"  continued 
the  officer,  "  nor  indeed  does  the  attorney  who  is  with  me  in  the 
boat  ;  but  his  name  is  Robert  Davis,  and  you  can  have  no 
difficulty  in  pointing  him  out.  We  know  him  to  be  in  the  ship." 

*'  I  never  introduce  any  steerage  passengers,  my  dear  sir  ; 
and  there  is  no  such  person  in  the  cabin,  I  give  you  my  honor, 
• — and  that  is  a  pledge  that  must  pass  between  gentlemen  like 
us.  You  are  welcome  to  search,  but  the  duty  of  the  vessel 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  25 

must  go  o.i.  Take  your  man — but  do  not  detain  the  ship.  Mr 
Sharp,  Mr.  Grab  ;  Mr.  Grab,  Mr.  Sharp.  Bear  a  hand  there, 
Mr.  Leach,  and  let  us  have  the  slack  of  the  chain  as  soon  as 
possible." 

There  appeared  to  be  what  the  philosophers  call  the  at- 
traction of  repulsion  between  the  parties  last  introduced,  for 
the  tall  gentlemanly-looking  Mr.  Sharp  eyed  the  officer  with  a 
supercilious  coldness,  neither  party  deeming  much  ceremony 
on  the  occasion  necessary.  Mr.  Grab  now  summoned  his 
assistant,  the  attorney,  from  the  boat,  and  there  was  a  consul- 
tation between  them  as  to  their  further  proceedings.  Fifty 
heads  were  grouped  around  them,  and  curious  eyes  watched 
their  smallest  movements,  one  of  the  crowd  occasionally  disap- 
pearing to  report  proceedings. 

Man  is  certainly  a  clannish  animal ;  for  without  knowing  any 
thing  of  the  merits  of  the  case,  without  pausing  to  inquire  into 
the  right  or  the  wrong  of  the  matter,  in  the  pure  spirit  of  parti- 
zanship,  every  man,  woman,  and  child  of  the  steerage,  which 
contained  fully  a  hundred  souls,  took  sides  against  the  law,  and 
enlisted  in  the  cause  of  the  defendant.  All  this  was  done 
quietly,  however,  for  no  one  menaced  or  dreamed  of  violence, 
crew  and  passengers  usually  taking  their  cues  from  the  officers 
of  the  vessel  on  such  occasions,  and  those  of  the  Montauk  un- 
derstood too  well  the  rights  of  the  public  agents  to  commit 
themselves  in  the  matter. 

"  Call  Robert  Davis,"  said  the  officer,  resorting  to  &ruse,  by 
affecting  an  authority  he  had  no  right  to  assume.  "  Robert 
Davis,"  echoed  twenty  voices,  among  which  was  that  of  :the 
bridegroom  himself,  who  was  nigh  to  discover  his  secret  by  an 
excess  of  zeal.  It  was  easy  to  call,  but  no  one  answered. 

"  Can  you  tell  me  which  is  Robert  Davis,  my  little  fellow  ? " 
the  officer  asked  coaxingly,  of  a  fine  flaxen-headed  boy,  whose 
age  did  not  exceed  ten,  and  who  was  a  curious  spectator  of 
what  passed.  "  Tell  me  which  is  Robert  Davis,  and  I  will  give 
you  a  sixpence." 

The  child  knew,  but  professed  ignorance. 

"Cestun  esprit  de  corps  admirable!"  exclaimed  Mademoiselle 
Viefville  :  for  the  interest  of  the  scene  had  brought  nearly  all 
on  board,  with  the  exception  of  those  employed  in  the  duty  of 
the  vessel,  near  the  gangway.  "  Ced  est  delicieux,  and  I  could 
devour  that  boy  !  " 

What  rendered  this  more  odd,  or  indeed  absolutely  ludi- 
crous, was  the  circumstance  that,  by  a  species  of  legerdemain, 
a  whisper  had  passed  among  the  spectators  so  stealthily,  and 


26  HOMEWARD  BOUND, 

yet  so  soon,  that  the  attorney  and  his  companion  were  the  onty 
two  on  deck  who  remained  ignorant  of  the  person  of  the  man 
they  sought.  Even  the  children  caught  the  clue,  though  they 
had  the  art  to  indulge  their  natural  curiosity  by  glances  so  sly 
as  to  escape  detection. 

Unfortunately,  the  attorney  had  sufficient  knowledge  of  the 
family  of  the  bride  to  recognize  her  by  a  general  resemblance5 
rendered  conspicious  as  it  was  by  a  pallid  face  and  an  almost 
ungovernable  nervous  excitement.  He  pointed  her  out  to  the 
officer,  who  ordered  her  to  approach  him, — a  command  that 
caused  her  to  burst  into  tears.  The  agitation  and  distress  of 
his  wife  were  near  proving  too  much  for  the  prudence  of  the 
young  husband,  who  was  making  an  impetuous  movement  to- 
wards her,  when  the  strong  grasp  of  a  fellow-passenger  checked 
him  in  time  to  prevent  discovery.  It  is  singular  how  much  is 
understood  by  trifles  when  the  mind  has  a  clue  to  the  subject, 
and  how  often  signs,  that  are  palpable  as  day,  are  overlooked 
when  suspicion  is  not  awakened,  or  when  the  thoughts  have 
obtained  a  false  direction.  The  attorney  and  the  officer  were 
the  only  two  present  who  had  not  seen  the  indiscretion  of  the 
young  man,  and  who  did  not  believe  him  betrayed.  His  wife 
trembled  to  a  degree  that  almost  destroyed  the  ability  to  stand  ; 
but,  casting  an  imploring  look  for  self-command  on  her  indis- 
creet partner,  she  controlled  her  own  distress,  and  advanced 
towards  the  officer,  in  obedience  to  his  order,  with  a  power  of 
endurance  that  the  strong  affections  of  a  woman  could  alone 
enable  her  to  assume. 

"  If  the  husband  will  not  deliver  himself  up,  I  shall  be 
compelled  to  order  the  wife  to  be  carried  ashore  in  his  stead !  " 
the  attorney  coldly  remarked,  while  he  applied  a  pinch  of 
snuff  to  a  nose  that  was  already  saffron-colored  from  the 
constant  use  of  the  weed. 

A  pause  succeeded  this  ominous  declaration,  and  the  crowd 
of  passengers  betrayed  dismay,  for  all  believed  there  was  now 
no  hope  for  the  pursued.  The  wife  bowed  her  head  to  her 
knees,  for  she  had  sunk  on  a  box  as  if  to  hide  the  sight  of  hei 
husband's  arrest.  At  this  moment  a  voice  spoke  from  among 
the  group  on  the  quarter-deck. 

"  Is  this  an  arrest  for  crime,  or  a  demand  for  debt  ?  " 
asked  the  young  man  who  has  been  announced  as  Mr.  Blunt. 

There  was  a  quiet  authority  in  the  speaker's  manner  that 
reassured  the  failing  hopes  of  the  passengers,  while  it  caused 
the  attorney  and  his  companion  to  look  round  in  surprise,  and 
perhaps  a  little  in  resentment.  A  dozen  eager  voices  assured 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


27 


"  the  gentleman  "  there  was  no  crime  in  the  matter  at  all— - 
there  was  even  no  just  debt,  but  it  was  a  villanous  scheme  to 
compel  a  wronged  ward  to  release  a  fraudulent  guardian  from 
his  liabilities.  Though  all  this  was  not  very  clearly  explained, 
it  was  affirmed  with  so  much  zeal  and  energy  as  to  awaken 
suspicion,  and  to  increase  the  interest  of  the  more  intelligent 
portion  of  the  spectators.  The  attorney  surveyed  the  travel- 
ling dress,  the  appearance  of  fashion,  and  the  youth  of  his 
interrogator,  whose  years  could  not  exceed  five-and-twenty, 
and  his  answer  was  given  with  an  air  of  superiority. 

"  Debt  or  crime,  it  can  matter  nothing  in  the  eye  of  the 
law." 

"  It  matters  much  in  the  view  of  an  honest  man,"  re- 
turned the  youth  with  spirit.  "  One  might  hesitate  about 
interfering  in  behalf  of  a  rogue,  however  ready  to  exert 
himself  in  favor  of  one  who  is  innocent,  perhaps,  of  everything 
but  misfortune." 

"  This  looks  a  little  like  an  attempt  at  a  rescue  !  I  hope 
we  are  still  in  England,  and  under  the  protection  of  English 
laws  ?  " 

"  No  doubt  at  all  of  that,  Mr.  Seal,"  put  in  the  captain, 
who  having  kept  an  eye  on  the  officer  from  a  distance,  now 
thought  it  time  to  interfere,  in  order  to  protect  the  interests  of 
his  owners.  "  Yonder  is  England,  and  that  is  the  Isle  of 
Wight,  and  the  Montauk  has  hold  of  an  English  Bottom,  and 
good  anchorage  it  is  ;  no  one  means  to  dispute  your  authority, 
Mr.  Attorney,  nor  to  call  in  question  that  of  the  king.  Mr. 
Blunt  merely  throws  out  a  suggestion,  sir ;  or  rather,  a  dis- 
tinction between  rogues  and  honest  men  ;  nothing  more,  depend 
on  it,  sir. — Mr.  Seal,  Mr.  Blunt  ;  Mr.  Blunt,  Mr.  Seal.  And  a 
thousand  pities  it  is,  that  the  distinction  is  not  more  commonly 
made." 

The  young  man  bowed  slightly,  and  with  a  face  flushed, 
partly  with  feeling,  and  partly  at  finding  himself  unexpectedly 
conspicuous  among  so  many  strangers,  he  advanced  a  little 
from  the  quarter-deck  group,  like  one  who  feels  he  is  required 
to  maintain  the  ground  he  has  assumed. 

<;  No  one  can  be  disposed  to  question  the  supremacy  of 
the  English  laws  in  this  roadstead,"  he  said,  "  and  least  of 
all  myself  ;  but  you  will  permit  me  to  doubt  the  legality  of 
arresting,  or  in  any  manner  detaining,  a  wife  in  virtue  of  a 
process  issued  against  the  husband." 

"  A  briefless  barrister  !  "  muttered  Seal  to  Grab.    "  I  dare 


28  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

say  a  timely  guinea   would   have  silenced  the  fellow.     What 
is  now  to  be  done  ?  " 

"  The  lady  must  go  ashore,  and  all  these  matters  can  be 
arranged  before  a  magistrate." 

"  Ay,  ay  !  let  her  sue  out  a  habeas  corpus  if  she  p.ease,* 
added  the  ready  attorney,  whom  a  second  survey  caused  to 
distrust  his  first  inference.  "  Justice  is  blind  in  England  as 
well  as  in  other  countries,  and  is  liable  to  mistakes  ;  but  still 
she  is  just.  If  she  does  mistake  sometimes,  she  is  always 
ready  to  repair  the  wrong." 

"  Cannot  you  do  something  here  ?  "  Eve  involuntarily  half- 
whispered  to  Mr.  Sharp,  who  stood  at  her  elbow. 

This  person  started  on  hearing  her  voice  making  this 
sudden  appeal,  and  glancing  a  look  of  intelligence  at  her,  he 
smiled  and  moved  nearer  to  the  principal  parties. 

"  Really,  Mr.  Attorney,"  he  commenced,  "  this  appears  to 
be  rather  irregular,  I  must  confess, — quite  out  of  the  ordinary 
way,  and  it  may  lead  to  unpleasant  consequences." 

"  In  what  manner,  sir  ? "  interrupted  Seal,  measuring  the 
other's  ignorance  at  a  glance. 

"  Why,  irregular  in  form,  if  not  in  principle.  I  am  aware 
that  the  habeas  corpus  is  all-essential,  and  that  the  law  must 
have  its  way ;  but  really  this  does  seem  a  little  irregular,  not 
to  describe  it  by  any  harsher  term." 

Mr,  Seal  treated  this  new  appeal  respectfully,  in  appear- 
ance at  least,  for  he  saw  it  was  made  by  one  greatly  his  supe- 
rior, while  he  felt  an  utter  contempt  for  it  in  essentials,  as  he 
perceived  intuitively  that  this  new  intercession  was  made  in  a 
profound  ignorance  of  the  subject.  As  respects  Mr.  Blunt, 
however,  he  had  an  unpleasant  distrust  of  the  result,  the  quiet 
manner  of  that  gentleman  denoting  more  confidence  in  himself, 
and  a  greater  practical  knowledge  of  the  laws.  Still,  to  try 
the  extent  of  the  other's  information,  and  the  strength  of  his 
nerves,  he  rejoined  in  a  magisterial  and  menacing  tone 

"  Yes,  let  the  lady  sue  out  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus  if  wrong- 
fully arrested;  and  I  should  be  glad  to  discover  the  foreigner 
who  will  dare  to  attempt  a  rescue  in  old  England  in  defiance 
of  English  laws." 

It  is  probable  Paul  Blunt  would  have  relinquished  his  in-  • 
terference,  from  an  apprehension  that  he  might  be  ignorantly 
aiding  the  evil  doer,  but  for  this  threat ;  and  even  the  threat 
might  not  have  overcome  his  prudence,  had  not  he  caught  the 
imploring  look  of  the  fine  blue  eyes  of  Eve. 

"  All  are  not  necessarily  foreigners  who  embark  on  board 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  29 

an  American  ship  at  an  English  port,"  he  said  steadily,  "noi 
is  justice  denied  those  that  are.  The  habeas  corpus  is  as  well 
understood  in  other  countries  as  in  this,  for  happily  we  live  in 
an  age  when  neither  liberty  nor  knowledge  is  exclusive.  If  an 
attorney,  you  must  know  yourself  that  you  cannot  legally  ar« 
rest  a  wife  for  a  husband,  and  that  what  you  say  of  the  habeal 
corpus  is  little  worthy  of  attention." 

"  We  arrest,  and  whoever  interferes  with  an  officer  in  charge 
of  a  prisoner  is  guilty  of  a  rescue.  Mistakes  must  be  rectified 
by  the  magistrates." 

"  True,  provided  the  officer  has  warranty  for  what  he  does." 

"  Writs  and  warrants  may  contain  errors,  but  an  arrest  is  an 
arrest,"  growled  Grab. 

*'  Not  the  arrest  of  a  woman  for  a  man.  In  such  a  case 
there  is  design,  and  not  a  mistake.  If  this  frightened  wife 
will  take  counsel  from  me,  she  will  refuse  to  accompany  you." 

"  At  her  peril,  let  her  dare  to  do  so  ! " 

"  At  your  peril  do  you  dare  to  attempt  forcing  her  from  the 
ship  ! " 

"  Gentlemen,  gentlemen  ! — let  there  be  no  misunderstand- 
ing,  I  pray  you,"  interposed  the  captain.  "Mr.  Blunt,  Mr. 
Grab ;  Mr.  Grab,  Mr.  Blunt.  No  warm  words,  gentlemen,  I 
beg  of  you.  But  the  tide  is  beginning  to  serve,  Mr.  Attorney, 
and  *  time  and  tide,'  you  know —  If  we  stay  here  much  longer, 
the  Montauk  may  be  forced  to  sail  on  the  2d,  instead  of  the 
ist,  as  has  been  advertised  in  both  hemispheres.  I  should  be 
sorry  to  carry  you  to  sea,  gentlemen,  without  your  small  stores; 
and  as  for  the  cabin,  it  is  as  full  as  a  lawyer's  conscience.  No 
remedy  but  the  steerage  in  such  a  case. — Lay  forward,  men, 
and  heave  away.  Some  of  you,  man  the  fore-top-sail  halyards. 
— We  are  as  regular  as  our  chronometers;  the  ist,  loth,  and 
2oth,  without  fail." 

There  was  some  truth,  blended  with  a  little  poetry,  in  Cap- 
tain Truck's  account  of  the  matter.  The  tide  had  indeed  made 
in  his  favor,  but  the  little  wind  there  was  blew  directly  into  the 
roadstead,  and  had  not  his  feelings  become  warmed  by  the 
distress  of  a  pretty  and  interesting  young  woman,  it  is  more 
than  probable  the  line  would  have  incurred  the  disgrace  of 
having  a  ship  sail  on  a  later  day  than  had  been  advertised. 
As  it  was,  however,  he  had  the  matter  up  in  earnest  and  he 
privately  assured  Sir  George  and  Mr.  Dodge,  if  the  affair  were 
not  immediately  disposed  of,  he  should  carry  both  the  attorney 
and  officer  to  sea  with  him,  and  that  he  did  not  feel  himself 
bound  to  furnish  either  with  water.  "  They  may  catch  a  little 


3<>  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

rain,    by   wringing   their    jackets,"   he  added,    with    a   wink; 
"  though  October  is  a  dryish  month  in  the  American  seas." 

The  decision  of  Paul  Blunt  would  have  induced  the  attor* 
ney  and  his  companion  to  relinquish  their  pursu  t  but  for 
two  circumstances.  They  had  both  undertaken  the  job  as  a 
speculation,  or  on  the  principle  of  "  no  play,  no  pay,"  and  all 
their  trouble  would  be  lost  without  success.  Then  the  very 
difficulty  that  occurred  had  been  foreseen,  and  while  the  officer 
proceeded  to  the  ship,  the  uncle  had  been  busily  searching  for 
a  son  on  shore,  to  send  off  to  identify  the  husband, — a  step 
that  would  have  been  earlier  resorted  to  could  the  young  man 
have  been  found.  This  son  was  a  rejected  suitor,  and  he  was 
now  seen,  by  the  aid  of  a  glass  that  Mr.  Grab  always  carried, 
pulling  towards  the  Montauk,  in  a  two-oared  boat,  with  as  much 
zeal  as  malignancy  and  disappointment  could  impart.  His  dis- 
tance from  the  ship  was  still  considerable  ;  but  a  peculiar  hat^ 
with  the  aid  of  the  glass,  left  no  doubt  of  his  identity.  The  at- 
torney pointed  out  the  boat  to  the  officer,  and  the  latter,  after 
a  look  through  the  glass,  gave  a  nod  of  approbation.  Exulta- 
tion overcame  the  usual  wariness  of  the  attorney,  for  his  pride, 
too,  had  got  to  be  enlisted  in  the  success  of  his  speculation, — 
men  being  so  strangely  constituted  as  often  to  feel  as  much  joy 
in  the  accomplishment  of  schemes  that  are  unjustifiable,  as  in 
the  accomplishment  of  those  of  which  they  may  have  reason  to 
be  proud. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  passengers  and  people  of  the  packet 
seized  something  near  the  truth,  with  that  sort  of  instinctive 
readiness  which  seems  to  characterize  bodies  of  men  in  mo- 
ments of  excitement.  That  the  solitary  boat  which  was  pulling 
towards  them  in  the  dusk  of  the  evening  .contained  some  one 
who  might  aid  the  attorney  and  his  myrmidon,  all  believed, 
though  in  what  manner  none  could  tell. 

Between  all  seamen  and  the  ministers  of  the  law  there  is  a 
long-standing  antipathy,  for  the  visits  of  the  latter  are  usually 
so  timed  as  to  leave  nothing  between  the  alternatives  of  paying 
or  of  losing  a  voyage.  It  was  soon  apparent,  then,  that  Mr. 
Seal  had  little  to  expect  from  the  apathy  of  the  crew,  for  never 
did  men  work  with  better  will  to  get  a  ship  loosened  from  the 
bottom. 

All  this  feeling  manifested  itself  in  a  silent  and  intelligent 
activity  rather  than  in  noise  and  bustle,  for  every  man  onboard 
exercised  his  best  faculties,  as  well  as  his  best  good  will  and 
strength  j  the  clock-work  ticks  of  the  palls  of  the  windlass  re* 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  jjt 

sembling  those  of  a  watch  that  had  got  the  start  of  time,  while 
the  chain  came  in  with  surges  of  half  a  fathom  at  each  heave. 

"  Lay  hold  of  this  rope,  men,"  cried  Mr.  Leach,  placing  the  end 
of  the  main-topsail  halyards  in  the  hands  of  half-a-dozen  athletic 
steerage  passengers,  who  had  all  the  inclination  in  the  world  to 
be  doing,  though  uncertain  where  to  lay  their  hands  ;  "  lay  hold, 
and  run  away  with  it." 

The  second  mate  performed  the  same  feat  forward,  and  as 
the  sheets  had  never  been  started,  the  broad  folds  of  the  Mon- 
tauk's  canvas  began  to  open,  even  while  the  men  were  heaving 
at  the  anchor.  These  exertions  quickened  the  blood  in  the 
veins  of  those  who  were  not  employed,  until  even  the  quarter 
deck  passengers  began  to  experience  the  excitement  of  a  chase, 
in  addition  to  the  feelings  of  compassion.  Captain  Truck  was 
silent,  but  very  active  in  preparations.  Springing  to  the  wheel, 
he  made  its  spokes  fly  until  he  had  forced  the  helm  hard  up, 
when  he  unceremoniously  gave  it  to  John  Effingham  to  keep 
there.  His  next  leap  was  to  the  mizen-mast,  where,  after  a 
few  energetic  efforts  alone,  he  looked  over  his  shoulder  and 
beckoned  for  aid. 

"  Sir  George  Templemore,  mizen-topsail-halyards  ;  mizen 
topsail-halyards,  Sir  George  Templemore,"  muttered  the  eager 
master,  scarce  knowing  what  he  said.  "Mr.  Dodge,  now  is  the 
time  to  show  that  your  name  and  nature  are  not  identical." 

In  short,  nearly  all  on  board  were  busy,  and,  thanks  to  the 
hearty  good  will  of  the  officers,  stewards,  cooks,  and  a  few  of 
the  hands  that  could  be  spared  from  the  windlass,  busy  in  a 
way  to  spread  sail  after  sail  with  a  rapidity  little  short  of  that 
seen  on  board  of  a  vessel  of  war.  The  rattling  of  the  clew- 
garnet  blocks,  as  twenty  lusty  fellows  ran  forward  with  the  tack 
of  the  mainsail,  and  the  hauling  forward  of  braces,  was  the 
signal  that  the  ship  was  clear  of  the  ground,  and  coming  under 
command. 

A  cross  current  had  superseded  the  necessity  of  casting  the 
vessel,  but  her  sails  took  the  light  air  nearly  abeam  ;  the  captain 
understanding  that  motion  was  of  much  more  importance  just 
then  than  direction.  No  sooner  did  he  perceive  by  the  bubbles 
that  floated  past,  or  rather  appeared  to  float  past,  that  his  ship 
was  dividing  the  water  forward,  than  he  called  a  trusty  man  to  the 
wheel,  relieving  John  Effiingham  from  his  watch.  The  next 
instant,  Mr.  Leach  reported  the  anchor  catted  and  fished. 

"  Pilot,  you  will  be  responsible  for  this  if  my  prisoners  es- 
cape," said  Mr.  Grab  menacingly.  "  You  know  my  errand,  and 
it  is  your  duty  to  aid  the  ministers  of  the  law." 


^j  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  Harkee,  Mr.  Grab,"  put  in  the  Master,  who  had  warmed 
himself  with  the  exercise ;  "  we  all  know,  and  we  all  do  our 
duties,  on  board  the  Montauk.  It  is  your  duty  to  take  Robert 
Davis  on  shore  if  you  can  find  him  ;  and  it  is  my  duty  to  take 
the  Montauk  to  America ;  now,  if  you  will  receive  counsel 
from  a  well-wisher,  I  would  advise  you  to  see  that  you  do  not 
go  in  her.  No  one  offers  any  impediment  to  your  performing 
your  office,  and  I'll  thank  you  to  offer  me  none  in  performing 
mine. — Brace  the  yards  further  forward,  boys,  and  let  the  ship 
come  up  to  the  wind." 

As  there  were  logic,  useful  information,  law,  and  seaman- 
ship united  in  this  reply,  the  attorney  began  to  betray  uneasi- 
ness ;  for  by  this  time  the  ship  had  gathered  so  much  way  as 
to  render  it  exceedingly  doubtful  whether  a  two-oared  boat 
would  be  able  to  come  up  with  her,  without  the  consent  of 
those  on  board.  It  is  probable,  as  evening  had 'already  closed 
and  the  rays  of  the  moon  were  beginning  to  quiver  on  the  ripple 
of  the  water,  that  he  would  have  abandoned  his  object,  though 
with  infinite  reluctance,  had  not  Sir  George  Templemoro 
pointed  out  to  the  captain  a  six-oared  boat,  that  was  pulling  to- 
wards them  from  a  quarter  that  permitted  it  to  be  seen  in  the 
moonlight. 

"  That  appears  to  be  a  man-of-war's  cutter,"  observed  the 
baronet  uneasily,  for  by  this  time  all  on  board  felt  a  sort  of  per- 
sonal interest  in  their  escape. 

"  It  does  indeed,  Captain  Truck,"  added  the  pilot ,  "  and 
if  she  make  a  signal,  it  will  become  my  duty  to  heave-to  the 
Montauk." 

"  Then  bundle  out  of  her,  my  fine  fellow,  as  fast  as  you  can ; 
for  not  a  brace  of  a  bowline  shall  be  touched  here,  with  my 
consent,  for  any  such  purpose.  The  ship  is  cleared — my  hour 
is  come — my  passengers  are  on  board — and  America  is  my 
haven.  Let  them  that  want  me,  catch  me.  That  is  what  I 
call  Vatteir 

The  pilot  and  the  master  of  the  Montauk  were  excellent 
friends,  and  understood  each  other  perfectly,  even  while  the 
former  was  making  the  most  serious  professions  of  duty.  The 
boat  was  hauled  up,  and,  first  whispering  a  few  cautions  about 
the  shoals  and  the  currents,  the  worthy  marine  guide  leaped 
into  it,  and  was  soon  seen  floating  astern — a  cheering  proof 
that  the  ship  had  got  fairly  in  motion.  As  he  fell  out  of  hear- 
ing in  the  wake  of  the  vessel,  the  honest  fellow  kept  calling  out 
"  to  tackjn  season." 

"  If  you  wish  to  try  the  speed  of  your  boat   against  that  of 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  33 

the  pilot,  Mr.  Grab,"  called  out  the  captain,  "  you  will  never 
have  a  better  opportunity.  It  is  a  fine  night  for  a  regatta,  and 
I  will  stand  you  a  pound  on  Mr.  Handlead's  heels.  For  that 
matter,  I  would  as  soon  trust  his  head,  or  his  hands,  in  the 
bargain." 

The  officer  continued  obstinately  on  board,  for  he  saw  that 
the  six-oared  boat  was  coming  up  with  the  ship,  and,  as  he  well 
knew  the  importance  to  his  client  of  compelling  a  settlement  of 
the  accounts,  he  fancied  some  succor  might  be  expected  in  that 
quarter.  In  the  meantime,  this  new  movement  on  the  part  of 
their  pursuers  attracted  general  attention,  and,  as  might  be  ex- 
pected, the  interest  of  this  little  incident  increased  the  excite- 
ment that  usually  accompanies  a  departure  for  a  long  sea-voy- 
age, fourfold.  Men  and  women  forgot  their  griefs  and  leave- 
takings  in  anxiety,  and  in  that  pleasure  which  usually  attends 
agitation  of  the  mind  that  does  not  proceed  from  actual  misery 
of  our  own. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Whither  away  so  fast  ? 

O  God  save  you ! 

Even  to  the  hall  to  hear  what  shall  become 
Of  the  great  Duke  of  Buckingham. 

Henry  III. 

THE  assembling  of  the  passengers  of  the  large  packet  ship 
is  necessarily  an  affair  of  coldness  and  distrust,  especially  with 
those  who  know  the  world,  and  more  particularly  still  when  the 
passage  is  from  Europe  to  America.  The  greater  sophistica- 
tion of  the  old  than  of  the  new  hemisphere,  with  its  consequent 
shifts  and  vices,  the  knowledge  that  the  tide  of  emigration  sets 
westward,  and  that  few  abandon  the  home  of  their  youth  unless 
impelled  by  misfortune  at  least,  with  other  obvious  causes,  unite 
to  produce' this  distinction.  Then  come  the  fastidiousness  of 
habits,  the  sentiments  of  social  castes,  the  refinements  of  breed- 
ing, and  the  reserves  of  dignity  of  character,  to  be  put  in  close 
collision  with  bustling  egotism,  ignorance  of  usages,  an  absence 
of  training  and  downright  vulgarity  of  thought  and  practices. 
Although  necessity  soon  brings  these  chaotic  elements  into 
something  like  order,  the  first  week  commonly  passes  in  recon- 


34  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

noitring,  cool  civilities,  and  cautious  concessions,  to  yield  at 
length  to  the  never-dying  charities ;  unless,  indeed,  the  latter 
may  happen  to  be  kept  in  abeyance  by  a  downright  quarrel, 
about  midnight  carousals,  a  squeaking  fiddle,  or  some  incor- 
rigible snorer. 

Happily,  the  party  collected  in  the  Montauk  had  the  good 
fortune  to  abridge  the  usual  probation  in  courtesies,  by  the 
stirring  events  of  the  night  on  which  they  sailed.  Two  hours 
had  scarcely  elapsed  since  the  last  passenger  crossed  the  gang- 
way, and  yet  the  respective  circles  of  the  quarter-deck  and 
steerage  felt  more  sympathy  with  each  other  than  the  boasted 
human  charities  ordinarily  quicken  in  days  of  commonplace 
intercourse.  They  had  already  found  out  each  other's  names, 
thanks  to  the  assiduity  of  Captain  Truck,  who  had  stolen  time, 
in  the  midst  of  all  his  activity,  to  make  half-a-dozen  more  in- 
troductions, and  the  Americans  of  the  less  trained  class  were  al- 
ready using  them  as  freely  as  if  they  were  old  acquaintances.  We 
say  Americans,  for  the  cabins  of  these  ships  usually  contain  a 
congress  of  nations,  though  the  people  of  England,  and  of  her 
ci-devant  colonies,  of  course  predominate  in  those  of  the  Lon- 
don lines.  On  the  present  occasion,  the  last  two  were  nearly 
balanced  in  numbers,  so  far  as  national  character  could  be 
made  out ;  opinion  (which,  as  might  be  expected,  had  been 
busy  the  while,)  being  suspended  in  reference  to  Mr.  Blunt, 
and  one  or  two  others  whom  the  captain  called  "  foreigners,"  to 
distinguish  them  from  the  Anglo-Saxon  stock. 

This  equal  distribution  of  forces  might,  under  other  circum- 
stances, have  led  to  a  division  in  feeling ;  for  the  conflicts  be- 
tween American  and  British  opinions,  coupled  with  a  difference 
in  habits,  are  a  prolific  source  of  discontent  in  the  cabins  of 
packets.  The  American  is  apt  to  fancy  himself  at  home,  under 
the  flag  of  his  country ;  while  his  Transatlantic  kinsman  is 
strongly  addicted  to  fancying  that  when  he  has  fairly  paid  his 
money  he  has  a  right  to  embark  all  his  prejudices  with  his 
other  luggage. 

The  aifair  of  the  attorney  and  the  newly-married  couple, 
however,  was  kept  quite  distinct  from  all  feelings  of  nationality  ; 
the  English  apparently  entertaining  quite  as  lively  a  wish  that 
the  latter  might  escape  from  the  fangs  of  the  law,  as  any  other 
portion  of  the  passengers.  The  parties  themselves  were  British, 
and  although  the  authority  evaded  was  of  the  same  origin,  right 
or  wrong,  all  on  board  had  taken  up  the  impression  that  it  was 
improperly  exercised.  Sir  George  Templemore,  the  English- 
man of  highest  rank,  was  decidedly  of  this  way  of  thinking, 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


35 


— an  opinion  he  was  rather  warm  in  expressing, — and  the 
example  of  a  baronet  had  its  weight,  not  only  with  most  of 
his  own  countrymen,  but  with  not  a  few  of  the  Americans 
also.  The  Effingham  party,  together  with  Mr.  Sharp  and 
Mr.  Blunt,  were,  indeed,  all  who  seemed  to  be  entirely  in- 
different to  Sir  George's  sentiments;  and,  as  men  are  intuitively 
quick  in  discovering  who  do  and  who  do  not  defer  to  their  sug- 
gestions, their  accidental  independence  might  have  been  favored 
by  this  fact,  for  the  discourse  of  this  gentlemen  was  addressed 
in  the  main  to  those  who  lent  the  most  willing  ears.  Mr. 
Dodge,  in  particular,  was  his  constant  and  respectful  listener, 
and  profound  admirer  : — But  then  he  was  his  room-mate,  and 
a  democrat  of  a  water  so  pure,  that  he  was  disposed  to  main- 
tain no  man  had  a  right  to  any  one  of  his  senses,  unless  by 
popular  sufferance. 

In  the  mean  while,  the  night  advanced,  and  the  soft 
light  of  the  moon  was  playing  on  the  waters,  adding  a  semi- 
mysterious  obscurity  to  the  excitement  of  the  scene.  The 
two-oared  boat  had  evidently  been  overtaken  by  that  carry- 
ing six  oars,  and,  after  a  short  conference,  the  first  had  returned 
reluctantly  towards  the  land,  while  the  latter,  profiting  by  its 
position,  had  set  two  lug-sails,  and  was  standing  out  into  the 
offing,  on  a  course  that  would  compel  the  Montauk  to  come  un- 
der its  lee,  when  the  shoals,  as  would  soon  be  the  case,  should 
force  the  ship  to  tack. 

"  England  is  most  inconveniently  placed,"  Captain  Truck 
dryly  remarked  as  he  witnessed  this  manoeuvre.  "  Were  this 
island  only  out  of  the  way,  now,  we  might  stand  on  as  we  head, 
and  leave  those  men-of-war's  men  to  amuse-  themselves  all 
night  with  backing  and  filling  in  the  roads  of  Portsmouth." 

"  I  hope  there  is  no  danger  of  that  little  boat's  overtaking 
this  large  ship !  "  exclaimed  Sir  George,  with  a  vivacity  that 
did  great  credit  to  his  philanthropy,  according  to  the  opinion  of 
Mr.  Dodge  at  least ;  the  latter  having  imbibed  a  singular  bias 
in  favor  of  persons  of  condition,  from  having  travelled  in  an 
eilwagen  with  a  German  baron,  from  whom  he  had  taken  a 
model  of  the  pipe  he  carried  but  never  smoked,  and  from  hav- 
ing been  thrown  for  two  days  and  nights  into  the  society  of  a 
"  Polish  countess,"  as  he  uniformly  termed  her,  in  the  gondolt 
of  a  diligence,  between  Lyons  and  Marseilles.  In  addition,  Mr. 
Dodge,  as  has  just  been  hinted,  was  an  ultra-freeman  at  home 
— a  circumstance  that  seems  always  to  react,  when  the  subject 
of  the  feeling  gets  into  foreign  countries. 

"  A  feather  running  before  a  lady's  sigh  would  outsail  either 


36  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

of  us  in  this  air,  which  breathes  on  us  in  some  such  fashion  as 
a  whale  snores,  Sir  George,  by  sudden  puffs.  I  would  give  the 
price  of  a  steerage  passage,  if  Great  Britain  lay  off  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope  for  a  week  or  ten  days." 

"  Or  Cape  Hatteras  !  "  rejoined  the  mate. 

"Not  I ;  I  wish  the  old  island  no  harm,  nor  a  worse  climate 
than  it  has  got  already  ;  though  it  lies  as  much  in  our  way  just 
at  this  moment,  as  the  moon  is  an  eclipse  of  the  sun.  I  bear 
the  old  creature  a  great-grandson's  love — or  a  step  or  two 
farther  off,  if  you  will, — and  come  and  go  too  often  to  forget 
the  relationship.  But,  much  as  I  love  her,  the  affection  is  not 
strong  enough  to  go  ashore  on  her  shoals,  and  so  we  will  go 
about,  Mr.  Leach ;  at  the  same  time,  I  wish  from  my  heart  that 
two-lugged  rascal  would  go  about  his  business." 

The  ship  tacked  slowly  but  gracefully,  for  she  was  in  what 
her  master  termed  "  racing  trim  ;  "  and  as  her  bows  fell  off  to 
the  eastward,  it  became  pretty  evident  to  all  who  understood 
the  subject,  that  the  two  little  lug-sails  that  were  "  eating  into 
the  wind,"  as  the  sailors  express  it,  would  weather  upon  her 
track  ere  she  could  stretch  over  to  the  other  shoal.  Even  the 
landsmen  had  some  feverish  suspicions  of  the  truth,  and  the 
steerage  passengers  were  already,  holding  a  secred  conference 
on  the  possibility  of  hiding  the  pursued  in  some  of  the  recesses 
of  the  ship.  "  Such  things  were  often  done,"  one  whispered  to 
another,  "  and  it  was  as  easy  to  perform  it  now  as  at  any  other 
time." 

But  Captain  Truck  viewed  the  matter  differently  :  his  voca- 
tion called  him  three  times  a  year  into  the  roads  at  Ports- 
mouth, and  he  felt  little  disposition  to  embarrass  his  future  in- 
tercourse with  the  place  by  setting  its  authorities  at  a  too  open 
defiance.  He  deliberated  a  good  deal  on  the  propriety  of 
throwing  his  ship  up  into  the  wind,  as  she  slowly  advanced  to- 
wards the  boat,  and  of  inviting  those  in  the  latter  to  board  him. 
Opposed  to  this  was  the  pride  of  profession,  and  Jack  Truck 
was  not  a  man  to  overlook  or  to  forget  the  "yarns  "  that  were 
spun  among  his  fellows  at  the  New  England  Coffee-house,  01 
among  those  farming  hamlets  on  the  banks  of  the  Connecticut, 
whence  all  the  packet-men  are  derived,  and  whither  they  repair 
for  a  shelter  when  their  careers  are  run,  as  regularly  as  the 
fruit  decays  where  it  falleth,  or  the  grass  that  has  not  been  har- 
vested or  cropped  withers  on  its  native  stalk. 

"There  is  no  question,  Sir  George,  that  this  fellow  is  a 
man-of-war's  man,"  said  the  master  to  the  baronet,  who  stuck 
close  to  his  side.  "  Take  a  peep  at  the  creeping  rogue  through 


HOME  WARD  B O  UND.  3  7 

this  night-glass,  and  you  will  see  his  crew  seated  at  their 
thwarts  with  their  arms  folded,  like  men  who  eat  the  king's 
beef.  None  but  your  regular  public  servant  ever  gets  that  im- 
pudent air  of  idleness  about  him,  either  in  England  or  America. 
In  this  respect,  human  nature  is  the  same  in  both  hemispheres, 
a  man  never  falling  in  with  luck,  but  he  fancies  it  is  no  more 
than  his  deserts." 

"  There  seems  to  be  a  great  many  of  them  !  Can  it  be  their 
intention  to  carry  the  vessel  by  boarding  ?  " 

"  If  it  is,  they  must  take  the  will  for  the  deed,"  returned 
Mr.  Truck  a  little  coldly.  "I  very  much  question  if  the 
Montauk,  with  three  cabin  officers,  as  many  stewards,  two 
cooks,  and  eighteen  foremast-men,  would  exactly  like  the 
notion  of  being  '  carried,'  as  you  style  it,  Sir  George,  by  a  six- 
oared  cutter's  crew.  We  are  not  as  heavy  as  the  planet  Jupiter, 
but  have  somewhat  too  much  gravity  to  be  '  carried '  as  lightly 
as  all  that,  too." 

"  You  intend,  then,  to  resist  ? "  asked  Sir  George,  whose 
generous  zeal  in  behalf  of  the  pursued  apparently  led  him  to 
take  a  stronger  interest  in  their  escape  than  any  other  person 
on  board. 

Captain  Truck,  who  had  never  an  objection  to  sport, 
pondered  with  himself  a  little,  smiled,  and  then  loudly  expressed 
a  wish  that  he  had  a  member  of  congress  or  a  member  of 
parliament  on  board. 

"  Your  desire  is  a  little  extraordinary  for  the  circumstances," 
observed  Mr.  Sharp ;  "  will  you  have  the  goodness  to  explain 
why  ? " 

"This  matter  touches  on  international  law,  gentlemen," 
continued  the  master,  rubbing  his  hands  ;  for,  in  addition  to 
having  caught  the  art  of  introduction,  the  honest  mariner  had 
taken  it  into  his  head  he  had  become  an  adept  in  the  principles 
of  Vattel,  of  whom  he  possessed  a  well-thumbed  copy,  and  for 
whose  dogmas  he  entertained  the  deference  that  they  who  be- 
gin to  learn  late  usually  feel  for  the  particular  master  into 
whose  hands  they  have  accidentally  fallen.  "  Under  what  cir- 
cumstances, or  in  what  category,  can  a  public  armed  ship 
compel  a'  neutral  to  submit  to  being  boarded — not  '  carried,' 

Sir  George,  you    will  please   to  remark  ;  for  d me,  if  any 

man  *  carries '  the  Montauk  that  is  not  strong  enough  to  '  carry ' 
her  crew  and  cargo  along  with  her  ! — but  in  what  category, 
now,  is  a  packet  like  this  I  have  the  honor  to  command  obliged, 
in  comity,  to  heave-to  and  to  submit  to  an  examination  at  all  ? 
The  ship  is  a-weigh,  and  has  handsomely  tacked  under  her 


3  8  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

canvas ;  and,  gentlemen,  I  should  be  pleased  to  have  youf 
sentiments  on  the  occasion.  Just  have  the  condescension  to 
point  out  the  category." 

Mr.  Dodge  came  from  a  part  of  the  country  in  which  men 
were  accustomed  to  think,  act,  almost  to  eat  and  drink  and 
sleep,  in  common  ;  or,  in  other  words,  from  one  of  those  re- 
gions, in  America,  in  which  there  was  so  much  community,  that 
few  had  the  moral  courage,  even  when  they  possessed  the 
knowledge,  and  all  the  other  necessary  means,  to  cause  their 
individuality  to  be  respected.  When  the  usual  process  of  con- 
ventions, sub-conventions,  caucuses,  and  public  meetings  did 
not  supply  the  means  of  "  concentrated  action,"  he  and  his 
neighbors  had  long  been  in  the  habit  of  having  recourse  to 
societies,  by  way  of  obtaining  "  energetic  means,"  as  it  was 
termed ;  and  from  his  tenth  year  up  to  his  twenty-fifth,  this 
gentleman  had  been  either  a  president,  vice-president,  manager, 
or  committee-man,  of  some  philosophical,  political,  or  religious 
expedient  to  fortify  human  wisdom,  make  men  better,  and  re- 
sist error  and  depotism.  His  experience  had  rendered  him 
expert  in  what  may  well  enough  be  termed  the  language  of 
association.  No  man  of  his  years,  in  the  twenty-six  States, 
could  more  readily  apply  the  terms  of  "  taking  up " — 
"  excitement  " — "  unqualified  hostility  " — "  public  opinion  " — 
"  spreading  before  the  public,"  or  any  other  of  those  generic 
phrases  that  imply  the  privileges  of  all,  and  the  rights  of  none. 
Unfortunately,  the  pronunciation  of  this  person  was  not  as 
pure  as  his  motives,  and  he  misunderstood  the  captain  when  he 
spoke  of  comity,  as  meaning  a  "committee  ;  "  and  although  it 
was  not  quite  obvious  what  the  worthy  mariner  could  intend  by 
u  obliged  in  committee  (comity)  to  heave-to,"  yet,  as  he  had 
known  these  bodies  to  do  so  many  "  energetic  things,"  he  did 
not  see  why  they  might  not  perform  this  evolution  as  well  as 
another. 

"  It  really  does  appear,  Captain  Truck,"  he  remarked  ac- 
cordingly, "  that  our  situation  approaches  a  crisis,  and  the 
suggestion  of  a  comity  (committee)  strikes  me  as  being  peculi- 
arly proper  and  suitable  to  the  circumstances,  and  in  strict  con- 
formity with  republican  usages.  In  order  to  save  "time,  and 
that  the  gentlemen  who  shall  be  appointed  to  serve  may  have 
opportunity  to  report,  therefore,  I  will  at  once  nominate  Sir 
George  Templemore  as  chairman,  leaving  it  for  any  other  gen- 
tleman present  to  suggest  the  name  of  any  candidate  he  may 
deem  proper.  I  will  only  add,  that  in  my  poor  judgment  this 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


39 


comity  (committee)  ought  to   consist  of  at  least  three,  and  that 
it  have  power  to  send  for  persons  and  papers." 

"  I  would  propose  five,  Captain  Truck,  by  way  of  amend- 
ment," added  another  passenger  of  the  same  kidney  as  the  last 
speaker,  gentlemen  of  their  school  making  it  a  point  to  differ 
a  little  from  every  proposition  by  way  of  showing  their  inde- 
pendence. 

It  was  fortunate  for  both  the  mover  of  the  original  motion, 
and  for  the  proposer  of  the  amendment,  that  the  master  was 
acquainted  with  the  character  of  Mr»  Dodge,  or  a  proposition 
that  his  ship  was  to  be  worked  by  a  committee,  (or  indeed  by 
comity,)  would  have  been  very  likely  to  meet  with  but  an  indif- 
ferent reception  ;  but,  catching  9  glimpse  of  the  laughing  eyes 
of  Eve,  as  well  as  of  the  amused  faces  of  Mr.  Sharp  and  Mr. 
Blunt,  by  the  light  of  the  moon,  he  very  gravely  signified  his 
entire  approbation  of  the  chairman  named,  and  his  perfect 
readiness  to  listen  to  the  report  of  the  aforesaid  committee  as 
soon  as  it  might  be  prepared  to  make  it. 

"  And  if  your  committee,  or  comity,  gentlemen,"  he  added, 
"can  tell  me  what  Vattel  would  say  about  the  obligation  to 
heave-to  in  a  time  of  profound  peace,  and  when  the  ship,  or 
boat,  in  chase,  can  have  no  belligerent  rights,  I  shall  be  grate- 
ful to  my  dying  day ;  for  I  have  looked  him  through  as  closely 
as  old  women  usually  examine  almanacs  to  tell  which  way  the 
wind  is  about  to  blow,  and  I  fear  he  has  overlooked  the  subject 
altogether." 

Mr.  Dodge,  and  three  or  four  more  of  the  same  community- 
propensity  as  himself,  soon  settled  the  names  of  the  rest  of  the 
committee,  when  the  nominees  retired  to  another  part  of  the 
deck  to  consult  together ;  Sir  George  Templemore,  to  the  sur- 
prise of  all  the  Effingham  party,  consenting  to  serve  with  a 
willingness  that  rather  disregarded  forms. 

"  It  might  be  convenient  to  refer  other  matters  to  this  com- 
mittee, captain,"  said  Mr.  Sharp,  who  had  tact  enough  to  see 
that  nothing  but  her  habitual  rctenue  of  deportment  kept  Eve, 
whose  bright  eyes  were  dancing  with  humor,  from  downright 
laughter  :  "  there  are  the  important  points  of  reefing  and  furl- 
ing, the  courses  to  be  steered,  the  sail  to  be  carried,  the  times 
and  seasons  of  calling  all  hands  together,  with  sundry  other 
customary  duties,  that,  no  doubt,  would  be  well  treated  on  in 
this  forthcoming  report." 

"  No  doubt,  sir ;  I  perceive  you  have  been  at  sea  before, 
and  I  am  sorry  you  were  overlooked  in  naming  the  members  of 
the  comity ;  take  my  word  for  it,  all  that  you  have  mentioned 


40  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

can  be  done  on  board  the  Montauk  by  a  comity,  as  well  as 
settling  the  question  of  heaving-to,  or  not,  for  yonder  boat.  By 
the  way,  Mr.  Leach,  the  fellows  have  tacked,  and  are  standing 
in  this  direction,  thinking  to  cross  our  bows  and  speak  us. 
Mr.  Attorney,  the  tide  is  setting  us  off  the  land,  and  you  may 
make  it  morning  before  you  get  into  your  nests,  if  you  hold  on 
much  longer.  I  fear  Mrs.  Seal  and  Mrs.  Grab  will  be  un- 
happy women." 

The  bloodhounds  of  the  law  heard  this  warning  with  indif- 
ference, for  they  expected  succor  of  some  sort,  though  they 
hardly  knew  of  what  sort,  from  the  man-of-war's  boat,  which,  it 
was  now  plain  enough,  must  weather  on  the  ship.  After  putting 
their  heads  together,  Mr.  Seat  offered  his  companion  a  pinch 
of  snuff,  helping  himself  afterwards,  like  a  man  indifferent  to 
the  result,  and  one  patient  in  time  of  duty.  The  sunburnt 
face  of  the  captain,  whose  standing  color  was  that  which  cooks 
get  when  the  fire  burns  the  brightest,  but  whose  hues  no  fire  or 
cold  ever  varied,  was  turned  fully  on  the  two,  and  it  is  probable 
they  would  have  received  some  decided  manifestation  of  his 
will,  had  not  Sir  George  Templemore,  with  the  four  other  com- 
mitteemen,  approached  to  give  in  the  result  of  their  confer- 
ence. 

"  We  are  of  opinion,  Captain  Truck,"  said  the  baronet, 
"  that  as  the  ship  is  under  way,  and  your  voyage  may  be  fairly 
said  to  have  commenced,  it  is  quite  inexpedient  and  altogether 
unnecessary  for  you  to  anchor  again ;  but  that  it  is  your 
duty " 

"  I  have  no  occasion  for  advice  as  to  my  duty,  gentlemen. 
If  you  can  let  me  know  what  Vattel  says,  or  ought  to  have 
said,  on  the  subject,  or  touching  the  category  of  the  right  of 
search,  except  as  a  belligerent  right,  I  will  thank  you  ;  if  not, 
we  must  e'en  guess  at  it.  I  have  not  sailed  a  ship  in  this 
trade  these  ten  years  to  need  any  jogging  of  the  memory  about 
port-jurisdiction  either,  for  these  are  matters  in  which  one  gets 
to  be  expert  by  dint  of  use,  as  my  old  master  used  to  say  when 
he  called  us  from  table  with  half  a  dinner.  Now,  there  was 
the  case  of  the  blacks  in  Charleston,  in  which  our  government 
showed  clearly  it  had  not  studied  Vattel,  or  it  never  would 
have  given  the  answer  it  did.  Perhaps  you  never  heard  that 
case,  Sir  George,  and  as  it  touches  a  delicate  principle,  I  will 
just  run  over  the  category  lightly  ;  for  it  has  its  points,  as  well 
as  a  coast." 

"  Does  not  this  matter  press, — may  not  the  boat — " 

"  The  boat  will  do  nothing,  gentlemen,  without  the  permit 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  4! 

sion  of  Jack  Truck.  You  must  know,  the  Carolinians  have  a 
law  that  all  niggers  brought  into  their  state  by  ships,  must  be 
caged  until  the  vessel  sails  again.  This  is  to  prevent  emancipa- 
tion, as  they  call  it,  or  abolition,  I  know  not  which.  An  En- 
glishman comes  in  from  the  islands  with  a  crew  of  blacks,  and, 
according  to  law,  the  authorities  of  Charleston  house  them  all 
before  night.  John  Bull  complains  to  his  minister,  and  his 
minister  sends  a  note  to  our  secretary,  and  our  secretary  writes 
to  the  Governor  of  Carolina,  calling  on  him  to  respect  the 
treaty,  and  so  on.  Gentlemen,  I  need  not  to  tell  you  what  a 
treaty  is — it  is  a  thing  in  itself  to  be  obeyed  ;  but  it  is  all  im- 
portant to  know  what  it  commands.  Well,  what  was  this  said 
treaty  ?  That  John  should  come  in  and  out  of  the  ports,  on 
the  footing  of  the  most  favored  nation  ;  on  the  statti  quo  ante 
bdlum  principle,  as  Vattel  has  it.  Now,  the  Carolinians  treated 
John  just  as  they  treated  Jonathan,  and  there  was  no  more  to 
be  said.  All  parties  were  bound  to  enter  the  port,  subject  to 
the  municipals,  as  is  set  forth  in  Vattel.  That  was  a  case  soon 
settled,  you  perceive,  through  depending  on  a  nicety." 

Sir  George  had  listened  with  extreme  impatience,  but,  fear- 
ful of  offending,  he  listened  to  the  end  ;  then,  seizing  the  first 
pause  in  the  captain's  discourse,  he  resumed  his  remonstrances 
with  an  interest  that  did  infinite  credit  to  his  humanity,  at  the 
same  time  that  he  overlooked  none  of  the  obligations  of  polite- 
ness. 

"  An  exceedingly  clear  case,  I  protest,"  he  answered,  "  and 
capitally  put — I  question  if  Lord  Stowell  could  do  it  better — 
and  exceedingly  apt,  that  about  the  ante  bellum  ;  but  I  confess 
my  feelings  have  not  been  so  much  roused  for. a  long  time  as 
they  have  been  on  account  of  those  poor  people.  There  is 
something  inexpressibly  painful  in  being  disappointed  as  one  is 
setting  out  in  the  morning  of  life,  as  it  were,  in  this  cruel  man- 
ner ;  and  rather  than  see  this  state  of  things  protracted,  I  would 
prefer  paying  a  trifle  out  of  my  own  pocket.  If  this  wretched 
attorney  will  consent,  now,  to  take  a  hundred  pounds  and  quit 
us,  and  carry  back  with  him  that  annoying  cutter  with  the  lug- 
sails,  I  will  give  him  the  money  most  cheerfully, — most 
cheerfully,  I  protest." 

There  is  something  so  essentially  respectable  in  practical 
generosity,  that,  though  Eve  and  all  the  curious  auditors  of 
what  was  passing  felt  an  inclination  to  laugh  at  the  whole  pro- 
cedure up  to  this  declaration,  eye  met  eye  in  commendation 
of  the  liberality  of  the  baronet.  He  had  shown  he  had  a  heart, 
in  the  opinion  of  most  of  those  who  heard  him,  though  his 


42  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

previous  conversation  had  led  several  of  the  observers  to  dis« 
trust  his  having  the  usual  quantum  of  head. 

"  Give  yourself  no  trouble  about  the  attorney,  Sir  George," 
returned  the  captain,  shaking  the  other  cordially  by  the  hand : 
"  he  shall  not  touch  a  pound  of  your  money,  nor  do  I  think  he 
is  likely  to  touch  Robert  Davis.  We  have  caught  the  tide  on 
our  lee  bow,  and  the  current  is  wheeling  us  up  to  windward, 
like  an  opposition  coach  flying  over  Blackheath.  In  a  few 
minutes  we  shall  be  in  blue  water  ;  and  then  I'll  give  the  rascal 
a  touch  of  Vattle  that  will  throw  him  all  aback,  if  it  don't  throw 
him  overboard." 

"  But  the  cutter  ?  " 

"  Why,  if  we  drive  the  attorney  and  Grab  out  of  the  ship, 
there  will  be  no  process  in  the  hands  of  the  others,  by  which 
they  can  carry  off  the  man,  even  admitting  the  jurisdiction.  I 
know  the  scoundrels,  and  not  a  shilling  shall  either  of  the 
knaves  take  from  this  vessel  with  my  consent.  Harke«,  Sir 

George,  a  word  in  your  ear  :  two  of    as  d d  cockroaches 

as  ever  rummaged  a  ship's  bread- room  ;  I'll  see  that  they  soon 
heave  about,  or  I'll  heave  them  both  into  their  boat,  with  my 
own  fair  hands." 

The  captain  was  about  to  turn  away  to  examine  the  position 
of  the  cutter,  when  Mr.  Dodge  asked  permission  to  make  a 
short  report  in  behalf  of  the  minority  of  the  comity  (committee), 
the  amount  of  which  was,  that  they  agreed  in  all  things  with 
the  majority  except  on  the  point  that,  as  it  might  become  ex- 
pedient for  the  ship  to  anchor  again  in  some  of  the  ports  lower 
down  the  Channel,  it  would  be  wise  to  keep  that  material 
circumstance  in  view,  in  making  up  a  final  decision  in  the 
affair.  This  report,  on  the  part  of  the  minority,  which,  Mr. 
Dodge  explained  to  the  baronet,  partook  rather  of  the  char- 
acter of  a  caution  than  of  a  protest,  had  quite  as  little  influence 
on  Captain  Truck  as  the  opinion  of  the  majority,  for  he  was 
just  one  of  those  persons  who  seldom  took  advice  that  did  not 
conform  with  his  own  previous  decision  ;  but  he  coolly  continued 
to  examine  the  cutter,  which  by  this  time  was  standing  on  the 
same  course  as  the  ship,  a  short  distance  to  windward  of  her, 
and  edging  a  little  off  the  wind,  so  as  to  bring  the  two  mearer 
to  each  other,  every  yard  they  advanced. 

The  wind  had  freshened  to  a  little  breeze,  and  the  captain 
nodded  his  head  with  satisfaction  when  he  heard,  even  where 
he  stood  on  the  quarter-deck,  the  slapping  of  the  sluggish  swell, 
as  the  huge  bows  of  the  ship  parted  the  water.  At  this  mo« 
ment  those  in  the  cutter  saw  the  bubbles  glide  swiftly  past 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


43 


them,  while  to  those  in  the  Montauk  the  motion  was  still  slow 
and  heavy ;  and  yet,  of  the  two,  the  actual  velocity  was  rather 
in  favor  of  the  latter,  both  having  about  what  is  technically 
termed  "  four-knot  way  "  on  them.  The  officer  of  the  boat  was 
quick  to  detect  the  change  that  was  acting  against  him,  and  by 
easing  the  sheets  of  his  lug-sails,  and  keeping  the  cutter  as 
much  off  the  wind  as  he  could,  he  was  soon  within  a  hundred 
feet  of  the  ship,  running  along  on  her  weather-beam.  The 
bright  soft  moonlight  permitted  the  face  of  a  young  man  in  a 
man-of-war  cap,  who  wore  the  undress  uniform  of  a  sea  lieu- 
tenant, to  be  distinctly  seen,  as  he  rose  in  the  stern-sheets, 
which  contained  also  two  other  persons. 

"  I  will  thank  you  to  heave-to  the  Montauk,"  said  the  lieu- 
tenant civilly,  while  he  raised  his  cap,  apparently  in  compliment 
to  the  passengers  who  crowded  the  rail  to  see  and  hear  what 
passed.  "  I  am  sent  on  the  duty  of  the  king,  sir." 

"  I  know  your  errand,  sir,"  returned  Captain  Truck,  whose 
resolution  to  refuse  to  comply  was  a  good  deal  shaken  by  the 
gentleman-like  manner  in  which  the  request  was  made  ;  "  and 
I  wish  you  to  bear  witness,  that  if  I  do  consent  to  your  request, 
it  is  voluntarily ;  for,  on  the  principles  laid  down  by  Vattel  and 
the  other  writers  on  international  law,  the  right  of  search  is  a 
belligerent  right,  and  England  being  at  peace,  no  ship  belonging 
to  one  nation  can  have  a  right  to  stop  a  vessel  belonging  to  an- 
other." 

"  I  cannot  enter  into  these  niceties,  sir,"  returned  the 
lieutenant,  sharply:  "I  have  my  orders,  and  you  will  excuse 
me  if  I  say,  I  intend  to  execute  them." 

"  Execute  them,  with  all  my  heart,  sir :  if  you  are  ordered 
to  heave-to  my  ship,  all  you  have  to  do  is  to  get  on  board  if 
you  can,  and  let  us  see  the  style  in  which  you  handle  yards. 
As  to  the  people  now  stationed  at  the  braces,  the  trumpet  that 
will  make  them  stir  is  not  to  be  spoken  through  at  the  Admir- 
alty. The  fellow  has  spirit  in  him,  and  I  like  his  principles  as 
an  officer,  but  I  cannot  admit  his  conclusions  as  a  jurist.  If  he 
flatters  himself  with  being  able  to  frighten  us  into  a  new  cate- 
gory, now,  that  is  likely  to  impair  national  rights,  the  lad  has 
just  got  himself  into  a  problem  that  will  need  all  his  logic,  and 
a  good  deal  of  his  spirit,  to  get  out  of  again." 

"  You  will  scarcely  think  of  resisting  a  king's  officer  in  British 
waters  !  "  said  the  young  man  with  that  haughtiness  that  the 
meekest  tempers  soon  learn  to  acquire  under  a  pennant. 

"  Resisting,  my  dear  sir  1  I  resist  nothing.  The  miscon- 
ception is  in  supposing  that  you  sail  this  ship  instead  of  John 


44 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


Truck.  That  is  my  name,  sir  ;  John  Truck.  Do  your  errand 
in  welcome,  but  do  not  ask  me  to  help  you.  Come  aboard, 
with  all  my  heart ;  nothing  would  give  me  more  pleasure  than 
to  take  wine  with  you  ;  but  I  see  no  necessity  of  stopping  a 
packet,  that  is  busy  on  a  long  road,  without  an  object,  as  we 
say  on  the  other  side  of  the  big  waters." 

There  was  a  pause,  and  then  the  lieutenant,  with  the  sort  of 
hesitation  that  a  gentleman  is  apt  to  feel  when  he  makes  a 
proposal  that  he  knows  ought  not  to  be  accepted,  called  out 
that  those  in  the  boat  with  him  would  pay  for  the  detention  of 
the  ship.  A  more  unfortunate  proposition  could  not  be  made 
to  Captain  Truck,  who  would  have  hove-to  his  ship  in  a  mo- 
ment had  the  lieutenant  proposed  to  discuss  Vattel  with  him.  on 
the  quarter-deck,  and  who  was  only  holding  out  as  a  sort,  of 
salvo  to  his  rights,  with  that  disposition  to  resist  aggression 
that  the  experience  of  the  last  forty- years  has  so  deeply  im- 
planted in  the  bosom  of  every  American  sailor,  in  cases  con- 
nected with  English  naval  officers,  and  who  had  just  made  up 
his  mind  to  let  Robert  Davis  take  his  chance,  and  to  crack  a 
bottle  with  the  handsome  young  man  who  was  still  standing  up 
in  the  boat.  But  Mr.  Truck  had  been  too  often  to  London  not 
to  understand  exactly  the  manner  in  which  Englishmen  appre- 
ciate American  character ;  and,  among  other  things,  he  knew 
it  was  the  general  opinion  in  the  island  that  money  could  do 
anything  with  Jonathan,  or,  as  Christophe  is  said  once  to  have 
sententiously  expressed  the  same  sentiment,  "  If  there  were  a 
bag  of  coffee  in  h — ,  a  Yankee  could  be  found  to  go  and  bring 
it  out." 

The  master  of  the  Montauk  had  a  proper  relish  for  his  law- 
ful gains  as  well  as  another,  but  he  was  vainglorious  on  the 
subject  of  his  countrymen,  principally  because  he  found  that 
the  packets  outsailed  all  other  merchant-ships,  and  fiercely 
proud  of  any  quality  that  others  were  disposed  to  deny  them. 

At  hearing  this  proposal,  or  intimation,  therefore,  in  stea</ 
of  acepting  it,  Captain  Truck  raised  his  hat  with  formal 
civility,  and  coolly  wished  the  other  "  good  night.  This  was 
bringing  the  affair  to  a  crisis  at  once  ;  for  the  helm  of  the  cutter 
was  borne  up,  and  ar>  attempt  was  made  to  run  the  boat  along- 
side of  the  ship.  But  the  breeze  had  been  steadily  increasing, 
the  air  had  grown  heaver  as  the  night  advanced,  and  the  damp- 
ness of  evening  was  thickening  the  canvas  of  the  coarser  sails 
in  a  way  sensibly  to  increase  the  speed  of  the  ship,  When  the 
conversation  commenced,  the  boat  was  abreast  of  the  fore- rig- 
ging ;  and  by  the  time  it  ended,  it  was  barely  up  with  the  mizzea 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  45 

The  lieutenant  was  quick  to  see  the  disadvantage  he  labored  un- 
der, and  he  called  out  "  Heave"  as  he  found  the  cutter  was  falling 
close  under  the' counter  of  the  ship,  and  would  be  in  her  wake 
in  another  minute.  The  bowman  of  the  boat  cast  a  light  grap- 
nel with  so  much  precision  that  it  hooked  in  the  mizzen  rig- 
ging, and  the  line  instantly  tightened  so  as  to  tow  the  cutter. 
A  seaman  was  passing  along  the  outer  edge  of  the  hurricane- 
house  at  the  moment,  coming  from  the  wheel,  and  with  the 
decision  of  an  old  salt,  he  quietly  passed  his  knife  across  the 
stretched  cordage,  and  it  snapped  like  packthread.  The  grap- 
nel fell  into  the  sea,  and  the  boat  was  tossing  in  the  wake  of 
the  ship,  all  as  it  might  be  while  one  could  draw  a  breath.  To 
furl  the  sails  and  ship  the  oars  consumed  but  an  instant, 
and  then  the  cutter  was  ploughing  the  water  under  the  vigor- 
ous strokes  of  her  crew. 

"  Spirited  !  spirited  and  nimble  !  "  observed  Captain  Truck, 
who  stood  coolly  leaning  against  a  shroud,  in  a  position  where 
he  could  command  a  view  of  all  that  was  passing,  improving 
the  opportunity  to  shake  the  ashes  from  his  cigar  while  he 
spoke  ;  "  a  fine  young  fellow,  and  one  who  will  make  an  admiral, 
or  something  better,  I  daresay,  if  he  live  ; — perhaps  a  cherub,  in 
time.  Now,  if  he  pull  much  longer  in  the  back-water  of  our  wake 
I  shall  have  to  give  him  up,  Leach,  as  a  little  marin-tt1^  :  ah !  there 
he  sheers  out  of  it,  like  a  sensible  youth  as  he  is  ?  Well,  there 
is  something  pleasant  in  the  conceit  of  a  six-oared  boat's  carry- 
ing a  London  liner  by  boarding,  even  admitting  the  lad  could 
have  got  alongside." 

So,  it  would  seem,  thought  Mr.  Leach  and  the  crew  of  the 
Montauk,  for  they  were  clearing  the  decks  with  as  much 
philosophy  as  men  ever  discover  when  employed  in  an  unthank- 
ful office.  This  sang-froid  of  seamen  is  always  matter  of  sur- 
prise to  landsmen  ;  but  adventurers  who  have  been  rocked 
in  the  tempest  for  years,  whose  utmost  security  is  a  great  hazard 
and  whose  safety  constantly  depends  on  the  command  of  the 
faculties,  come  in  time  to  experience  an  apathy  on  the  subject 
of  all  the  minor  terrors  and  excitements  of  life,  that  none  can 
acquire  unless  by  habit  and  similar  risks.  There  was  a  low 
laugh  among  the  people,  and  now  and  then  a  curious  glance 
of  the  eye  over  the  quarter  to  ascertain  the  position  of  the 
struggling  boat :  but  there  the  effect  of  the  little  incident 
ceased,  so  far  as  the  seamen  were  concerned. 

Not  so  with  the  passengers.  The  Americans  exulted  at 
the  failure  of  the  man  of-war's  man,  and  the  English  doubted. 
To  them,  deference  to  the  crown  was  habitual,  and  they  were 


46  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

displeased  at  seeing  a  stranger  play  a  king's  boat  such  a  tricl^ 
in  what  they  justly  enough  thought  to  be  British  waters. 
Although  the  law  may  not  give  a  man  any  more  right  than  an 
other  to  the  road  before  his  own  door,  he  comes  in  time  to  fancy 
it,  in  a  certain  degree,  his  particular  road.  Strictly  speaking, 
the  Montauk  was  perhaps  still  under  the  dominion  of  the 
English  laws,  though  she  had  been  a  league  from  the  land  when 
laying  at  her  anchor,  and  by  this  time  the  tide  and  her  own 
velocity  had  swept  her  broad  off  into  the  offing  quite  as  fat 
again  ;  indeed  she  had  now  got  to  such  a  distance  from  the 
land,  that  Captain  Truck  thought  it  his  "  duty"  to  bring  matters 
to  a  conclusion  with  the  attorney. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Seal,"  he  said.  "  I  am  grateful  for  the  pleasure 
of  your  company  thus  far ;  but  you  will  excuse  me  if  I  decline 
taking  you  and  Mr.  Grab  quite  to  America.  Half  an  hour 
hence  you  will  hardly  be  able  to  find  the  island ;  for  as  soon 
as  we  have  got  to  a  proper  distance  from  the  cutter,  I  shall 
tack  to  the  southwest,  and  you  ought,  moreover,  to  remember 
the  anxiety  of  the  ladies  at  home." 

"  This  may  turn  out  a  serious  matter,  Captain  Truck,  on 
your  return  passage  !  The  laws  of  England  are  not  to  be 
trifled  with.  Will  you  oblige  me  by  ordering  the  steward  to 
hand  me  a  glass  of  water  ?  Waiting  for  justice  is  dry  duty,  I 
find." 

"  Extremely  sorry  I  cannot  comply,  gentlemen.  Vattel 
has  nothing  on  the  subject  of  watering  belligerents,  or  neutrals, 
and  the  laws  of  Congress  compel  me  to  carry  so  many  gallons 
to  the  man.  If  you  will  take  it  in  the  way  of  a  nightcap,  how- 
ever, and  drink  success  to  our  run  to  America,  and  your  own 
to  the  shore,  it  shall  be  in  champagne,  if  you  happen  to  like 
that  agreeable  fluid." 

The  attorney  was  about  to  express  his  readiness  to  compro- 
mise on  these  terms,  when  a  glass  of  the  beverage  for  which 
he  had  first  asked  was  put  into  his  hand  by  the  wife  of  Robert 
Davis.  He  took  the  water,  drank  it,  and  turned  from  the  woman 
with  the  obduracy  of  one  who  never  suffered  feeling  to  divert 
him  from  the  pursuit  of  gain.  The  wine  was  brought,  and 
the  captain  filled  the  glasses  with  a  seaman's  heartiness. 

"  I  drink  to  your  safe  return  to  Mrs.  Seal,  and  the  little 
gods  and  goddesses  of  justice, — Pan  or  Mercury,  which  is  it  ? 
And  as  for  you,  Grab,  look  out  for  sharks  as  you  pull  in.  If 
they  hear  of  your  being  afloat,  the  souls  of  persecuted  sailors 
will  set  them  on  you,  as  the  devil  chases  male  coquettes.  Well, 
gentlemen,  you  are  balked  this  time  ;  but  what  matters  it  ?  It 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


47 


h  but  another  man  got  safe  out  of  a  country  that  has  too  many  in 
it ;  and  I  trust  we  shall  meet  good  friends  again  this  day  four 
months.  Even  man  and  wife  must  part,  when  the  hour  ar- 
rives." 

"  That  will  depend  on  how  my  client  views  your  conduct 
on  this  occasion,  Captain  Truck ;  for  he  is  not  a  man  that 
it  is  always  safe  to  thwart." 

"  That  for  your  client,  Mr.  Seal !  "  returned  the  captain, 
snapping  his  fingers.  "  I  am  not  to  be  frightened  with  an 
attorney's  growl,  or  a  bailiff's  nod.  You  come  off  with  a  writ 
or  a  warrant,  I  care  not  which  ;  I  offer  no  resistance ;  you 
hunt  for  your  man,  like  a  terrier  looking  for  a  rat,  and  can't 
find  him  ;  I  see  the  fine  fellow,  at  this  moment,  on  deck, — but 
I  feel  no  obligation  to  tell  you  who  or  where  he  is ;  my  ship  is 
cleared  and  I  sail,  and  you  have  no  power  to  stop  me  ;  we  are 
outside  of  all  the  headlands,  good  two  leagues  and  a  half  off, 
and  some  writers  say  that  a  gunshot  is  the  extent  of  your  juris- 
diction, once  out  of  which,  your  authority  is  not  worth  half  as 
much  as  that  of  my  chief  cook,  who  has  power  to  make  his 
mate  clean  the  coppers.  Well,  sir,  you  stay  here  ten  minutes 
longer  and  we  shall  be  fully  three  leagues  from  your  nearest 
land,  and  then  you  are  in  America,  according  to  law,  and  a 
quick  passage  you  will  have  made  of  it.  Now,  that  is  what  I 
call  a  category." 

As  the  captain  made  this  last  remark,  his  quick  eye  saw 
that  the  wind  had  hauled  so  far  round  to  the  westward,  as  to 
supersede  the  necessity  of  tacking,  and  that  they  were  actually 
going  eight  knots  in  a  direct  line  from  Portsmouth.  Casting 
an  eye  behind  him,  he  perceived  that  the  cutter  had  given  up 
the  chase,  and  was  returning  towards  the  distant  roads.  Under 
circumstances  so  discouraging,  the  attorney,  who  began  to  be 
alarmed  for  his  boat,  which  was  flying  along  on  the  water, 
towed  by  the  ship,  prepared  to  take  his  leave*  for  he  was  fully 
aware  that  he  had  no  power  to  compel  the  other  to  heave-to 
his  ship,  to  enable  him  to  get  out  of  her.  Luckily  the  water 
was  still  tolerably  smooth,  and  with  fear  and  trembling,  Mr. 
Seal  succeeded  in  blundering  into  the  boat ;  not,  however, 
until  the  watermen  had  warned  him  of  their  intention  to  hold  on 
no  longer.  Mr.  Grab  followed,  with  a  good  deal  of  difficulty, 
and  just  as  a  hand  was  about  to  let  go  the  painter,  the  captain 
appeared  at  the  gangway  with  the  man  they  were  in  quest  of, 
and  said  in  his  most  winning  manner, — 

"  Mr.  Grab,  Mr.  Davis  ;  Mr.  Davis,  Mr.  Grab ;  I  seldom  in- 
troduce steerage  passengers,  but  to  oblige  two  old  friends  I 


4g  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

break  the  rule.     That's  what  I  call  a  category.     My  compli 
merits  to  Mr.  Grab.     Let  go  the  painter." 

The  words  were  no  sooner  uttered  than  the  boat  was  tossing 
and  whirling  in  the  caldron  left  by  the  passing  ship. 


CHAPTER  V. 

What  country,  friends,  is  this  ? 
Illyria,  lady. 

Twelfth  Night. 

CAPTAIN  TRUCK  cast  an  eye  aloft  to  see  if  everything  drew, 
as  coolly  as  if  nothing  out  of  the  usual  course  had  happened ; 
he  and  his  crew  having,  seemingly,  regarded  the  attempt  to 
board  them  as  men  regard  the  natural  phenomena  of  the 
planets,  or  in  other  words,  as  if  the  ship,  of  which  they  were 
merely  parts,  had  escaped  by  her  own  instinct  or  volition. 
This  habit  of  considering  the  machine  as  the  governing  prin- 
ciple is  rather  general  among  seamen,  who,  while  they  ease  a 
brace,  or  drag  a  bowline,  as  the  coachman  checks  a  rein,  appear 
to  think  it  is  only  permitting  the  creature  to  work  her  own  will 
a  little  more  freely.  It  is  true  all  know  better,  but  none  talk,  or 
indeed  would  seem  to  feel,  as  if  they  thought  otherwise. 

"  Did  you  observe  how  the  old  barky  jumped  out  of  the  way 
of  those  rovers  in  the  cutter  ?  "  said  the  captain  complacently, 
to  the  quarter-deck  group,  when  his  survey  aloft  had  taken 
sufficient  heed  that  his  own  nautical  skill  should  correct  the  in- 
stinct of  the  ship.  "  A  skittish  horse,  or  a  whale  with  the  irons 
in  him,  or,  for  that  matter,  one  of  the  funniest  of  your  theatri- 
cals, would  not  have  given  a  prettier  aside  than  this  poor  old 
hulk,  which  is  certainly  just  the  clumsiest  craft  that  sails  the 
ocean.  I  wish  King  William  would  take  it  into  his  royal  head, 
now,  to  send  one  of  his  light-heeled  cruisers  out  to  prove  it,  by 
way  of  resenting  the  cantaverous  trick  the  Montauk  played  his 
boat !  " 

The  dull  report  of  a  gun,  as  the  sound  came  short  and 
deadened  up  against  the  breeze,  checked  the  raillery  of  Mr., 
Truck.  On  looking  to  leeward,  there  was  sufficient  light  to  see 
the  symmetrical  sails  of  the  cotvette  they  had  left  at  anchor, 
trimmed  close  by  the  wind,  and  the  vessel  itself  standing  out 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


49 


under  a  press  of  canvas,  apparently  in  chase.  The  gun  had 
evidently  been  fired  as  a  signal  of  recall  to  the  cutter,  blue 
lights  being  burnt  on  board  of  both  the  ship  and  its  boat,  in 
proof  that  they  were  communicating. 

The  passengers  now  looked  gravely  at  each  other,  for  the 
matter,  in  their  eyes,  began  to  be  serious.  Some  suggested  the 
possibility  that  the  offence  of  Davis  might  be  other  than  debt, 
but  this  was  disproved  by  the  process  and  the  account  of  the 
bailiff  himself ;  while  most  concluded  that  a  determination  to 
resent  the  slight  done  the  authorities  had  caused  the  cruiser  to 
follow  them  out,  with  the  intention  of  carrying  them  back 
again.  The  English  passengers  in  particular  began  now  to 
reason  in  favor  of  the  authority  of  the  crown,  while  those  who 
were  known  to  be  Americans  grew  warm  in  maintaining  the 
rights  of  their  flag.  Both  the  Effmghams,  however,  were 
moderate  in  the  expression  of  their  opinions  ;  for  education, 
years,  and  experience,  had  taught  them  to  discriminate  justly. 

"  As  respects  the  course  of  Captain  Truck,  in  refusing  to 
permit  the  cutter  to  board  him,  he  is  probably  a  better  judge 
than  any  of  us,"  Mr.  Efrmgham  observed  with  gentlemanly 
reserve — "  for  he  must  better  understand  the  precise  position 
of  his  ship  at  the  time  ;  but  concerning  the  want  of  right  in  a 
foreign  vessel  of  war  to  carry  this  ship  into  port  in  a  time  of 
profound  peace,  when  sailing  on  the  high  seas,  as  will  soon  be 
the  case  with  the  Montauk, — admitting  that  she  is  not  there  at 
present, — I  should  think  there  can  be  no  reasonable  doubt. 
The  dispute,  if  there  is  to  be  any,  has  now  to  become  matter  of 
negotiation  ;  or  redress  must  be  sought  through  the  general 
agents  of  the  two  nations,  and  not  taken  by  the  inferior  officers 
of  either  party.  The  instant  the  Montauk  reaches  the  public 
highway  of  nations,  she  is  within  the  exclusive  jurisdiction  of 
the  country  under  whose  flag  she  legally  sails." 

"  Vattel,  to  the  backbone  !  "  said  the  captain,  giving  a  nod 
of  approbation,  again  clearing  the  end  of  his  cigar. 

Now,  John  Efnngham  was  a  man  of  strong  feelings,  which 
is  often  but  another  word  for  a  man  of  strong  prejudices  ;  and 
he  had  been  educated  between  thirty  or  forty  years  before,  which 
is  saying  virtually,  that  he  was  educated  under  the  influence 
of  the  British  opinions,  that  then  weighed  (and  many  of  which 
still  weigh)  like  an  incubus  on  the  national  interests  of  America. 
It  is  true,  Mr.  Effingham  was  in  all  senses  the  contemporary,  as 
he  had  been  the  schoolfellow,  of  his  cousin  ;  that  they  loved  each 
other  as  brothers,  had  the  utmost  reliance  on  each  other's  prin- 
ciples in  the  main,  thought  alike  in  a  thousand  things,  and 


5o  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

yet  in  the  particular  of  English  domination,  it  was  scarcely 
possible  for  one  man  to  resemble  another  less  than  the  widowed 
kinsman  resembled  the  bachelor. 

Edward  Effingham  was  a  singularly  just-minded  man,  and 
having  succeeded  at  an  early  age  to  his  estate,  he  had  lived 
many  years  in  the  intellectual  retirement  which,  by  withdraw- 
ing him  from  the  strifes  of  the  world,  had  left  a  cultivated  sa- 
gacity to  act  freely  on  a  natural  disposition.  At  the  period 
when  the  entire  republic  was,  in  substance,  exhibiting  the  dis- 
graceful picture  of  a  nation  torn  by  adverse  factions,  that  had 
their  origin  in  interests  alien  to  its  own  ;  when  most  were  either 
Englishmen  or  Frenchmen,  he  had  remained  what  nature,  the 
laws  and  reason  intended  him  to  be,  an  American.  Enjoying 
the  otium  cum  dignitate  on  his  hereditary  estate,  and  in  his 
hereditary  abode,  Edward  Effingham,  with  little  pretensions  to 
greatness,  and  with  many  claims  to  goodness  had  hit  the  line 
of  truth  which  so  many  of  the  "  god-likes  "  of  the  republic, 
under  the  influence  of  their  passions,  and  stimulated  by  the 
transient  and  fluctuating  interests  of  the  day,  entirely  over- 
looked, or  which,  if  seeing,  they  recklessly  disregarded.  A 
less  impracticable  subject  for  excitement, — the  primum  mobile 
of  all  American  patriotism  and  activity,  if  we  are  to  believe  the 
theories  of  the  times, — could  not  be  found,  than  this  gentleman. 
Independence  of  situation  had  induced  independence  of 
thought ;  study  and  investigation  rendered  him  original  and 
just,  by  simply  exempting  him  from  the  influence  of  the  pas- 
sions ;  and  while  hundreds  were  keener,  abler  in  the  exposition 
of  subtleties,  or  more  imposing  with  the  mass,  few  were  as 
often  right,  and  none  of  less  selfishness,  than  this  simple-minded 
and  upright  gentleman.  He  loved  his  native  land,  while  he 
saw  and  regretted  its  weaknesses ;  was  its  firm  and  consistent 
advocate  abroad,  without  becoming  its  interested  or  mawkish 
flatterer  at  home,  and  at  all  times,  and  in  all  situations,  man- 
ifested that  his  heart  was  where  it  ought  to  be. 

In  many  essentials,  John  Effingham  was  the  converse  of  all 
this.  Of  an  intellect  much  more  acute  and  vigorous  than  that 
of  his  cousin,  he  also  possessed  passions  less  under  control, 
a  will  more  stubborn,  and  prejudices  that  often  neutralized  his 
reason  His  father  had  inherited  most  of  the  personal  property 
of  the  family,  and  with  this  he  had  plunged  into  the  vortex  of 
moneyed  speculation  that  succeeded  the  adoption  of  the  new- 
constitution,  and  verifying  the  truth  of  the  sacred  saying,  that 
"  where  treasure  is,  there  will  the  heart  be  also,"  he  had  entered 
warmly  and  blindly  into  ail  the  factious  and  irreconcilable 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  51 

principles  of  party,  if  such  a  word  can  properly  be  applied  to 
rules  of  conduct  that  vary  with  the  interests  of  the  day,  and 
had  adopted  the  current  errors  with  which  faction  unavoidably 
poisons  the  mind. 

America  was  then  much  too  young  in  her  independence, 
and  too  insignificant  in  all  eyes  but  her  own,  to  reason  and 
act  for  herself,  except  on  points  that  pressed  too  obviously  on 
her  immediate  concerns  to  be  overlooked;  but  the  great  social 
principles, — or  it  might  be  better  to  say,  the  great  social  inter- 
ests, — that  then  distracted  Europe,  produced  quite  as  much 
sensation  in  that  distant  country,  as  at  all  comported  with  a 
state  of  things  that  had  so  little  practical  connection  with  the 
result.  The  Effingham  family  had  started  Federalists,  in  the 
true  meaning  of  the  term  ;  for  their  education,  native  sense 
and  principles,  had  a  leaning  to  order,  good  government,  and 
the  dignity  of  the  country  ;  but  as  factions  became  fiercer,  and 
names  got  to  be  confounded  and  contradictory,  the  landed 
branch  settled  'down  into  what  they  thought  were  American, 
and  the  commercial  branch  into  what  might  properly  be  termed 
English  Federalists.  We  do  not  mean  that  the  father  of  John 
intended  to  be  untrue  to  his  native  land  ;  but  by  following  up 
the  dogmas  of  party  he  had  reasoned  himself  into  a  set  of 
maxims  which,  if  they  meant  anything,  meant  everything  but 
that  which  had  been  solemnly  adopted  as  the  governing  prin- 
ciples of  his  own  country,  and  many  of  which  were  diametrically 
opposed  to  both  its  interests  and  its  honor. 

John  Effingham  had  insensibly  imbibed  the  sentiments  of 
his  particular  sect,  though  the  large  fortune  inherited  from  his 
father  had  left  him  too  independent  to  pursue  the  sinuous 
policy  of  trade.  He  had  permitted  temperament  to  act  on 
prejudice  to  such  an  extent  that  he  vindicated  the  right  of 
England  to  force  men  from  under  the  American  flag,  a  doc- 
trine that  his  cousin  was  too  simple-minded  and  clear-headed 
ever  to  entertain  for  an  instant :  and  he  was  singularly  inge- 
nious in  discovering  blunders  in  all  the  acts  of  the  republic, 
when  they  conflicted  with  the  policy  of  Great  Britain.  In 
short,  his  talents  were  necessary,  perhaps,  to  reconcile  so  much 
sophistry,  or  to  render  that  reasonably  plausible  that  was  so 
fundamentally  false.  After- the  peace  of  1815,  John  Effingham 
went  abroad  for  the  second  time,  and  he  hurried  through  Eng- 
land with  the  eagerness  of  strong  affection  ;  an  affection  that 
owed  its  existence  even  more  to  opposition  than  to  settled 
notions  of  truth,  or  to  natural  ties.  The  result  was  disappoint- 
ment, as  happens  nineteen  times  in  twenty,  and  this  solely  be- 


52  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

cause,  in  the  zeal  of  a  partisan,  he  had  fancied  theories,  and 
imagined  results.  Like  the  English  radical,  who  rushes  into 
America  with  a  mind  unsettled  by  impracticable  dogmas,  he 
experienced  a  reaction,  and  this  chiefly  because  he  found  that 
men  \vere  not  superior  to  nature,  and  discovered  so  late  in  the 
day,  what  he  might  have  known  at  starting,  that  particular 
causes  must  produce  particular  effects.  From  this  time,  John 
Effingham  became  a  wiser  and  a  more  moderate  man  ;  though, 
as  the  shock  had  not  been  sufficiently  violent  to  throw  him 
backward  on  truth,  or  rather  upon  the  opposing  prejudices  of 
another  sect,  the  remains  of  the  old  notions  were  still  to  be 
discovered  lingering  in  his  opinions,  and  throwing  a  species 
of  twilight  shading  over  his  mind ;  as,  in  nature,  the  hues  of 
evening  and  the  shadows  of  the  morning  follow,  or  precede, 
the  light  of  the  sun. 

Under  the  influence  of  these  latent  prejudices,  then,  John 
Effingham  replied  to  the  remarks  of  his  cousin,  and  the  dis- 
course soon  partook  of  the  discursive  character  of  all  argu- 
ments, in  which  the  parties  are  not  singularly  clear-headed, 
and  free  from  any  other  bias  than  that  of  truth.  Nearly  all 
joined  in  it,  and  half  an  hour  was  soon  passed  in  settling  the 
law  of  nations,  and  the  particular  merits  or  demerits  of  the  in- 
stance before  them. 

It  was  a  lovely  night,  and  Mademoiselle  Viefville  and  Eve 
walked  the  deck  for  exercise,  the  smoothness  of  the  water 
rendering  the  moment  every  way  favorable.  As  has  been 
already  said,  the  common  feeling  in  the  escape  of  the  new- 
married  couple  had  broken  the  ice,  and  less  restraint  existed 
between  the  passengers,  at  the  moment  when  Mr.  Grab  left  the 
ship,  than  would  have  been  the  case  at  the  end  of  a  week, 
under  ordinary  circumstances.  Eve  Effingham  had  passed  her 
time  since  her  eleventh  year  principally  on  the  continent  of 
Europe,  and  in  the  mixed  intercourse  that  is  common  to 
strangers  in  that  part  of  the  world  ;  or,  in  other  words,  equally 
without  the  severe  restraint  that  is  usually  imposed  there  on 
the  young  of  her  own  sex,  or  without  the  extreme  license  that 
is  granted  to  them  at  home.  She  came  of  a  family  too  well 
toned  to  run  into  the  extravagant  freedoms  that  sometimes 
pass  for  easy  manners  in  America,  had  she  never  quitted  her 
father's  house  even :  but  her  associations  abroad  had  unavoid- 
ably imparted  greater  reserve  to  her  ordinary  deportment  than 
the  simplicity  of  cis-Atlantic  usages  would  have  rendered  in- 
dispensable in  the  most  fastidious  circles.  With  the  usual 
womanly  reserves,  she  was  natural  and  unembarrassed  in  hev 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


53 


intercourse  with  the  world,  and  she  had  been  allowed  to  see  so 
many  different  nations,  that  she  had  obtained  a  self-confidence 
that  did  her  no  injury,  under  the  influence  of  an  exemplary 
education,  and  great  natural  dignity  of  mind.  Still,  Made- 
moiselle Viefville,  notwithstanding  she  had  lost  some  of  her  own 
peculiar  notions  on  the  subject,  by  having  passed  so  many 
years  in  an  American  family,  was  a  little  surprised  at  observing 
that  Eve  received  the  respectful  advances  of  Mr.  Sharp  and 
Mr.  Blunt  with  less  reserve  than  it  was  usual  to  her  to  manifest 
to  entire  strangers.  Instead  of  remaining  a  mere  listener,  she 
answered  several  remarks  of  the  first,  and  once  or  twice  she 
even  laughed  with  him  openly  at  some  absurdity  of  the  com- 
mittee of  five.  The  cautious  governess  wondered,  but  half  dis- 
posed to  fancy  that  there  was  no  more  than  the  necessary 
freedom  of  a  ship  in  it  all, — for,  like  a  true  Frenchwoman, 
Mademoiselle  Viefville  had  very  vague  notions  of  the  secrets 
of  the  mighty  deep — she  permitted  it  to  pass,  confiding  in  the 
long-tried  taste  and  discretion  of  her  charge.  While  Mr. 
Sharp  discoursed  with  Eve,  who  held  her  arm  the  while,  she 
herself  had  fallen  into  an  animated  conversation  with  Mr. 
Blunt,  who  walked  at  her  side,  and  who  spoke  her  own  lan- 
guage so  well,  that  she  at  first  set  him  down  as  a  countryman, 
travelling  under  an  English  appellation,  as  a  nom  de  guerre. 
While  this  dialogue  was  at  its  height  of  interest — for  Paul 
Blunt  discoursed  with  his  companion  of  Paris  and  its  excellen- 
cies with  a  skill  that  soon  absorbed  all  her  attention,  "  Paris, 
ce  magnifique  Paris]'  having  almost  as  much  influence  on  the 
happiness  of  the  governess,  as^it  was  said  to  have  had  on  that 
of  Madame  de  Stael,  Eve's  companion  dropped  his  voice  to  a 
tone  that  was  rather  confidential  for  a  stranger,  although  it 
was  perfectly  respectful,  and  said, — 

"  I  have  flattered  myself,  perhaps  through  the  influence  of 
self-love  alone,  that  Miss  Efnngham  has  not  so  far  forgotten  all 
whom  she  has  met  in  her  travels,  as  to  think  me  an  utter 
stranger." 

"  Certainly  not,"  returned  Eve,  with  perfect  simplicity  and 
composure  ;  "  else  would  one  of  my  faculties,  that  of  memory, 
be  perfectly  useless.  I  knew  you  at  a  glance,  and  consider  the 
worthy  captain's  introduction  as  so  much  finesse  of  breeding 
utterly  thrown  away." 

"  I  am  equally  gratified  and  vexed  at  all  this ;  gratified  and 
infinitely  flattered  to  find  that  I  have  not  passed  before  your 
eyes  like  the  common  herd,  who  leave  no  traces  of  even  theii 


54  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

features  behind  them ,  and  vexed  at  finding  myself  in  a  situa- 
tion that,  I  fear,  you  fancy  excessively  ridiculous  ? " 

"  Oh,  one  hardly  dare  to  attach  such  sconsequences  to  acts 
of  young  men,  or  young  women  either,  in  an  age  as  original  as 
our  own.  I  saw  nothing  particularly  absurd  but  the  introduc- 
tion ; — and  so  many  absurder  have  since  passed,  that  this  is 
almost  forgotten." 

*•  And  the  name ?  " 

" — Is  certainly  a  keen  one.  If  I  am  not  mistaken,  when 
we  were  in  Italy  you  were  content  to  let  your  servant  bear  it ; 
but,  venturing  among  a  people  so  noted  for  sagacity  as  the 
Yankees,  I  suppose  you  have  fancied  it  was  necessary  to  go 
armed  cap-a-pie" 

Both  laughed  lightly,  as  if  they  equally  enjoyed  the  pleas- 
antry, and  then  he  resumed, — 

"  But  I  sincerely  hope  you  do  not  impute  improper  motives 
to  the  incognito  ?  " 

"  I  impute  it  to  that  which  makes  many  young  men  run 
from  Rome  to  Vienna,  or  from  Vienna  to  Paris ;  which  causes 
you  to  sell  the  vis-a-vis  to  buy  a  dormeuse ;  to  know  your  friends 
to-day,  and  to  forget  them  to-morrow ;  or,  in  short,  to  do  a 
hundred  other  things  that  can  be  accounted  for  on  no  other 
motive." 

"  And  this  motive ?  " 

"  — Is  simply  caprice." 

"  I  wish  I  could  persuade  you  to  ascribe  some  better  reason 
to  all  my  conduct.  Can  you  think  of  nothing,  in  the  present 
instance,  less  discreditable  ?  "  • 

"  Perhaps  I  can,"  Eve  answered,  after  a  moment  of  thought.; 
then  laughing  lightly  again,  she  added,  quickly,  "  But  I  fear,  in 
exonerating  you  from  the  charge  of  unmitigated  caprice,  I  shall 
ascribe  a  reason  that  does  little  less  credit  to  your  knowledge." 

"  This  will  appear  in  the  end.  Does  Mademoiselle  Viefville 
remember  me,  do  you  fancy  ?  " 

"  It  is  impossible  ;  she  was  ill,  you  will  remember,  the 
three  months  we  saw  so  much  of  you." 

"  And  your  father,  Miss  Effingham  ; — am  I  really  forgotten 
by  him  ? " 

"  I  am  quite  certain  you  are  not.  He  never  forgets  a  face, 
whatever  in  this  instance  may  have  befallen  the  name." 

"  He  received  me  so  coldly,  and  so  much  like  a  total 
stranger ! " 

"  He  is  too  well-bred  to  recognize  a  man  who  wishes  to  be 
unknown,, or  to  indulge  in  exclamations  of  surprise,  or  in 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


55 


dramatic  starts.  He  is  more  stable  than  a  girl,  moreover,  and 
may  feel  less  indulgence  to  caprice." 

4<  I  feel  obliged  to  his  reserve  ;  for  exposure  would  be  ridi- 
culous, and  so  long  as  you  and  he  alone  know  me,  I  shall 
feel  less  awkward  in  the  ship.  I  am  certain  neither  will  betray 
me." 

"  Betray ! " 

"  Betray,  discover,  annihilate  me  if  you  will.  Anything  is 
preferable  to  ridicule." 

"  This  touches  a  little  on  the  caprice  ;  but  you  flatter 
yourself  with  too  much  security  ;  you  are  known  to  one  more 
besides  my  father,  myself,  and  the  honest  man  whom  you 
have  robbed  of  all  his  astuteness,  which  I  believe  was  in  his 
name." 

"  For  pity's  sake,  who  can  it  be  ? " 

"  The  worthy  Nanny  Sidley,  my  whilom  nurse,  and  actual 
femme  de  chambre.  No  ogre  was  ever  more  vigilant  on  his 
ward  than  the  faithful  Nanny,  and  it  is  vain  to  suppose  she 
does  not  recall  your  features." 

"  But  ogres  sometimes  sleep ;  recollect  how  many  have 
been  overcome  in  that  situation." 

Eve  smiled,  but  shook  her  head.  She  was  about  to  assure 
Mr.  Sharp  of  the  vanity  of  his  belief,  when  an  exclamation  from 
her  governess  diverted  the  attention  of  both,  and  before  either 
had  time  to  speak  again,  Mademoiselle  turned  to  them,  and 
said  rapidly  in  French, — 

"  I  assure  you,  ma  chere,  I  should  have  mistaken  monsieur 
for  a  compatriote  by  his  language,  were  it  not  for  a  single 
heinous  fault  that  he  has  just  committed." 

"  Which  fault  you  will  suffer  me  to  inquire  into,  that  I  may 
hasten  to  correct  it  ? "  asked  Mr.  Blunt. 

"  Mais,  monsieur,  you  speak  too  perfectly,  too  grammatically, 
for  a  native.  You  do  not  take  the  liberties  with  the  language 
that  one  who  feels  he  owns  it  thinks  he  has  a  right  to  do.  It 
is  the  fault  of  too  much  correctness." 

"  And  a  fault  it  easily  becomes.  I  thank  you  for  the  hint, 
mademoiselle ;  but  as  I  am  now  going  where  little  French  will 
be  heard,  it  is  probable  it  will  soon  be  lost  in  greater 
mistakes." 

The  two  then  turned  away  again,  and  continued  the  dialogue 
that  had  been  interrupted  by  this  trifling. 

"  There  may  also  be  one  more  to  whom  you  are  known," 
continued  Eve,  as  soon  as  the  vivacity  of  the  discourse  of  the 
others  satisfied  her  the  remark  would  not  be  heard. 


,j  6  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  Surely,  you  cannot  mean  him  ?  " 

"  Surely,  I  do  mean  him.  Are  you  quite  certain  that  '  Mr. 
Sharp,  Mr.  Blunt;  Mr.  Blunt,  Mr.  Sharp/  never  saw  each 
other  before  ? " 

"  I  think  not  until  the  moment  we  entered  the  boat  in 
company.  He  is  a  gentlemanly  young  man  ;  he  seems  even 
to  be  more,  and  one  would  not  be  apt  to  forget  him.  He  is 
altogether  superior  to  the  rest  of  the  set :  do  you  not  agree 
with  me  ? " 

Eve  made  no  answer,  probably  because  she  thought  her 
companion  was  not  sufficiently  intimate  to  interrogate  her  on 
the  subject  of  her  opinions  of  others.  Mr.  Sharp  had  too 
much  knowledge  of  the  world  not  to  perceive  the  little  mistake 
he  had  made,  2nd  after  begging  the  young  lady,  with  a  ludicrous 
deprecation  of  her  mercy,  not  to  betray  him,  he  changed  the 
conversation  with  the  tact  of  a  man  who  saw  that  the  discourse 
could  not  be  continued  without  assuming  a  confidential  charac- 
ter that  Eve  was  indisposed  to  permit.  Luckily,  a  pause  in 
the  discourse  between  the  governess  and  her  colloquist  per- 
mitted a  happy  turn  to  the  conversation. 

"  I  believe  you  are  an  American,  Mr.  Blunt,"  he  remarked-, 
"  and  as  I  am  an  Englishman,  we  may  be  fairly  pitted  against 
each  other  on  this  important  question  of  international  law,  and 
about  which  I  hear  our  worthy  captain  flourishing  extracts 
from  Vattel  as  familiarly  as  household  terms.  I  hope,  at  least, 
you  agree  with  me  in  thinking  that  when  the  sloop-of-war 
comes  up  with  us,  it  will  be  very  silly  on  our  part  to  make  any 
objections  to  being  boarded  by  her  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  know  that  it  is  at  all  necessary  I  should  be  an 
American  to  give  an  opinion  on  such  a  point,"  returned  the 
young  man  he  addressed,  courteously,  though  he  smiled  to 
himself  as  he  answered, — "  For  what  is  right,  is  right,  quite 
independent  of  nationality.  It  really  does  appear  to  me  that  a 
public-armed  vessel  ought,  in  war  or  peace,  to  have  a  right  to 
ascertain  the  character  of  all  merchant-ships,  at  least  on  the 
coast  of  the  country  to  which  the  cruisers  belong.  Without 
this  power,  it  is  not  easy  to  see  in  what  manner  they  can  seize 
smugglers,  capture  pirates,  or  otherwise  enforce  the  objeccs 
for  which  such  vessels  are  usually  sent  to  sea,  in  the  absence 
of  positive  hostilities." 

"  I  am  happy  to  find  you  agreeing  with  me,  then,  in  the 
legality  of  the  doctrine  of  the  right  of  search." 

Paul  Blunt  again  smiled,  and  Eve,  as  she  caught  a  glimpse 
of  his  fine  countenance  in  turning  in  their  short  walk,  fancied 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


57 


there  was  a  concealed  pride  of  reas6n  in  the  expression.  Still 
he  answered  as  mildly  and  quietly  as  before. 

"  The  right  of  search,  certainly,  to  attain  these  ends,  but  to 
attain  no  more.  If  nations  denounce  piracy,  for  instance,  and 
employ  especial  agents  to'detect  and  overcome  the  freebooters, 
there  is  reason  in  according  to  these  agents  all  the  rights  that 
are  requisite  to  the  discharge  of  the  duties :  but,  in  conceding 
this  much,  I  do  not  see  that  any  authority  is  acquired  beyond 
that  which  immediately  belongs  to  the  particular  service  to  be 
performed.  If  we  give  a  man  permission  to  enter  our  house  to 
look  for  thieves,  it  does  not  follow  that,  because  so  admitted, 
he  has  a  right  to  exercise  any  other  function.  I  do  believe 
that  the  ship  in  chase  of  us,  as  a  public  cruiser,  ought  to  be 
allowed  to  board  this  vessel ;  but  finding  nothing  contrary  to 
the  laws  of  nations  about  her,  that  she  will  have  no  power  to 
detain  or  otherwise  molest  her.  Even  the  right  I  concede 
ought  to  be  exercised  in  good  faith,  and  without  vexatious 
abuses." 

"  But,  surely,  you  must  think  that  in  carrying  off  a  refugee 
from  justice  we  have  placed  ourselves  in  the  wrong,  and  cannot 
object,  as  a  principle,  to  the  poor  man's  being  taken  back  again 
into  the  country  from  which  he  has  escaped,  however  much  we 
may  pity  the  hardships  of  the  particular  case  ?  " 

"  I  much  question  if  Captain  Truck  will  be  disposed  to  reason 
so  vaguely.  In  the  first  place,  he  will  be  apt  to  say  that  his 
ship  was  regularly  cleared,  and  that  he  had  authority  to  sail ; 
that  in  permitting  the  officer  to  search  his  vessel,  while  in 
British  waters,  he  did  all  that  could  be  required  of  him,  the  law 
not  compelling  him  to  be  either  a  bailiff  or  an  informer ;  that 
the  process  issued  was  to  take  Davis,  and  not  to  detain  the 
Montauk ;  that,  once  out  of  British  waters,  American  law 
governs,  and  the  English  functionary  became  an  intruder  of 
whom  he  had  every  right  to  rid  himself,  and  that  the  process 
by  which  he  got  his  power  to  act  at  all  became  impotent  the 
instant  it  was  without  the  jurisdiction  under  which  it  was 
granted." 

"  I  think  you  will  find  the  captain  of  yonder  cruiser  indis- 
posed to  admit  this  doctrine." 

"  That  is  not  impossible ;  men  often  preferring  abuses  to 
being  thwarted  in  their  wishes.  But  the  captain  of  yonder 
cruiser  might  as  well  go  on  board  a  foreign  vessel  of  war,  and 
pretend  to  a  right  to  command  her,  in  virtue  of  the  commission 
by  which  he  commands  his  own  ship,  as  to  pretend  to  find 
reason  or  law  in  doing  what  you  seem  to  predict." 


c8  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  I  rejoice  to  hear  that  the  poor  man  cannot  now  be  torn 
from  his  wife !  "  exclaimed  Eve. 

"  You  then  incline  to  the  doctrine  of  Mr.  Blunt,  Miss 
Effingham  ?  "  observed  the  other  controversialist  a  little  re- 
proachfully. "  I  fear  you  make  it  a  national  question." 

"  Perhaps  I  have  done  what  all  seem  to  have  done,  permit- 
ted sympathy  to  get  the  better  of  reason.  And  yet  it  would 
require  strong  proof  to  persuade  me  that  villanous-looking  at- 
torney was  engaged  in  a  good  cause,  and  that  meek  and  warm- 
hearted wife  in  a  bad  one  !  " 

Both  the  gentlemen  smiled,  and  both  turned  to  the  fair 
speaker,  as  if  inviting  her  to  proceed.  But  Eve  checked  her- 
self, having  already  said  more  than  became  her,  in  her  own 
opinion. 

"  I  had  hoped  to  find  an  ally  in  you,  Mr.  Blunt,  to  sustain 
the  claim  of  England  to  seize  her  own  seamen  when  found  on 
board  of  vessels  of  another  nation,"  resumed  Mr.  Sharp,  when 
a  respectful  pause  had  shown  both  the  young  men  that  they 
need  expect  nothing  more  from  their  fair  companion  ;  "  but  I 
fear  I  must  set  you  down  as  belonging  to  those  who  wish  to 
see  the  power  of  England  reduced,  coute  qui  coute" 

This  was  received  as  it  was  meant,  or  as  a  real  opinion 
veiled  under  pleasantry. 

"  I  certainly  do  not  wish  to  see  her  power  maintained,  coute 
qui  coute"  returned  the  other,  laughing  ;  "  and  in  this  opinion,  I 
believe,  I  may  claim  both  these  ladies  as  allies." 

"  Certainement !"  exclaimed  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  who 
was  a  living  proof  that  the  feelings  created  by  centuries  of  an- 
imosity are  not  to  be  subdued  by  a  few  flourishes  of  the  pen. 

"  As  for  me,  Mr.  Sharp,  "  added  Eve,  "  you  may  suppose, 
being  an  American  girl,  I  cannot  subscribe  to  the  right  of  any 
country  to  do  us  injustice ;  but  I  beg  you  will  not  include  me 
among  those  who  wish  to  see  the  land  of  my  ancestors  wronged, 
in  aught  that  she  may  rightfully  claim  as  her  due.  " 

"  This  is  powerful  support,  and  I  shall  rally  to  the  rescue. 
Seriously,  then,  will  you  allow  me  to  inquire,  sir,  if  you  think 
the  right  of  England  to  the  services  of  her  seamen  can  be 
denied?" 

"  Seriously,  then,  Mr.  Sharp,  you  must  permit  me  to  ask  if 
you  mean  by  force,  or  by  reason  ? " 

"  By  the  latter,  certainly." 

"  I  think  you  have  taken  the  weak  side  of  the  English  ar 
gument;  the  nature  of  the  service  that  the  subject,  or  the 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  59 

citizen,  as  it  is  now  the  fashion  to  say  at  Paris,  mademoi- 
selle—" 

" — Tantpis,  "  muttered  the  governess. 

" — Owes  his  government,"  continued  the  young  man, 
slightly  glancing  at  Eve,  at  the  interruption,  "is  purely  a  point 
of  internal  regulation.  In  England  there  is  compulsory  service 
for  seamen  without  restriction,  or  what  is  much  the  same, 
without  an  equal  protection  ;  in  France,  it  is  compulsory  service 
on  a  general  plan  ;  in  America,  as  respects  seamen,  the  service 
is  still  voluntary." 

41  Your  pardon  ; — will  the  institutions  of  America  permit 
impressment  at  all  ?  " 

"  I  should  think,  not  indiscriminate  impressment ;  though 
I  do  not  see  why  laws  might  not  be  enacted  to  compel  drafts 
for  the  ships  of  war,  as  for  the  army  :  but  this  is  a  point  that 
some^of  the  professional  gentlemen  on  board,  if  there  be  any 
such,  might  better  answer  than  myself." 

"  The  skill  with  which  you  have  touched  on  these  subjects 
to-night,  had  made  me  hope  to  have  found  such  a  one  in  you  : 
for  to  a  traveller,  it  is  always  desirable  to  enter  a  country  with 
a  little  preparation,  and  a  ship  might  offer  as  much  temptation 
to  teach  as  to  learn." 

"  If  you  suppose  me  an  American  lawyer^  you  give  me  credit 
for  more  than  I  can  lay  claim  to." 

As  he  hesitated,  Eve  wondered  whether  the  slight  emphasis 
he  had  laid  on  the  two  words  we  have  italicized,  was  heaviest 
on  that  which  denoted  the  country,  or  on  that  which  denoted 
the  profession. 

"  I  have  been  much  in  America,  and  have  paid  a  little  at- 
tention to  the  institutions,  but  should  be  sorry  to  mislead  you 
into  the  belief  that  I  am  at  all  infallible  on  such  points,"  Mr. 
Blunt  continued. 

"  You  were  about  to  touch  on  impressment." 

"  Simply  to  say  that  it  is  a  municipal  national  power ;  one 
in  no  degree  dependent  on  general  principles,  and  that  it  can 
properly  be  exercised  in  no  situation  in  which  the  exercise  of 
municipal  or  national  powers  is  forbidden.  I  can  believe  that 
this  power  may  be  exercised  on  board  American  ships  in  British 
waters — or  at  least,  that  it  is  a  more  plausible  right  in  such 
situations ;  but  I  cannot  think  it  can  be  rightfully  exercised 
anywhere  else.  I  do  not  think  England  would  submit  to  such 
a  practice  an  hour,  reversing  the  case,  and  admitting  her  present 
strength  :  and  an  appeal  of  this  sort  is  a  pretty  good  test  of  a 
principle." 


60  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  Ay,  ay,  what  is  sauce  for  the  goose  is  sauce  for  the  gander, 
as  Vattel  says,"  interupted  Captain  Truck,  who  had  overheard 
the  last  speech  or  two  :  "  not  that  he  says  this  in  so  many  words, 
but  then,  he  has  the  sentiment  at  large  scattered  throughout 
his  writings.  For  that  matter,  there  is  little  that  can  be  said 
on  a  subject  that  he  does  not  put  before  his  readers,  as  plainly 
as  Beachy  Head  lies  before  the  navigator  of  the  British  Chai> 
nel.  With  Bowditch  and  Vattel,  a  man  might  sail  round  the 
globe,  and  little  fear  of  a  bad  landfall,  or  a  mistake  in  princi- 
ples. My  present  object  is  to  tell  you,  ladies,  that  the  steward 
has  reported  the  supper  in  waiting  for  the  honor  of  your  pres- 
ence." 

Before  quitting  the  deck,  the  party  inquired  into  the  state 
of  the  chase,  and  the  probable  intentions  of  the  sloop-of-war. 

"  We  are  now  on  the  great  highway  of  nations,"  returned 
Mr.  Truck,  "  and  it  is  my  intention  to  travel  it  without  jostling, 
or  being  jostled.  As  for  the  sloop,  she  is  standing  out  under 
a  press  of  canvas,  and  we  are  standing  from  her,  in  nearly  a 
straight  line,  in  like  circumstances.  She  is  some  eight  or  ten 
miles  astern  of  us,  and  there  is  an  old  saying  among  seamen 
that  '  a  stern  chase  is  a  long  chase/  I  do  not  think  our  case  is 
about  to  make  an  exception  to  the  rule.  I  shall  not  pretend  to 
say  what  will  be  the  upshot  of  the  matter ;  but  there  is  not  the 
ship  in  the  British  navy  that  can  gain  ten  miles  on  the  Montauk, 
in  her  present  trim,  and  with  this  breeze,  in  as  many  hours ; 
so  we  are  quit  of  her  for  the  present." 

The  last  words  were  uttered  just  as  Eve  put  her  foot  on  the 
step  to  descend  into  the  cabin. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  6 1 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Trin.  Stephano, — 

Steph.  Doth  thy  other  mouth  call  me  ?    Mercy  !  Mercy ! 

Tempest. 

THE  life  of  a  packet  steward  is  one  of  incessant  mixing  and 
washing,  of  interrogations  and  compoundings,  all  in  a  space  of 
about  twelve  feet  square.  These  functionaries,  usually  clever 
mulattoes  who  have  caught  the  civilization  of  the  kitchen,  are 
busy  from  morning  till  night  in  their  cabins,  preparing  dishes, 
issuing  orders,  regulating  courses,  starting  corks,  and  answering 
questions.  Apathy  is  the  great  requisite  for  the  station  ;  for 
woe  betide  the  wretch  who  fancies  any  modicum  of  zeal,  or 
good  nature,  can  alone  fit  him  for  the  occupation.  From  the 
moment  the  ship  sails  until  that  in  which  a  range  of  the  cable 
is  overhauled,  or  the  chain  is  rowsed  up  in  readiness  to  anchor, 
no  smile  illumines  his  face,  no  tone  issues  from  his  voice  while 
on  duty,  but  that  of  dogged  routine — of  submission  to  those 
above,  or  of  snarling  authority  to  those  beneath  him.  As 
the  hour  for  the  "  drink  gelt,"  or  "  buona  mana,"  approaches, 
however,  he  becomes  gracious  and  smiling.  On  his  first  ap- 
pearance in  the  pantry  of  a  morning,  he  has  a  regular  series  of 
questions  to  answer,  and  for  which,  like  the  dutiful  Zeluco, 
who  wrote  all  his  letters  to  his  mother  on  the  same  day,  varying 
the  dates  to  suit  the  progress  of  time,  he  not  unfrequently  has 
a  regular  set  of  answers  cut  and  dried,  in  his  gastronomical 
mind.  "  How's  the  wind  ?  "  "  How's  the  weather  ?  "  "  How's 
her  head  ? "  all  addressed  to  his  standing  almanac,  are  mere 
matters  of  course,  for  which  he  is  quite  prepared,  though  it  is 
by  no  means  unusual  to  hear  him  ordering  a  subordinate  to  go 
on  deck,  after  the  answer  is  given  with  a  view  to  ascertain  the 
facts.  It  is  only  when  the  voice  of  the  captain  is  heard  from 
his  stateroom,  that  he  conceives  himself  bound  to  be  very 
particular,  though  such  is  the  tact  of  all  connected  with  ships, 
that  they  instinctively  detect  the  "  know  nothings,"  who  are 
uniformly  treated  with  an  indifference  suited  to  their  culpable 
ignorance.  Even  the  "old  salt"  on  the  forecastle  has  an 
instinct  for  a  brother  tar,  though  a  passenger,  and  a  due  respect 
is  paid  to  Neptune  in  answering  his  inquiries,  while  half  the 
time  the  maiden  traveller  meets  with  a  grave  equivoque,  a 
marvel,  or  a  downright  mystification. 

On  the  first  morning  out,  the  steward  of  the  Montauk  conv 


62  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

menced  the  dispensation  of  his  news ;  for  no  sooner  was  he 
heard  rattling  the  glasses,  and  shuffling  plates  in  the  pantry, 
than  the  attack  was  begun  by  Mr.  Dodge,  in  whom  "  a  laudable 
thirst  after  knowledge,"  as  exemplified  in  putting  questions, 
was  rather  a  besetting  principle.  This  gentleman  had  come 
out  in  the  ship,  as  has  been  mentioned,  and  unfortunately  for 
the  interest  of  his  propensity,  not  only  the  steward,  but  all  on 
board,  had,  as  it  is  expressed  in  slang  language,  early  taken 
the  measure  of  his  foot.  The  result  of  his  present  application 
was  the  following  brief  dialogue, — 

"Steward,"  called  out  Mr.  Dodge,  through  the  blinds  of 
his  stateroom  ;  "  whereabouts  are  we  ? " 

"  In  the  British  Channel,  sir." 

"  I  might  have  guessed  that  myself." 

"  So  I  s'pose,  sir ;  nobody  is  better  at  guessing  and  di< 
wining  than  Mr.  Dodge." 

"  But  in  what  part  of  the  Channel  are  we,  Saunders  ? " 

"  About  the  middle,  sir." 

"  How  far  have  we  come  to-night  ?  " 

"  From  Portsmouth  Roads  to  this  place,  sir." 

Mr.  Dodge  was  satisfied,  and  the  steward,  who  would  not 
have  dared  to  be  so  explicit  with  any  other  cabin-passenger, 
continued  coolly  to  mix  an  omelette.  The  next  attack  was 
made  from  the  same  room,  by  Sir  George  Templemore. 

"  Steward,  my  good  fellow,  do  you  happen  to  know  where- 
abouts we  are  !  " 

"  Certainly,  sir  ;  the  land  is  still  werry  obwious." 

"  Are  we  getting  on  cleverly  ?  " 

"  Nicely,  sir  ;"  with  a  mincing  emphasis  on  the  first  word, 
that  betrayed  there  was  a  little  waggery  about  the  grave-looking 
mulatto. 

"  And  the  sloop  of  war,  steward  ? " 

"  Nicely  too,  sir." 

There  was  a  shuffling  in  the  stateroom,  followed  by  a  silence. 
The  door  of  Mr.  Sharp's  room  was  now  opened  an  inch  or  two, 
and  the  following  questions,  issued  through  the  crevices, — 

"Is  the  wind  favorable,  steward  ?  " 

"  Just  her  character,  sir." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  the  wind  is  favorable  ? " 

"  For  the  Montauk,  sir ;  she's  a  persuader  in  this  breeze." 

"  But  is  she  going  in  the  direction  we  wish  ?  " 

"  If  the  gentleman  wishes  to  perambulate  America,  it  is 
probable  he  will  get  there  with  a  little  patience." 

Mr.  Sharp  pulled  to  his  door,  and  ten  minutes  passed  with 


HOMEWARD   BOUND.  63 

out  further  questions ;  the  steward  beginning  to  hope  the  morn- 
ing catechism  was  over,  though  he  grumbled  a  wish  that  gentle- 
men would  "  turn  out  "  and  take  a  look  for  themselves.  Now, 
up  to  this  moment,  Saunders  knew  no  more  than  those  who 
had  just  been  questioning  him  of  the  particular  situation  of  the 
ship,  in  which  he  floated  as  indifferent  to  the  whereabouts  and 
the  winds,  as  men  sail  in  the  earth  along  its  orbit,  without  be- 
thinking them  of  parallaxes,  nodes,  ecliptics,  and  solstices. 
Aware  that  it  was  about  time  for  the  captain  to  be  heard,  he 
sent  a  subordinate  on  deck,  with  a  view  to  be  ready  to  meet  the 
usual  questions  from  his  commander.  A  couple  of  minutes  were 
sufficient  to  put  him  au  courant  of  the  real  state  of  things.  The 
next  door  that  opened  was  that  of  Paul  Blunt,  however,  who 
thrust  his  head  into  the  cabin,  <vith  all  his  dark  curls  in  the  con- 
fusion of  a  night  scene. 

"  Steward ! " 

"  Sir." 

"  How's  the  wind  ?  " 

"Quite  exhilarating,  sir."' 

"  From  what  quarter  ?  " 

"  About  south,  sir." 

"  Is  there  much  of  \t  ?  " 

"  A  prewailing  breeze,  sir." 

"  And  the  sloop  ?  " 

"  She's  to  leeward,  sir,  operating  along  as  fast  as  she  can." 

"  Steward  !  " 

"  Sir  ?  "  stepping  hurriedly  out  of  his  pantry,  in  order  to  hear 
more  distinctly. 

"  Under  what  sail  are  we  ?  " 

**  Top-gallant  sails,  sir." 

"  How's  her  head  ?  " 

"  West  southwest,  sir." 

"  Delicious  !     Any  news  of  the  rover  ?  " 
.    "  Hull  down  to  leeward,  sir,  and  on  our  quarter." 

"  Staggering  along,  eh  ? " 

"  Quite  like  a  disguised  person,  sir." 

"  Better  still.  Hurry  along  that  breakfast  of  yours,  sir  :  I 
am  as  hungry  as  a  Troglodyte." 

The  honest  captain  had  caught  this  word  from  a  recent 
treatise  against  agrarianism,  and  having  an  acquired  taste  for 
orders  in  one  sense,  at  least,  he  flattered  himself  with  being 
what  is  called  a  Conservative,  in  other  words,  he  had  a  strong 
relish  for  that  maxim  of  the  Scotch  freebooter,  which  is  rendered 
into  English  by  the  homely  aphorism  of  "keep  what  you've  got, 
and  get  what  you  can." 


64  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

A  cessation  of  the  interrogatories  took  place,  and  soon  after 
the  passengers  began  to  appear  in  the  cabin,  one  by  one.  As 
the  first  step  is  almost  invariably  to  go  on  deck,  especially  in 
good  weather,  in  a  few  minutes  nearly  all  of  the  last  night's 
party  were  again  assembled  in  the  open  air,  a  balm  that  none 
can  appreciate  but  those  who  have  experienced  the  pent  atmo- 
sphere of  a  crowded  vessel.  The  steward  had  rendered  a  faith- 
ful account  of  the  state  of  the  weather  to  the  captain,  who  was 
now  seen  standing  in  the  main  rigging,  looking  at  the  clouds 
to  windward,  and  at  the  sloop  of  war  to  leeward,  in  the  knowing 
manner  of  one  who  was  making  comparisons  materially  to  the 
disadvantage  of  the  latter. 

The  day  was  fine,  and  the  Montauk,  bearing  her  canvas 
nobly,  was,  to  use  the  steward's  language,  also  staggering  along, 
under  everything  that  would  draw,  from  her  topgallant-sails 
down,  with  the  wind  near  two  points  forward  of  the  beam,  or 
on  an  easy  bowline.  As  there  was  but  little  sea,  her  rate  was 
quite  nine  knots,  though  varying  with  the  force  of  the  wind. 
The  cruiser  had  certainly  followed  them  thus  far,  though  doubts 
began  to  be  entertained  whether  she  was  in  chase,  or  merely 
bound  like  themselves  to  the  westward ;  a  course  common  to 
all  vessels  that  wish  to  clear  the  Channel,  even  when  it  is  intend- 
ed to  go  south,  as  the  rocks  and  tides  of  the  French  coast  are 
inconvenient  neighbors  in  long  nights. 

"  Who  knows,  after  all,  that  the  cutter  which  tried  to  board 
us,"  asked  the  captain  aloud,  "  belongs  to  the  ship  to  lee- 
ward?" 

"  I  know  the  boat,  sir,"  answered  the  second  mate  ;  "  and 
the  ship  is  the  Foam." 

"  Let  her  foam  away,  then,  if  she  wishes  to  speak  us.  Has 
any  one  tried  her  bearings  since  daylight  ?  " 

"  We  set  her  by  the  compass  at  six  o'clock,  sir,  and  she  has 
not  varied  her  bearing,  as  far  as  from  one  belaying  pin  to  another, 
in  three  hours  ;  but  her  hull  rises  fast :  you  can  now  make  out 
her  ports,  and  at  daylight  the  bottom  of  her  courses  dipped." 

"  Ay,  ay,  she  is  a  light-going  Foam,  then  I  If  that  is  the 
case,  she  will  be  alongside  of  us  by  night." 

"  In  which  event,  captain,  you  will  be  obliged  to  give  him  a 
broadside  of  Vattel,"  threw  in  John  Efningham,  in  his  cool 
manner. 

"  If  that  will  answer  his  errand,  he  is  welcome  to  as  much 
as  he  can  carry.  I  begin  to  doubt,  gentlemen,  whether  this 
fellow  be  not  in  earnest :  in  which  case  you  may  have  an  op- 
portunity of  witnessing  how  ships  are  handled,  when  seamen 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  65 

have  their  management.  I  have  no  objection  to  setting  the  ex- 
perience of  a  poor  come-and-go  sort  of  a  fellow,  like  myself,  in 
opposition  to  the  geometry  and  Hamilton  Moore  of  a  young 
man-of-war's  man.  I  dare  say,  now,  yonder  chap  is  a  lord,  or  a 
lord's  progeny,  while  poor  Jack  Truck  is  just  as  you  see  him." 

"  Do  you  not  think  half  an  hour  of  compliance  on  our  part 
might  bring  the  matter  to  an  amicable  conclusion  at  once  ?  " 
said  Paul  Blunt.  "  Were  we  to  run  down  to  him,  the  object  of 
his  pursuit  could  be  determined  in  a  few  minutes." 

"  What  !  and  abandon  poor  Davis  to  the  rapacity  of  that 
rascally  attorney  ? "  generously  exclaimed  Sir  George  Temple- 
more.  "  I  would  prefer  paying  the  port  charges  myself,  run 
into  the  handiest  French  port,  and  let  the  honest  fellow  escape  !" 

"  There  is  no  probability  that  a  cruiser  would  attempt  to 
take  a  mere  debtor  from  a  foreign  vessel  on  the  open  sea." 

"  If  there  were  no  tobacco  in  the  world,  Mr.  Blunt,  I  might 
feel  disposed  to  waive  the  categories,  and  show  the  gentleman 
that  courtesy,"  returned  the  captain,  who  was  preparing  another 
cigar.  "  But  while  the  cruiser  might  not  feel  authorized  to  take 
an  absconding  debtor  from  this  vessel,  he  might  feel  otherwise 
on  the  subject  of  tobacco,  provided  there  has  been  an  infor- 
mation for  smuggling." 

Captain  Truck  then  explained,  that  the  subordinates  of  the 
packets  frequently  got  their  ships  into  trouble,  by  taking  ad- 
ventures of  the  forbidden  weed  clandestinely  into  European 
ports,  and  that  his  ship,  in  such  circumstances,  would  lose  her 
place  in  the  line,  and  derange  all  the  plans  of  the  company  to 
which  she  belonged.  He  did  the  English  government  the 
justice  to  say,  that  it  had  always  manifested  a  liberal  disposi- 
tion not  to  punish  the  innocent  for  the  guilty ;  but  were  any 
such  complaints  actually  in  the  wind,  he  thought  he  could  settle 
it  with  much  less  loss  to  himself  on  his  return,  than  on  the  day 
of  sailing.  While  this  explanation  was  delivered,  a  group  had 
clustered  round  the  speaker,  leaving  Eve  and  her  party  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  deck. 

"  This  last  speech  of  Mr.  Blunt's  quite  unsettles  my  opinion 
of  his  national  character,  as  Vattel  and  our  worthy  captain  would 
say,"  remarked  Mr.  Sharp.  "  Last  night,  I  set  him  down  as  a 
right  loyal  American  ;  but  I  think  it  would  not  be  natural  for  a 
thorough-going  countryman  of  yours,  Miss  Effingham,  to  pro- 
pose this  act  of  courtesy  to  a  cruiser  of  King  William." 

"  How  far  any  countrymen  of  mine,  thorough-going  or  not, 
have  reason  to  manifest  extreme  courtesy  to  any  of  your  cruis- 
ers," Eve  laughingly  replied,  "  I  shall  leave  Captain  Truck  to 


66  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

say.  But,  with  you,  I  have  long  been  at  a  loss  to  determine 
whether  Mr.  Blunt  is  an  Englishman  or  an  American,  or  in- 
deed, whether  he  be  either." 

"  Long,  Miss  Effingham !  He  then  has  the  honor  of  being 
well  known  to  you  ?  " 

Eve  answered  steadily,  though  the  color  mounted  to  her 
brow ;  but  whether  from  the  impetuous  exclamation  of  her 
companion,  or  from  any  feeling  connected  with  the  subject  of 
their  conversation,  the  young  man  was  at  a  loss  to  discover. 

"  Long,  as  girls  of  twenty  count  time — some  four  or  five 
years ;  but  you  may  judge  how  well,  when  I  tell  you  I  am 
ignorant  of  his  country  even." 

"  And  may  I  venture  to  ask  which  do  you,  yourself,  give 
him  credit  for  being,  an  American  or  an  Englishman  ?  " 

Eve's  bright  eyes  laughed,  as  she  answered,  "  You  have  put 
the  question  with  so  much  finesse,  and  with  a  politeness  so 
well  managed,  that  I  should  indeed  be  churlish  to  refuse  an 
answer : — Nay,  do  not  interrupt  me,  and  spoil  all  the  good  you 
have  done  by  unnecessary  protestations  of  sincerity." 

"  All  I  wish  to  say  is,  to  ask  an  explanation  of  a  finesse,  of 
which  I  am  quite  as  innocent  as  of  any  wish  to  draw  down 
upon  myself  the  visitations  of  your  displeasure." 

"  Do  you,  then,  really  conceive  it  a  credit  to  be  an  Amer- 
ican?" 

"  Nobody  of  less  modesty  than  yourself,  Miss  P^ffingham, 
under  all  the  circumstances,  would  dream  of  asking  the  ques- 
tion." 

"  I  thank  you  for  the  civility,  which  must  be  taken  as  it  is 
offered,  I  presume,  quite  as  a  thing  en  regie  \  but  to  leave  our 
fine  opinions  of  each  other,  as  well  as  our  prejudices,  out  of  the 
question — " 

"  You  will  excuse  me  if  I  object  to  this,  for  I  feel  my  good 
sense  implicated.  You  can  hardly  attribute  to  me  opinions  so 
utterly  unreasonable,  so  unworthy  of  a  gentleman — so  un- 
founded, in  short !  Am  I  not  incurring  all  the  risks  and  hard- 
ships of  a  long  sea-voyage,  expressly  to  visit  your  great  country, 
and,  I  trust,  to  improve  by  its  example  and  society  ? " 

"  Since  you  appear  to  wish  it,  Mr.  Sharp — "  Eve  glanced 
her  playful  eye  up  at  him  as  she  pronounced  the  name — "  I 
will  be  as  credulous  as  a  believer  in  animal  magnetism :  and 
that,  I  fancy,  is  pushing  credulity  to  the  verge  of  reason.  It  is 
now  settled  between  us,  that  you  do  conceive  it  an  honor  to  be 
an  American,  born,  educated,  and  by  extraction." 

"  All  of  which  being  the  case  with  Miss  Effingham." 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  67 

"  All  but  the  second  ;  indeed,  they  write  me  fearful  things 
concerning  this  European  education  of  mine  ;  some  even  go  so 
far  as  to  assure  me  I  shall  be  quite  unfitted  to  live  in  the  society 
to  which  I  properly  belong  !  " 

"  Europe  will  be  rejoiced  to  receive  you  back  again,  in  that 
case  ;  and  no  European  more  so  than  myself." 

The  beautiful  color  deepened  a  little  on  the  cheek  of  Eve, 
but  she  made  no  immediate  reply. 

"  To  return  to  our  subject,"  she  at  length  said  ;  "  Were  I 
required  to  say,  I  should  not  be  able  to  decide  on  the  country 
of  Mr.  Blunt ;  nor  have  I  ever  met  with  any  one  who  appeared 
to  know.  I  saw  him  first  in  Germany,  where  he  circulated  in 
the  best  company;  though  no  one  seemed  acquainted  with  ITS 
history,  even  there.  He  made  a  good  figure  ;  was  quite  at  his 
ease ;  speaks  several  languages  almost  as  well  as  the  natives 
of  the  different  countries  themselves ;  and,  altogether,  was  a 
subject  of  curiosity  with  those  who  had  leisure  to  think  of 
anything  but  their  own  dissipation  and  folly." 

Mr.  Sharp  listened  with  obvious  gravity  to  the  fair  speaker, 
and  had  not  her  own  eyes  been  fastened  on  the  deck,  she 
might  have  detected  the  lively  interest  betrayed  in  his.  Per- 
haps the  feeling  which  was  at  the  bottom  of  all  this,  to  a  slight 
degree,  influenced  his  answer. 

"  Quite  an  Admirable  Crichton  !  " 

"  I  do  not  say  that,  though  certainly  expert  in  tongues.  My 
own  rambling  life  has  made  me  acquainted  with  a  few  lan- 
guages, and  I  do  assure  you,  this  gentleman  speaks  three  or 
four  with  almost  equal  readiness,  and  with  no  perceptible  accent. 
I  remember  at  Vienna  many  even  believed  him  to  be  a  German." 

"  What  with  the  name  of  Blunt  ?  " 

Eve  smiled,  and  her  companion,  who  silently  watched  every 
expression  of  her  varying  countenance,  as  if  to  read  her 
thoughts,  noted  it. 

"Names  signify  little  in  these  migratory  times, '*'  returned 
the  young  lady.  "  You  have  but  to  imagine  a  von  before  it, 
and  it  would  pass  at  Dresden,  or  at  Berlin.  Von  Blunt,  der  Ed- 
elgeborne,  Graft  Von  Blunt,  Hofrath,  or,  if  you  like  it  better, 
Geheimer  Rath  mit  Excellenz  und  cure  Gnaden" 

"Or,  Baw-Berg-Veg-Inspect-Substitut!''  added  Mr.  Sharp, 
laughing.  "  No,  no  !  this  will  hardly  pass.  Blunt  is  a  good  old 
English  name  ;  but  it  has  not  finesse  enough  for  Italian,  German, 
Spanish,  or  anything  else  but  John  Bull  and  his  family." 

"  I  see  no  necessity,  for  my  part,  for  all  this  Bluntishness  ; 
the  gentleman  may  think  frankness  a  good  travelling  quality." 


68  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  Surely,  he  has  not  concealed  his  real  name  !  " 

"  Mr.  Sharp,  Mr.  Blunt,  Mr.  Blunt,  Mr.  Sharp  ;  ''  rejoinad 
Eve,  laughing  until  her  bright  eyes  danced  with  pleasure. 
"  There  would  be  something  ridiculous,  indeed,  in  seeing  so 
much  of  the  finesse  of  a  master  of  ceremonies  subjected  to  so 
profound  a  mystification  !  I  have  been  told  that  passing  in- 
troductions amount  to  little  among  you  men,  and  this  would  be 
a  case  in  point." 

"  I  would  I  dared  ask  if  it  be  really  so." 

"  Were  I  to  be  guilty  of  indiscretion  in  another's  case, 
you  would  not  fail  to  distrust  me  in  your  own.  I  am,  more- 
over, a  protestant,  and  abjure  auricular  confessions." 

"  You  will  not  frown  if  I  inquire  whether  the  rest  of  your 
party  remember  him  ?  " 

"  My  father,  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  and  the  excellent  Nanny 
Sidley,  again ;  but,  I  think,  none  other  of  the  servants,  as  he 
never  visited  us.  Mr.  John  Efrmgham  was  travelling  in  Egypt 
at  the  time,  and  did  not  see  him  at  all,  and  we  only  met  in  gen- 
eral society ;  Nanny's  acquaintance  was  merely  that  of  seeing 
him  check  his  horse  in  the  Prater,  to  speak  to  us  of  a  morn- 
ing." 

"  Poor  fellow,  I  pity  him ;  he  has,  at  least,  never  had  the 
happiness  of  strolling  on  the  shores  of  Como  and  the  islands 
of  Laggo  Maggiore  in  your  company,  or  of  studying  the  wonders 
of  the  Pitti  and  the  Vatican." 

"  If  I  must  confess  all,  he  journeyed  with  us  on  foot  and 
in  boats  an  entire  month,  among  the  wonders  of  the  Oberland, 
and  across  the  Wallenstadt.  This  was  at  a  time  when  we  had 
no  one  with  us  but  the  regular  guides  and  the  German  courier, 
who  was  discharged  in  London." 

"  Were  it  not  for  the  impropriety  of  tampering  with  a 
servant,  I  would  cross  the  deck  and  question  your  good  Nanny, 
this  moment ! "  said  Mr.  Sharp  with  playful  menace.  "  Of 
all  torture,  that  of  suspense  is  the  hardest  to  be  borne." 

"  I  grant  you  full  permission,  and  acquit  you  of  all  sins, 
whether  of  disrespect,  meanness,  impertinence,  ungentleman- 
like  practices,  or  any  other  vice  that  may  be  thought  to  attend 
and  characterize  the  act." 

**  This  formidable  array  of  qualities  would  check  the  curios« 
ity  of  a  village  gossip  !  " 

"  It  has  an  effect  I  did  not  intend,  then  ;  I  wish  you  to  put 
your  threat  in  execution. 

"  Not  seriously,  surely  ?  " 

"  Never  more  so.     Take  a  favorable  moment  to  speak  to 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  69 

the  good  soul,  as  an  old  acquaintance  :  she  remembers  you 
well,  and  by  a  little  of  that  interrogating  management  you 
possess,  a  favorable  opportunity  may  occur  to  bring  in  the 
other  subject.  In  the  mean  time,  I  will  glance  over  the  pages 
of  this  book." 

As  Eve  began  to  read,  Mr.  Sharp  perceived  she  was  in 
earnest,  and  hesitating  a  moment,  in  doubt  of  the  propriety  of 
the  act,  he  yielded  to  her  expressed  desire,  and  strolled  carelessly 
towards  the  faithful  old  domestic.  He  addressed  her  in- 
differently at  first,  until  believing  he  might  go  further,  he 
smilingly  observed  that  he  believed  he  had  seen  her  in  Italy. 
To  this  Nanny  quietly  assented,  and  when  he  indirectly  added 
that  it  was  under  another  name,  she  smiled,  but  merely  in- 
timated her  consciousness  of  the  fact,  by  a  quick  glance  of  the 
eye. 

"  You  know  that  travellers  assume  names  for  the  sake  of 
avoiding  curiosity,"  he  added,  "  and  I  hope  you  will  not  betray 
me." 

"  You  need  not  fear  me,  sir ;  I  meddle  with  little  besides 
my  own  duty,  and  so  long  as  Miss  Eve  appears  to  think  there 
is  no  harm  in  it,  I  will  venture  to  say  it  is  no  more  than  a 
gentleman's  caprice." 

"  Why,  that  is  the  very  word  she  applied  to  It  herself !  You 
have  caught  the  term  from  Miss  Effmgham." 

"  Well,  sir,  and  if  I  have,  it  is  caught  from  one  who  deals 
little  harm  to  any." 

"  I  believe  I  am  not  the  only  one  on  board  who  travels 
under  a  false  name,  if  the  truth  were  known  ?  " 

Nanny  looked  first  at  the  deck,  then  at  her  interrogator's 
face,  next  toward  Mr.  Blunt,  withdrawing  her  eye  again,  as  if 
guilty  of  an  indiscretion,  and  finally  at  the  sails.  Perceiving 
her  embarrassment,  respecting  her  discretion,  and  ashamed  of 
the  task  he  had  undertaken,  Mr.  Sharp  said  a  few  civil  things 
suited  to  the  condition  of  the  woman,  and  sauntering  about  the 
deck  for  a  short  time,  to  avoid  suspicion,  soon  found  himself 
once  more  alongside  of  Eve.  The  latter  inquired  with  her 
eyes,  a  little  exulting  perhaps,  concerning  his  success. 

"  I  have  failed,"  he  said  ;  "  but  something  must  be  ascribed 
to  my  own  awkward  diffidence  ;  for  there  is  so  much  meanness 
in  tampering  with  a  servant,  that  I  had  not  the  heart  to  push 
my  questions,  even  while  I  am  devoured  by  curiosity." 

"  Your  fastidiousness  is  not  a  disease  with  which  all  on 
board  are  afflicted,  for  there  is  at  least  one  grand  inquisitor 
among  us,  by  what  I  can  learn ;  so  take  heed  to  your  sins,  and 


yo  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

above  all,  be  very  guarded  of  old  letters,  marks,  and  other  tell 
tales,  that  usually  expose  impostors." 

"  To  all  that,  I  believe,  sufficient  care  has  already  been  had, 
by  that  other  Dromio,  my  own  man." 

"  And  in  what  way  do  you  share  the  name  between  you  ?  Is 
it  Dromio  of  Syracuse,  and  Dromio  of  Ephesus  ?  or  does  John 
call  himself  Fitz-Edward,  or  Mortimer,  or  De  Courcy  ?  " 

"  He  has  complaisance  enough  to  make  the  passage  with 
nothing  but  a  Christian  name,  I  believe.  In  truth,  it  was  by  a 
mere  accident  that  I  turned  usurper  in  this  way.  He  took  the 
stateroom  for  me,  and  being  required  to  give  a  name,  he  gave 
his  own,  as  usual.  When  I  went  to  the  docks  to  look  at  the 
ship,  I  was  saluted  as  Mr.  Sharp,  and  then  the  conceit  took  me 
of  trying  how  it  would  wear  for  a  month  or  six  weeks.  I  would 
give  the  world  to  know  if  the  Geheimer  Rath  got  his  cognomen 
in  the  same  honest  manner." 

"  I  think  not,  as  his  man  goes  by  the  pungent  title  of 
Pepper.  Unless  poor  John  should  have  occasion  for  two  names 
during  the  passage,  you  are  reasonably  safe.  And  still,  I  think," 
continued  Eve,  biting  her  lips,  like  one  who  deliberated,  "  if  it 
were  any  longer  polite  to  bet,  Mr.  John  Effingham  would  hazard 
all  the  French  gloves  in  his  trunks,  against  all  the  English 
finery  in  yours,  that  the  inquisitor  just  hinted  at  gets  at  your 
secret  before  we  arrive.  Perhaps  I  ought  rather  to  say,  ascer- 
tains that  you  are  not  Mr.  Sharp,  and  that  Mr.  Blunt  is.'' 

Her  companion  entreated  her  to  point  out  the  person  to 
whom  she  had  given  the  sobriquet  she  mentioned. 

"  Accuse  me  of  giving  nicknames  to  no  one.  The  man  has 
this  title  from  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  and  his  own  great  deeds. 
It  is  a  certain  Mr.  Steadfast  Dodge,  who,  it  seems,  knows  some- 
thing of  us,  from  the  circumstance  of  living  in  the  same  county, 
and  who,  from  knowing  a  little  in  this  comprehensive  manner, 
is  desirous  of  knowing  a  great  deal  more." 

"  The  natural  result  of  all  useful  knowledge." 

"  Mr.  John  Effingham,  who  is  apt  to  fling  sarcasms  at  all 
lands,  his  native  country  included,  affirms  that  this  gentleman 
is  but  a  fair  specimen  of  many  more  it  will  be  our  fortune  to 
meet  in  America.  If  so,  we  shall  not  long  be  strangers  ;  for 
according  to  Mademoiselle  Viefville  and  my  good  Nanny,  he 
has  already  communicated  to  them  a  thousand  interesting  par- 
ticulars of  himself,  in  exchange  for  which  he  asks  no  more  than 
the  reasonable  compensation  of  having  all  his  questions  con' 
cerning  us  truly  answered." 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  71 

"  This  is  certainly  alarming  intelligence,  and  I  shall  take 
heed  accordingly." 

"  If  he  discover  that  John  is  without  a  surname,  I  am  far 
from  certain  he  will  not  prepare  to  have  him  arraigned  for  some 
high  crime  or  misdemeanour ;  for  Mr.  John  Effingham  main- 
tains that  the  besetting  propensity  of  all  this  class  is  to  divine 
the  worst  the  moment  their  imaginations  cease  to  be  fed  with 
facts.  All  is  false  with  them,  and  it  is  flattery  or  accusation. " 

The  approach  of  Mr.  Blunt  caused  a  cessation  of  the  dis- 
course, Eve  betraying  a  slight  degree  of  sensitiveness  about 
admitting  him  to  share  in  these  little  asides,  a  circumstance 
that  her  companion  observed,  not  without  satisfaction.  The 
discourse  now  became  general,  the  person  who  joined  them 
amusing  the  others  with  an  account  of  several  proposals 
already  made  by  Mr.  Dodge,  which,  as  he  expressed  it,  in 
making  the  relation,  manifested  the  strong  community  charac- 
teristics of  an  American.  The  first  proposition  was  to  take  a 
vote  to  ascertain  whether  Mr.  Van  Buren  or  Mr.  Harrison  was 
the  greatest  favorite  of  the  passengers;  and,  on  this  being 
defeated,  owing  to  the  total  ignorance  of  so  many  on  board  of 
both  the  parties  he  had  named,  he  had  suggested  the  expedi- 
ency of  establishing  a  society  to  ascertain  daily  the  precise 
position  of  the  ship.  Captain  Truck  had  thrown  cold  water  on 
the  last  proposal,  however,  by  adding  to  it  what,  among  legis- 
lators, is  called  a  "  rider ; "  he  having  dryly  suggested  that  one 
oi  the  duties  of  the  said  society  should  be  to  ascertain  also  the 
practicability  of  wading  across  the  Atlantic. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

When  clouds  are  seen,  wise  men  put  on  their  cloaks, 
When  great  leaves  fall,  then  winter  is  at  hand ; 
When  the  sun  sets,  who  doth  not  look  for  night  ? 
Untimely  storms  make  men  expect  a  dearth: 
All  may  be  well ;  but  if  God  sort  it  so, 
'Tis  more  than  we  deserve,  or  I  expect. 

Richard  III. 

THESE  conversations,  however,  were  mere  episodes  of  the 
great  business  of  the  passage.  Throughout  the  morning,  the 
master  was  busy  in  rating  his  mates,  giving  sharp  reprimands 


f2  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

to  the  stewards  and  cooks,  overhauling  the  logline,  introducing 
the  passengers,  seeing  to  the  stowage  of  the  anchors,  in  getting 
down  the  signal-pole,  throwing  in  touches  of  Vattel,  and  other- 
wise superintending  duty,  and  dispensing  opinions.  All  this 
time,  the  cat  in  the  grass  does  not  watch  the  bird  that  hops 
along  the  ground  with  keener  vigilance  than  he  kept  his  eye  on 
the  Foam.  To  an  ordinary  observer,  the  two  ships  presented 
the  familiar  spectacle  of  vessels  sailing  in  the  same  direction, 
with  a  very  equal  rate  of  speed ;  and  as  the  course  was  that 
necessary  to  clear  the  Channel,  most  of  the  passengers,  and, 
indeed,  the  greater  part  of  the  crew,  began  to  think  the  cruiser, 
like  themselves,  was  merely  bound  to  the  westward.  Mr. 
Truck,  on  the  contrary,  judging  by  signs  and  movements  that 
more  naturally  suggested  themselves  to  one  accustomed  to 
direct  the  evolutions  of  a  ship,  and  to  reason  on  their  objects, 
than  to  the  mere  subjects  of  his  will,  thought  differently.  To 
him,  the  motive  of  the  smallest  change  on  board  the  sloop-of- 
war  was  as  intelligible  as  if  it  had  been  explained  in  words, 
and  he  even  foresaw  many  that  were  about  to  take  place.  Be- 
fore noon,  the  Foam  had  got  fairly  abeam,  and  Mr.  Leach, 
pointing  out  the  circumstance,  observed,  that  if  her  wish  was 
to  overhaul  them,  she  ought  then  to  tack  ;  it  being  a  rule  among 
seamen,  that  the  pursuing  vessel  should  turn  to  windward  as 
often  as  she  found  herself  nearest  to  her  chase.  But  the  ex- 
perience of  Captain  Truck  taught  him  better ;  the  tide  was 
setting  into  the  Channel  on  the  flood,  and  the  wind  enabled 
both  ships  to  take  the  current  on  their  lee-bows,  a  power  that 
forced  them  up  to  windward ;  whereas,  by  tacking,  the  Foam 
would  receive  the  force  of  the  stream  on  her  weather  broad- 
side, or  so  nearly  so,  as  to  sweep  her  farther  astern  than  her 
difference  in  speed  could  easily  repair. 

"  She  has  the  heels  of  us,  and  she  weathers  on  us,  as  it  is," 
grumbled  the  master ;  "  and  that  might  satisfy  a  man  less 
modest.  I  have  led  the  gentleman  such  a  tramp  already  that 
he  will  be  in  none  of  the  best  humors  when  he  comes  alongside, 
and  we  may  make  up  our  minds  on  seeing  Portsmouth  again 
before  we  see  New  York,  unless  a  slant  of  wind,  or  the  night, 
serves  us  a  good  turn.  I  trust,  Leach,  you  have  not  been 
destroying  your  prospects  in  life  by  looking  too  wistfully  at  a 
tobacco-field  ?  " 

"  Not  I,  sir  ;  and  if  you  will  give  me  leave  to  say  it,  Cap- 
tain Truck,  I  do  not  think  a  plug  has  been  landed  from  the 
ship,  which  did  not  go  ashore  in  a  bona-fide  tobacco-box,  that 


HOMEWARD   BOUND.  7, 

might  appear  in  any  court  in  England.  The  people  will  swear, 
to  a  man,  that  this  is  true'" 

"  Ay,  ay  !  and  the  Barons  of  the  Exchequer  would  be  the 
greatest  fools  in  England  not  to  believe  them.  If  there  has 
been  no  defrauding  the  revenue,  why  does  a  cruiser  follow  this 
ship,  a  regular  packet,  to  sea  ?  " 

"  This  affair  of  the  steerage  passenger,  Davis,  sir,  is  prob- 
ably the  cause.  The  man  may  be  heavily  in  debt,  or  possibly 
a  defaulter  ;  for  these  rogues,  when  they  break  down,  often 
fall  lower  than  the  'twixt  decks  of  a  ship  like  this." 

"  This  will  do  to  put  the  quarter-deck  and  cabin  in  good 
humor  at  sailing,  and  give  them  something  to  open  an  acquaint- 
ance with  ;  but  it  is  sawdust  to  none  but  your  new  beginners. 
I  have  known  that  Seal  this  many  a  year,  and  the  rogue  never 
yet  had  a  case  that  touched  the  quarterdeck.  It  is  as  the  man 
and  his  wife  say,  and  I'll  not  give  them  up,  out  here  in  blue 
water,  for  as  much  foam  as  lies  on  Jersey  beach  after  an  easterly 
blow.  It  will  not  be  any  of  the  family  of  Davis  that  will  satisfy 
yonder  wind-eater  ;  but  he  will  lay  his  hand  on  the  whole  family 
of  the  Montauk,  leaving  them  the  agreeable  alternative  of  going 
back  to  Portsmouth  in  his  pleasant  society,  or  getting  out  here 

in  midchannel,  and  wading  ashore  as  best  they  can.  D me  ! 

if  I  believe,  Leach,  that  Vattel  will  bear  the  fellow  out  in  it, 
even  if  there  has  been  a  whole  hogshead  of  the  leaves  trundled 
into  his  island  without  a  permit  !  " 

To  this  Mr.  Leach  had  no  encouraging  answer  to  make,  for, 
like  most  of  his  class,  held  practical  force  in  much  greater 
respect  than  the  abstractions  of  books.  He  deemed  it  prudent, 
therefore,  to  be  silent,  though  greatly  doubting  the  efficacy  of 
a  quotation  from  any  authority  on  board,  when  fairly  put  in 
opposition  to  a  written  order  from  the  admiral  at  Portsmouth, 
or  even  to  a  signal  sent  down  from  the  Admiralty  at  London. 

The  day  wore  away,  making  a  gradual  change  in  the  relative 
positions  of  the  two  ships,  though  so  slowly,  as  to  give  Captain 
Truck  strong  hopes  of  being  able  to  dodge  his  pursuer  in  the 
coming  night,  which  promised  to  be  dark  and  squally.  To 
return  to  Portsmouth  was  his  full  intention  but  not  until  he 
had  first  delivered  his  freight  and  passengers  in  New  York  ; 
for,  like  all  men  bound  up  body  and  soul  in  the  performance  of 
an  especial  duty,  he  looked  on  a  frustration  of  this  immediate 
obejct  as  a  much  greater  calamity  than  even  a  double  amount 
of  more  remote  evil.  Besides,  he  felt  a  strong  relianc/? 
on  the  liberality  of  the  English  authorities  in  the  end,  and  had 
little  doubt  of  being  able  to  extricate  himself  and  his  ship  from 


74 


HOMEWARD   BOUND. 


any  penalties  to  which  the  indiscretion  or  cupidity  of  his  sub- 
ordinates might  have  rendered  him  liable. 

Just  as  the  sun  dipped  into  the  watery  tract  of  the  Mon- 
tauk,  most  of  th'e  cabin  passengers  again  appeared  on  deck,  to 
take  a  look  at  the 'situation  of  the  two  vessels,  and  to  form  their 
own  conjectures  as  to  the  probable  result  of  the  adventure.  By 
this  time  the  Foam  had  tacked  twice,  once  to  weather  upon  the 
wake  of  her  chase,  and  again  to  resume  her  line  of  pursuit. 
The  packet  was  too  good  a  ship  to  be  easily  overtaken,  and  the 
cruiser  was  now  nearly  hull-down  astern,  but  evidently  coming 
up  at  a  rate  that  would  bring  her  alongside  before  morning. 
The  wind  blew  in  squalls,  a  circumstance  that  always  aids  a 
vessel  of  war,  as  the  greater  number  of  her  hands  enables  them 
to  make  and  shorten  sail  with  ease  and  rapidity. 

"  This  unsettled  weather  is  as  much  as  a  mile  an  hour 
against  us,"  observed  Captain  Truck,  who  was  far  from  pleased 
at  the  fact  of  his  being  outsailed  by  anything  that  floated  ; 
"  and,  if  truth  must  be  said,  I  think  that  fellow  has  somewhere 
about  half  a  knot  the  best  of  it,  in  the  way  of  foot,  on  a  bowline 
and  with  this  breeze.  But  he  has  no  cargo  in,  and  they  trim 
their  boats  like  steelyards.  Give  us  more  wind,  or  a  freer, 
and  I  would  leave  him  to  digest  his  orders,  as  a  shark  digests 
a  marling-spike,  or  a  ringbolt,  notwithstanding  all  his  advan- 
tages ;  for  little  good  would  it  then  do  him  to  be  trying  to  run 
into  the  wind's  eye,  like  a  steam-tug.  As  it  is,  we  must  submit. 
We  are  certainly  in  a  category,  and  be  d d  to  it ! " 

It  was  one  of  those  wild-looking  sunsets  that  are  so  fre- 
quent in  the  autumn,  in  which  appearances  are  worse,  perhaps, 
than  the  reality.  The  ships  were  now  so  near  the  Chops  of 
the  Channel  that  no  land  was  visible,  and  the  entire  horizon 
presented  that  chill  and  wintry  aspect  that  belongs  to  gloomy 
and  driving  clouds,  to  which  streaks  of  dull  light  serve  more 
to  give  an  appearance  of  infinite  space  than  any  of  the  relief 
of  brightness.  It  was  a  dreary  nightfall  to  a  landsman's  eye  ; 
though  they  who  better  understood  the  signs  of  the  heavens,  as 
they  are  exhibited  on  the  ocean,  saw  little  more  than  the  prom- 
ise of  obscurity,  and  the  usual  hazards  of  darkness  in  a  much- 
frequented  sea. 

"  This  will  be  a  dirty  night,"  observed  John  Effingham, 
"  and  we  may  have  occasion  to  bring  in  some  of  the  flaunting 
vanity  of  the  ship,  ere  another  morning  returns." 

"The  vessel  appears  to  be  in  good  hands,"  returned  Mr. 
Effingham  :  "  I  have  watched  them  narrowly ;  for,  I  know  not 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  75 

why,  I  have  felt  more  anxiety  on  the  occasion  of  this  passage 
than  on  any  of  the  nine  I  have  already  made," 

As  he  spoke,  the  tender  father  unconsciously  bent  his  eyes 
on  Eve,  who  leaned  affectionately  on  his  arm,  steadying  her 
light  form  against  the  pitching  of  the  vessel.  She  understood 
his  feelings  better  than  he  did  himself,  possibly,  since,  accus- 
tomed to  his  fondest  care  from  childhood,  she  well  knew  that 
he  seldom  thought  of  others,  or  even  of  himself,  while  her  own 
wants  or  safety  appealed  to  his  unwearying  love. 

"  Father,"  she  said,  smiling  in  his  wistful  face,  "  we  have 
seen  more  troubled  waters  than  these,  far,  and  in  a  much 
frailer  vessel.  Do  you  not  remember  the  Wallenstadt  and  its 
miserable  skiff  ?  where  I  have  heard  you  say  there  was  really 
danger,  though  we  escaped  from  it  all  with  a  little  fright." 

"  Perfectly  well  do  I  recollect  it,  love,  nor  have  I  forgotten 
our  brave  companion,  and  his  good  service,  at  that  critical  mo- 
ment. But  for  his  stout  arm  and  timely  succor,  we  might  not, 
as  you  say,  have  been  quit  for  the  fright." 

Although  Mr.  Effingham  looked  only  at  his  daughter,  while 
speaking,  Mr.  Sharp,  who  listened  with  interest,  saw  the  quick, 
retreating  glance  of  Eve  at  Paul  Blunt,  and  felt  something  like 
a  chill  in  his  blood  as  he  perceived  that  her  own  cheeks  seemed 
to  reflect  the  glow  which  appeared  on  that  of  the  young  man. 
He  alone  observed  this  secret  evidence  of  common  interest  in 
some  event  in  which  both  had  evidently  been  actors,  those 
around  them  being  too  much  occupied  in  the  arrangements  of 
the  ship,  and  too  little  suspicious,  to  heed  the  trifling  circum- 
stance. Captain  Truck  had  ordered  all  hands  called,  to  make 
sail,  to  the  surprise  of  even  the  crew.  The  vessel,  at  the  mo- 
ment, was  staggering  along  under  as  much  canvas  as  she  could 
apparently  bear,  and  the  mates  looked  aloft  with  inquiring 
eyes,  as  if  to  ask  what  more  could  be  done. 

The  master  soon  removed  all  doubts.  With  a  rapidity  that 
is  not  common  in  merchant  ships,  but  which  is  usual  enough 
in  the  packets,  the  lower  studding-sails,  and  two  topmast-stud- 
ding-sails were  prepared  and  made  ready  for  hoisting.  As 
soon  as  the  words  "  all  ready  "  were  uttered,  the  helm  was 
put  up,  the  sails  were  set,  and  the  Montauk  was  running  with 
a  free  wind  towards  the  narrow  passage  between  the  Scilly 
Islands  and  the  Land's  End.  Captain  Truck  was  an  "expert 
channel  pilot,  from  long  practice,  and  keeping  the  run  of  the 
tides  in  his  head,  he  had  loosely  calculated  that  his  vessel  had 
so  much  offing  as,  with  a  free  wind,  and  the  great  progress  she 


tj&  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

had  made  in  the  last  twenty-four  hours,  would  enable  him  to 
lay  through  the  pass. 

"  'Tis  a  ticklish  hole  to  run  into  in  a  dirty  night.,  with  a 
staggering  breeze,"  he  said,  rubbing  his  hands  as  if  the  hazard 
increased  his  satisfaction,  "  and  we  will  now  see  if  this  Foam 
has  mettle  enough  to  follow." 

"  The  chap  has  a  quick  eye  and  good  glasses,  even  though 
he  should  want  nerve  for  the  Scilly  rocks,"  cried  the  mate,  who 
was  looking  out  from  the  mizzen  rigging.  "  There  goes  his 
stun'-sails  already,  and  a  plenty  of  them  !  " 

Sure  enough  the  cruiser  threw  out  her  studding-sails,  had 
them  full  and  drawing  in  five  minutes,  and  altered  her  course 
so  as  to  follow  the  Montauk.  There  was  now  no  longer  any 
doubt  concerning  her  object ;  for  it  was  hardly  possible  two 
vessels  should  adopt  so  bold  a  step  as  this,  just  at  dark,  and 
on  such  a  night,  unless  the  movements  of  one  were  regulated 
by  the  movements  of  the  other. 

In  the  mean  time,  anxious  faces  began  to  appear  on  the 
quarter-deck,  and  Mr.  Dodge  was  soon  seen  moving  stealthily 
about  among  the  passengers,  whispering  here,  cornering  there, 
and  seemingly  much  occupied  in  canvassing  opinions  on  the 
subject  of  the  propriety  of  the  step  that  the  master  had  just 
taken  ;  though,  if  the  truth  must  be  told,  he  rather  stimulated 
opposition  than  found  others  prepared  to  meet  his  wishes. 
When  he  thought,  however,  he  had  collected  a  sufficient  number 
of  suffrages  to  venture  on  an  experiment,  that  nothing  but  an 
inherent  aversion  to  shipwreck  and  a  watery  grave  should  em- 
bolden him  to  make,  he  politely  invited  the  captain  to  a  private 
conference  in  the  stateroom  occupied  by  himself  and  Sir 
George  Templemore.  Changing  the  venue,  as  the  lawyers  term 
it,  to  his  own  little  apartment, — no  master  of  a  packet  willingly 
consenting  to  transact  business  in  any  other  place — Captain 
Truck,  who  was  out  of  cigars  at  the  moment,  very  willingly 
assented. 

When  the  two  were  seated,  and  the  door  of  the  room  was 
closed,  Mr.  Dodge  carefully  snuffed  the  candle,  looked  about 
him  to  make  sure  there  was  no  eavesdropper  in  a  room  eight 
feet  by  seven,  and  then  commenced  his  subject,  with  what  he 
conceived  to  be  a  commendable  delicacy  and  discretion. 

"  Captain  Truck,"  he  said,  in  a  sort  of  low  confidential  tone 
that  denotes  equally  concern  and  mystery,  "  I  think  by  this  time 
you  must  have  set  me  down  as  one  of  your  warm  and  true 
friends  and  supporters.  I  came  out  in  your  ship,  and,  please 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


77 


God  we  escape  the  perils  of  the  sea,  it  is  my  hope  and  intention 
to  return  home  in  her." 

"If  not,  friend  Dodge,"  returned  the  master,  observing 
that  the  other  paused  to  note  the  effect  of  his  peroration,  and 
using  a  familiarity  in  his  address  that  the  acquaintance  of  the 
former  passage  had  taught  him  was  not  misapplied  ;  "  if  not, 
friend  Dodge,  you  have  made  a  capital  mistake  in  getting  on 
board  of  her,  as  it  is  by  no  means  probable  an  occasion  will 
offer  to  get  out  of  her,  until  we  fall  in  with  a  news-boat,  or  a 
pilot-boat,  at  least  somewhere  in  the  latitude  and  longitude  of 
Sandy  Hook.  You  smoke,  I  believe,  sir  ?  " 

"  I  ask  no  better,"  returned  Steadfast,  declining  the  offer  ; 
"  I  have  told  every  one  on  the  Continent," — Mr.  Dodge  had 
been  to  Paris,  Geneva,  along  the  Rhine,  and  through  Belgium 
and  Holland,  and  in  his  eyes,  this  was  the  Continent, — "  that 
no  better  ship  or  captain  sails  the  ocean  ;  and  you  know  cap- 
tain, I  have  a  way  with  me,  when  I  please,  that  causes  what  I 
say  to  be  remembered.  Why,  my  dear  sir,  I  had  an  article  ex- 
tolling the  whole  line  in  the  %nost  appropriate  terms,  and  this 
ship  in  particular,  put  into  the  journal  at  Rotterdam.  It  was 
so  well  done,  that  not  a  soul  suspected  it  came  from  a  personal 
friend  of  yours." 

The  captain  was  rolling  the  small  end  of  a  cigar  in  his 
mouth  to  prepare  it  for  smoking,  the  regulations  of  the  ship  for- 
bidding any  further  indulgence  below  ;  but  when  he  received 
this  assurance,  he  withdrew  the  tobacco  with  the  sort  of  mys- 
tifying simplicity  that  gets  to  be  a  second  nature  with  a  regular 
votary  of  Neptune,  and  answered  with  a  coolness  of  manner 
that  was  in  ridiculous  contrast  to  the  affected  astonishment  of 
the  words  : — 

"  The  devil  you  did  !— Was  it  in  good  Dutch  ? " 

"  I  do  not  understand  much  of  the  language,"  said  Mr. 
Dodge,  hesitatingly  ;  for  all  he  knew,  was  yaw  and  ««»,  neithei 
of  these  particularly  well  ; — "  but  it  looked  to  be  uncommonly 
well  expressed.  I  could  do  no  more  than  pay  a  man  to  trans- 
late it.  But  to  return  to  this  affair  of  running  in  among  the 
Scilly  Islands  such  a  night  as  this." 

"  Return,  my  good  fellow  !  this  is  the  first  syllable  you  have 
said  about  the  matter  !  " 

"  Concern  on  your  account  has  caused  me  to  forget  myself. 
To  be  frank  with  you,  Captain  Truck,  and  if  I  weren't  your  very 
best  frfend  I  should  be  silent,  there  is  considerable  excitement 
getting  up  about  this  matter." 


y$  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  Excitement !  v/hat  is  that  like  ? — a  sort  of  moral  head-sea, 
do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Precisely  :  and  I  must  tell  you  the  truth,  though  I  had 
rather  a  thousand  times  not  ;  but  this  change  in  the  ship's 
course  is  monstrous  unpopular !  " 

"  That  is  bad  news,  with  a  vengeance,  Mr.  Dodge  ;  I  shall 
rely  on  you,  as  an  old  friend,  to  get  up  an  opposition." 

"  My  dear  captain,  I  have  done  all  I  could  in  that  way  al- 
ready ;  but  I  never  met  with  people  so  bent  on  a  thing  as  most 
of  the  passengers.  The  Effinghams  are  very  decided,  though 
so  purse-proud  and  grand  ;  Sir  George  Templemore  declares 
it  is  quite  extraordinary,  and  even  the  French  lady  is  furious. 
To  be  sincere  as  the  crisis  demands,  public  opinion  is  setting 
so  strong  against  you,  that  I  expect  an  explosion." 

"  Well,  so  long  as  the  tide  sets  in  my  favor,  I  must  endeavor 
to  bear  it.  Stemming  a  current,  in  or  out  of  water  is  uphill 
work  ;  but  with  a  good  bottom,  clean  copper,  and  plenty  of 
wind,  it  may  be  done." 

"  It  would  not  surprise  me  were  the  gentlemen  to  appeal  to 
the  general  sentiment  against  you  when  we  arrive,  and  make  a 
handle  of  it  against  your  line  !  " 

"  It  may  be  so,  indeed  ;  but  what  can  be  done  ?  If  we  re. 
turn,  the  Englishman  will  certainly  catch  us,  and,  in  that  case 
my  own  opinion  would  be  dead  against  me  ! " 

"  Well,  well,  captain ;  I  thought  as  a  friend  I  would  speak 
my  mind.  If  this  thing  should  really  get  into  the  papers  in 
America,  it  would  spread  like  fire  in  the  prairies.  You  know 
what  the  papers  are,  I  trust,  Captain  Truck  ?  " 

"  I  rather  think  I  do,  Mr.  Dodge,  with  many  thanks  for  your 
hints,  and  I  believe  I  know  what  the  Scilly  Islands  are,  too. 
The  elections  will  be  nearly  or  quite  over  by  the  time  we  get  in, 
and,  thank  God,  they'll  not  be  apt  to  make  a  party  question  of 
it,  this  fall  at  least.  In  the  mean  time  rely  on  my  keeping  a 
good  lookout  for  the  shoals  of  popularity  and  the  quicksands  of 
excitement.  You  smoke  sometimes,  I  know,  and  I  can  recom- 
mend this  cigar  as  fit  to  regale  the  nose  of  that  chap  of  Stras- 
bourg— you  read  your  Bible,  I  know,  Mr.  Dodge,  and  need  not 
be  told  whom  I  mean.  The  steward  will  be  happy  to  give  you 
a  light  on  deck,  sir." 

In  this  manner,  Captain  Truck,  with  the  sang fr old  &{.  an  old 
tar,  and  the  tact  of  a  packet-master,  got  rid  of  his  troublesome 
visitor,  who  departed,  half  suspecting  that  he  had  been  quizzed, 
but  still  ruminating  on  the  exoediency  of  getting  up  a  com- 
mittee, or  at  least  a  public  meeting  in  the  cabin,  to  follow  up 


HOMEWARD   BOUND. 


79 


the  blow.  By  the  aid  of  the  latter,  could  he  but  persuade  Mr. 
Effingham  to  take  the  chair,  and  Sir  George  Templemore  to  act 
as  secretary,  he  thought  he  might  escape  a  sleepless  night, 
and,  what  was  of  quite  as  much  importance,  make  a  figure 
in  a  paragraph  on  reaching  home. 

Mr.  Dodge,  whose  Christian  name,  thanks  to  a  pious  an 
cestry,  was  Steadfast,  partook  of  the  qualities  that  his  two  ap- 
pellations not  inaptly  expressed.  There  was  a  singular  pro- 
fession of  steadiness  of  purpose,  and  of  high  principle  about 
him,  all  of  which  vanished  in  Dodge  at  the  close.  A  great 
stickler  for  the  rights  of  the  people,  he  never  considered  that 
this  people  was  composed  of  many  integral  parts,  but  he  viewed 
all  things  as  gravitating  towards  the  great  aggregation.  Major- 
ities were  his  hobbies,  and  though  singularly  timid  as  an  in- 
dividual, or  when  in  the  minority,  put  him  on  the  strongest  side 
and  he  was  ready  to  face  the  devil.  In  short,  Mr.  Dodge  was 
a  people's  man,  because  his  strongest  desire,  his  "  ambition  and 
his  pride,"  as  he  often  expressed  it,  was  to  be  a  man  of  the 
people.  In  his  particular  neighborhood,  at  home,  sentiment 
ran  in  veins,  like  gold  in  the  mines,  or  in  streaks  of  public 
opinion  ;  and  though  there  might  be  three  or  four  of  these  pub- 
lic sentiments,  so  long  as  each  had  its  party,  no  one  was  afraid 
to  avow  it ;  but  as  for  maintaining  a  notion  that  was  not  thus 
upheld,  there  was  a  savor  of  aristocracy  about  it  that  would 
damn  even  a  mathematical  proposition,  though  regularly  solved 
and  proved.  So  much  and  so  long  had  Mr.  Dodge  respired  a 
moral  atmosphere  of  this  community-character,  and  gregarious 
propensity,  that  he  had,  in  many  things,  lost  all  sense  of  his  in- 
dividuality ;  as  much  so,  in  fact,  as  if  he  breathed  with  a  pair 
of  county  lungs,  ate  with  a  common  mouth,  drank  from  the 
town-pump,  and  slept  in  the  open  air. 

Such  a  man  was  not  very  likely  to  make  an  impression  on 
Captain  Truck,  one  accustomed  to  rely  on  himself  alone,  in  the 
face  of  warring  elements,  and  who  knew  that  a  ship  could  not 
safely  have  more  than  a  single  will,  and  that  the  will  of  hei 
master. 

The  accidents  of  life  could  scarcely  form  extremes  of 
character  more  remote  than  that  of  Steadfast  Dodge  and  that 
of  John  Truck.  The  first  never  did  anything  beyond  acts  of 
the  most  ordinary  kind,  without  first  weighing  its  probable  ef- 
fect in  the  neighborhood ;  its  popularity  or  unpopularity ;  how 
it  might  tally  with  the  different  public  opinions  that  were  whif- 
fling through  the  country  ;  in  what  manner  it  would  influence  the 
next  election,  and  whether  it  would  be  likely  to  elevate  him  or  de- 


go  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

press  in  him  the  public  mind.  No  Asiatic  slave  stood  more  in  ter- 
ror of  a  vindictive  master  than  Mr,  Dodge  stood  in  fear  and  trem- 
bling before  the  reproofs,  comments,  censures,  frowns,  cavillings 
and  remarks  of  e^ery  man  in  his  county,  who  happened  to  belong 
to  the  political  party  that  just  at  that  moment  was  in  power.  As 
to  the  minority,  he  was  as  brave  as  a  lion,  could  snap  his  fingers 
at  them,  and  was  foremost  in  deriding  and  scoffing  at  all  they 
said  and  did.  This,  however,  was  in  connection  with  politics 
only ;  for,  the  instant  party-drill  ceased  to  be  of  value,  Stead- 
fast's  valor  oozed  out  of  his  composition,  and  in  all  other  things 
he  dutifully  consulted  every  public  opinion  of  that  neighborhood. 
This  estimable  man  had  his  weak  points  as  well  as  another,  and 
what  is  more,  he  was  quite  sensible  of  them,  as  was  proved  by 
a  most  jealous  watchfulness  of  his  besetting  sins,  in  the  way 
of  exposure  if  not  of  indulgence.  In  a  word,  Steadfast  Dodge 
was  a  man  that  wished  to  meddle  with  and  control  all  things, 
without  possessing  precisely  the  spirit  that  was  necessary  to 
leave  him  master  of  himself  ;  he  had  a  rabid  desire  for  the  good 
opinion  of  everything  human,  without  always  taking  the  means 
necessary  to  preserve  his  own ;  was  a  stout  declaimer  for  the 
rights  of  the  community  while  forgetting  that  the  community 
itself  is  but  a  means  set  up  for  the  accomplishment  of 
a  given  end ;  and  felt  an  inward  and  profound  respect  for 
anything  that  was  beyond  his  reach,  which  manifested  it- 
self, not  in  manly  efforts  to  attain  the  forbidden  fruit,  but 
rather  in  a  spirit  of  opposition  and  detraction,  that  only  be- 
trayed, through  its  jealousy,  the  existence  of  the  feeling ; 
which  jealousy,  however,  he  affected  to  conceal  under  an  in- 
tense regard  for  popular  rights,  since  he  was  apt  to  aver  it  was 
quite  intolerable  that  any  man  should  possess  anything,  even 
to  qualities,  in  which  his  neighbors  might  not  properly  partici- 
pate. All  these,  moreover,  and  many  similar  traits,  Mr.  Dodge 
encouraged  in  the  spirit  of  liberty ! 

On  the  other  hand,  John  Truck  sailed  his  own  ship;  was 
civil  to  his  passengers  from  habit  as  well  as  policy ;  knew  that 
every  vessel  must  have  a  captain  ;  believed  mankind  to  be 
little  better  than  asses ;  took  his  own  observations,  and  cared 
not  a  straw  for  those  of  his  mates ;  was  never  more  bent  on 
following  his  own  views  than  when  all  hands  grumbled  and 
opposed  him  ;  was  daring  by  nature,  decided  from  use  and 
Jong  self-reliance,  and  was  every  way  a  man  fitted  to  steer  his 
bark  through  the  trackless  ways  of  life,  as  well  as  those  of  the 
ocean.  It  was  fortunate  for  one  in  his  particular  position,  that 
nature  had  made  the  possessor  of  so  much  self-will  and  tempo- 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  8 1 

rary  authority,  cool  and  sarcastic  rather  than  hot-headed  and 
violent ;  and  for  this  circumstance  Mr.  Dodge  in  particular 
had  frequent  occasions  for  felicitation. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

But  then  we  are  in  order,  when  we  are 
Most  out  of  order. 

Jack  Cade. 

DISAPPOINTED  in  his  private  appeal  to  the  captain's  dread 
of  popular  disapprobation,  Mr.  Dodge  returned  to  his  secret 
work  on  deck ;  for  like  a  true  freeman  of  the  exclusive  school, 
this  person  never  presumed  to  work  openly,  unless  sustained 
by  a  clear  majority  ;  canvassing  all  around  him,  and  striving 
hard  to  create  a  public  opinion,  as  he  termed  it,  on  his  side  of 
the  question,  by  persuading  his  hearers  that  every  one  was  of 
his  particular  way  of  thinking  already  ;  a  method  of  exciting  a 
feeling  much  practised  by  partisans  of  his  school.  In  the 
interval,  Captain  Truck  was  working  up  his  day's  reckoning 
by  himself,  in  his  own  stateroom,  thinking  little,  and  caring 
less,  about  anything  but  the  results  of  his  figures,  which  soon 
convinced  him,  that  by  standing  a  few  hours  longer  on  his 
present  course,  he  should  "  plump  his  ship  ashore  "  somewhere 
between  Falmouth  and  the  Lizard. 

This  discovery  annoyed  the  worthy  master  so  much  the 
more,  on  account  of  the  suggestions  of  his  late  visitor;  for 
nothing  could  be  less  to  his  taste  than  to  have  the  appearance 
of  altering  his  determination  under  a  menace.  Still  something 
must  be  done  before  midnight,  for  he  plainly  perceived  that 
thirty  or  forty  miles,  at  the  farthest,  would  fetch  up  the 
Montauk  on  her  present  course.  The  passengers  had  left  the 
deck  to  escape  the  night  air,  and  he  heard  the  Effinghams  in- 
viting Mr.  Sharp  and  Mr.  Blunt  into  the  ladies'  cabin,  which 
had  been  taken  expressly  for  their  party,  while  the  others  were 
calling  upon  the  stewards  for  the  usual  allowance  of  hot  drinks, 
at  the  dining-table  without.  The  talking  and  noise  disturbed 
him ;  his  own  stateroom  became  too  confined,  and  he  went  on 
deck  to  come  to  his  decision,  in  view  of  the  angry-looking  skies 
and  the  watery  waste,  over  which  he  was  called  to  prevail. 
Here  we  shall  leave  him,  pacing  the  quarter-deck,  in  moody 


82  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

silence  alone,  too  much  disturbed  to  smoke  even,  while  the 
mate  of  the  watch  sat  in  the  mizzen-rigging,  like  a  monkey, 
keeping  a  lookout  to  windward  and  ahead.  In  the  mean 
time,  we  will  return  to  the  cabin  of  the  Effinghams. 

The  Montauk  was  one  of  those  surpassingly  beautiful  and 
yacht-like  ships  that  now  ply  between  the  two  hemispheres  in 
such  numbers,  and  which  in  luxury  and  the  fitting  conven- 
iences seem  to  vie  with  each  other  for  the  mastery.  The  cabins 
were  lined  with  satinwood  and  bird's-eye  maple  ;  small  marble 
columns  separated  the  glittering  panels  of  polished  wood, 
and  rich  carpets  covered  the  floors.  The  main  cabin  had  the 
great  table,  as  a  fixture,  in  the  centre,  but  that  of  Eve,  somewhat 
shorter,  but  of  equal  width,  was  free  from  all  encumbrance  of 
the  sort.  It  had  its  sofas,  cushions,  mirrors,  stools,  tables,  and 
an  upright  piano.  The  doors  of  the  staterooms,  and  other 
conveniences,  opened  on  its  sides  and  ends.  In  short,  it 
presented,  at  that  hour,  the  resemblance  of  a  tasteful  boudoir, 
rather  than  that  of  an  apartment  in  a  cramped  and  vulgar 
ship. 

Here,  then,  all  who  properly  belonged  to  the  place  were 
assembled,  with  Mr.  Sharp  and  Mr.  Blunt  as  guests,  when  a 
tap  at  the  door  announced  another  visitor.  It  was  Mr.  Dodge, 
begging  to  be  admitted  on  a  matter  of  business.  Eve  smiled, 
as  she  bowed  assent  to  old  Nanny,  who  acted  as  her  groom  of 
the  chambers,  and  hastily  expressed  a  belief  that  her  guest 
must  have  come  with  a  proposal  to  form  a  Dorcas  society. 

Although  Mr.  Dodge  was  as  bold  as  Caesar  in  expressing 
his  contempt  of  anything  but  popular  sway,  he  never  came 
into  the  presence  of  the  quiet  and  well-bred  whithout  a  feeling 
of  distrust  and  uneasiness,  that  had  its  rise  in  the  simple  cir- 
cumstance of  his  not  being  used  to  their  company.  Indeed, 
there  is  nothing  more  appalling,  in  general,  to  the  vulgar  and 
pretending,  than  the  simplicity  and  natural  ease  of  the  refined. 
Their  own  notions  of  elegance  lie  so  much  on  the  surface,  that 
they  seem  at  first  to  suspect  an  ambush,  and  it  is  probable  that, 
finding  so  much  repose  where,  agreeably  to  their  preconceived 
opinions,  all  ought  to  be  fuss  and  pretension,  they  imagine 
themselves  to  be  regarded  as  intruders. 

Mr.  Effingham  gave  their  visitor  a  polite  reception,  and  one 
that  was  marked  with  a  little  more  than  the  usual  formality, 
by  way  of  letting  it  be  understood  that  the  apartment  was  pri- 
vate ;  a  precaution  that  he  knew  was  very  necessary  in  associa- 
ting with  tempers  like  those  of  Steadfast.  All  this  was  thrown 
away  on  Mr.  Dodge,  notwithstanding  every  other  person  pres- 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  §3 

ent  admired  the  tact  with  which  the  host  kept  his  guest  at  a 
distance,  by  extreme  attention,  for  the  latter  fancied  so  much 
ceremony  was  but  a  homage  to  his  claims.  It  had  the  effect 
to  put  him  on  his  own  good  behavior,  however,  and  of  suspend- 
ing the  brusque  manner  in  which  he  had  intended  to  broach 
his  subject.  As  everybody  waited  in  calm  silence,  as  if  expect- 
ing an  explanation  of  the  cause  of  his  visit,  Mr.  Dodge  soon  felt 
himself  constrained  to  say  something,  though  it  might  not  be 
quite  as  clearly  as  he  could  wish. 

"  We  have  had  a  considerable  pleasant  time,  Miss  Effing- 
ham,  since  we  sailed  from  Portsmouth,"  he  observed  fami- 
liarly. 

Eve  bowed  her  assent,  determined  not  to  take  to  herself  a 
visit  that  did  violence  to  all  her  habits  and  notions  of  pro- 
priety. But  Mr.  Dodge  was  too  obtuse  to  feel  the  hint  con- 
veyed in  mere  reserve  of  manner. 

"  It  would  have  been  more  agreeable,  I  allow,  had  not  this 
man-of-war  taken  it  into  her  head  to  follow  us  in  this  unprece- 
dented manner."  Mr.  Dodge  was  as  fond  of  his  dictionary  as 
the  steward,  though  he  belonged  to  the  political,  while 
Saunders  merely  adorned  the  polite  school  of  talkers.  "  Sir 
George  calls  it  a  most  '  uncomfortable  procedure.'  You  know 
Sir  George  Templemore,  without  doubt,  Miss  Effingham  ? " 

"  I  am  aware  there  is  a  person  of  that  name  on  board,  sir," 
returned  Eve,  who  recoiled  from  this  familiarity  with  the  sensi- 
tiveness with  which  a  well-educated  female  distinguishes  be- 
tween one  who  appreciates  her  character  and  one  who  does 
not ;  "but  have  never  had  the  honor  of  his  acquaintance." 

Mr  Dodge  thought  all  this  extraordinary,  for  he  had  wit- 
nessed Captain  Truck's  introduction,  and  did  not  understand 
how  people  who  had  sailed  twenty-four  hours  in  the  same  ship, 
and  had  been  fairly  introduced,  should  not  be  intimate.  As  for 
himself,  he  fancied  he  was,  what  he  termed,  "  well  acquainted  " 
with  the  Effinghams,  from  having  talked  of  them  a  great  deal 
ignorantly,  and  not  a  little  maliciously  ;  a  liberty  he  felt  himself 
fully  entitled  to  take  from  the  circumstance  of  residing  in  the 
same  county,  although  he  had  never  spoken  to  one  of  the  family, 
until  accident  placed  him  in  their  company  on  board  the  same 
vessel. 

"  Sir  George  is  a  gentleman  of  great  accomplishments,  Miss 
Effingham,  I  assure  you ;  a  man  of  unqualified  merit.  We  have 
the  same  stateroom,  for  I  like  company,  and  prefer  chatting  a 
little  in  my  berth  to  being  always  asleep.  He  is  a  baronet,  I 


84  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

suppose  you  know, — not  that  I  care  anything  for  titles,  all  men 
being  equal  in  truth,  though — though " 

"  — Unequal  in  reality,  sir,  you  probably  meant  to  add," 
observed  John  Effinghain,  who  was  lolling  on  Eve's  workstand, 
his  eagle-shaped  face  fairly  curling  with  the  contempt  he  felt, 
and  which  he  hardly  cared  to  conceal. 

"  Surely  not,  sir  !  "  exclaimed  the  terrified  Steadfast,  look- 
ing furtively  about,  lest  some  active  enemy  might  be  at  hand 
to  quote  this  unhappy  remark  to  his  prejudice.  "  Surely  not ! 
men  are  every  way  equal,  and  no  one  can  pretend  to  be  better 
than  another.  No,  no, — it  is  nothing  to  me  that  Sir  George  is 
a  baronet ;  though  one  would  prefer  having  a  gentleman  in  the 
same  stateroom  to  having  a  coarse  fellow.  Sir  George  thinks, 
sir,  that  the  ship  is  running  into  great  danger  by  steering  for 
the  land  in  so  dark  a  night,  and  in  such  dirty  weather.  He 
has  many  out-of-the-way  expressions,  Sir  George,  I  must  admit, 
for  one  of  his  rank ;  he  calls  the  weather  dirty,  and  the  pro- 
ceedings uncomfortable;  modes  of  expression,  gentlemen,  to 
which  I  give  an  unqualified  disapprobation." 

"  Probably  Sir  George  would  attach  more  importance  to  a 
qualified  disapprobation,"  retorted  John  Effingham.  , 

"  Quite  likely,"  returned  Mr.  Dodge  innocently,  though  the 
two  other  visitors,  Eve  and  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  permitted 
slight  muscular  movements  about  the  lips  to  be  seen ;  "  Sir 
George  is  quite  an  original  in  his  way.  We  have  few  originals 
in  our  part  of  the  country,  you  know,  Mr.  John  Effingham  ;  for 
to  say  the  truth,  it  is  rather  unpopular  to  differ  from  the  neigh- 
borhood, in  this  or  any  other  respect  Yes,  sir,  the  people 
will  rule,  and  ought  to  rule.  Still,  I  think  Sir  George  may  get 
along  well  enough  as  a  stranger,  for  it  is  not  quite  as  unpopular 
in  a  stranger  to  be  original,  as  in  a  native.  I  think  you  will 
agree  with  me,  sir,  in  believing  it  excessively  presuming  in  an 
American  to  pretend  to  be  different  from  his  fellow-citizens." 

"  No  one,  sir,  could  entertain  such  presumption,  I  am  per- 
suaded, in  your  case." 

"  No,  sir,  I  do  not  speak  from  personal  motives  ;  but  on  the 
great  general  principles,  that  are  to  be  maintained  for  the  good 
of  mankind.  I  do  not  know  that  any  man  has  a  right  to  be 
peculiar  in  a  free  country.  It  is  aristocratic,  and  has  an  air  of 
thinking  one  man  is  better  than  another.  I  am  sure  Mr.  Effing- 
ham cannot  approve  of  it  ? " 

"  Perhaps  not.  Freedom  has  many  arbitrary  laws  that  it 
will  not  do  to  violate." 

"  Certainly,  sir,  or  where  would  be  its  supremacy  ?     If  the 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  §5 

people  cannot  control  and  look  down  peculiarity,  or  anything 
they  drslike,  one  might  as  well  live  in  despotism  at  once  " 

"  As  I  have  resided  much  abroad,  of  late  years,  Mr.  Dodge," 
inquired  Eve,  who  was  fearful  her  kinsman  would  give  some 
cut  that  would  prove  to  be  past  bearing,  as  she  saw  his  eye  was 
menacing,  and  who  felt  a  disposition  to  be  amused  at  the  other's 
philosophy,  that  overcame  the  attraction  of  repulsion  she  had 
at  first  exprerienced  towards  him — "  will  you  favor  me  with 
some  of  those  great  principles  of  liberty  of  which  1  hear  so  much, 
but  which,  I  fear,  have  been  overlooked  by  my  European  in- 
structors ? " 

Mademoiselle  Vief  ville  looked  grave  ;  Messrs.  Sharp  and 
Blunt  delighted  ;  Mr.  Dodge,  himself,  mystified. 

"  I  should  feel  myself  little  able  to  instruct  Miss  Effingham 
on  such  a  subject,"  the  latter  modestly  replied,  "  as  no  doubt 
she  has  seen  too  much  misery  in  the  nations  she  has  visited, 
not  to  appreciate  justly  all  the  advantages  of  that  happy  country 
which  has  the  honor  of  claiming  her  for  one  of  its  fair 
daughters." 

Eve  was  terrified  at  her  own  temerity,  for  she  was  far  from 
anticipating  so  high  a  flight  of  eloquence  in  return  for  her  own 
simple  request,  but  it  was  too  late  to  retreat. 

"  None  of  the  many  illustrious  and  godlike  men  that  our 
own  beloved  land  has  produced  can  pretend  to  more  zeal  in  its 
behalf  than  myself,  but  I  fear  my  abilities  to  do  it  justice  will 
fall  far  short  of  the  subject,"  he  continued.  "  Liberty,  as  you 
know,  Miss  Effingham,  as  you  well  know,  gentlemen,  is  a  boon 
that  merits  our  unqualified  gratitude,  and  which  calls  for  our 
daily  and  hourly  thanks  to  the  gallant  spirits  who,  in  the  days 
that  tried  men's  souls,  were  foremost  in  the  tented  field,  and  in 
the  councils  of  the  nation." 

John  Effingham  turned  a  glance  at  Eve,  that  seemed  to  tell 
her  how  unequal  she  was  to  the  task  she  had  undertaken,  and 
which  promised  a  rescue,  with  her  consent  ;  a  condition  that 
the-  young  lady  most  gladly  complied  with  in  the  same  silent 
but  expressive  manner. 

"  Of  all  this  my  young  kinswoman  is  properly  sensible,  Mr. 
Dodge,"  he  said  by  way  of  diversion ;  "  but  she,  and  I  confess 
myself,  have  some  little  perplexity  on  the  subject  of  what  this 
liberty  is,  about  which  so  much  has  been  said  and  written  in 
our  time.  Permit  me  to  inquire,  if  you  understand  by  it  a 
perfect  independence  of  thought,  action,  and  rights  ?  " 

"  Equal  laws,  equal  rights,  equality  in  all  respects,  and  pure, 
abstract,  unqualified  liberty,  beyond  all  question,  sir." 


$6  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  What,  a  power  in  the  strong  man  to  beat  the  little  man, 
and  to  take  away  his  dinner  ? " 

"  By  no  means,  sir ;  Heaven  forbid  that  I  should  maintain 
any  such  doctrine !  It  means  entire  liberty :  no  kings  no 
aristocrats,  no  exclusive  privileges  ;  but  one  man  is  as  good  as 
another  !  " 

u  Do  you  understand,  then,  that  one  man  is  as  good  as 
another,  under  our  system,  Mr.  Dodge  ?  " 

"  Unqualifiedly  so,  sir  ;  I  am  amazed  that  such  a  question 
should  be  put  by  a  gentleman  of  your  information,  in  an  age 
like  this  ! " 

"  If  one  man  is  as  good  as  another,"  said  Mr.  Blunt,  who 
perceived  that  John  Effingham  was  biting  his  lips,  a  sign  that 
something  more  biting  would  follow, — "  will  you  do  me  the 
favor  to  inform  me,  why  the  country  puts  itself  to  the  trouble 
and  expense  of  the  annual  elections  ?  " 

"  Elections,  sir !  In  what  manner  could  free  institutions 
flourish  or  be  maintained,  without  constantly  appealing  to  the 
people,  the  only  true  sources  of  power  ? " 

"  To  this  I  make  no  objections,  Mr.  Dodge,"  returned  the 
young  man,  smiling  ;  "  but  why  an  election  ;  if  one  man  is  as 
good  as  another,  a  lottery  would  be  cheaper,  easier  and  sooner 
settled.  Why  an  election,  or  even  a  lottery  at  all  ?  why  not 
choose  the  President  as  the  Persians  chose  their  king,  by  the 
neighing  of  a  horse  ?  " 

"  This  would  be  indeed  an  extraordinary  mode  of  proceed- 
ing for  an  intelligent  and  virtuous  people,  Mr.  Blunt ;  and  I 
must  take  the  liberty  of  saying  that  I  suspect  you  of  pleasantry. 
If  you  wish  an  answer,  I  will  say,  at  once,  by  such  a  process 
we  might  get  a  knave,  or  a  fool,  or  a  traitor." 

"  How,  Mr.  Dodge  !  I  did  not  expect  this  character  of 
the  country  from  you  !  Are  the  Americans,  then,  all  fools,  or 
knaves,  or  traitors  ?  " 

"  If  you  intend  to  travel  much  in  our  country,  sir.  I  would 
advise  great  caution  in  throwing  out  such  an  insinuation,  for  it 
would  be  apt  to  meet  with  a  very  general  and  unqualified  dis« 
approbation.  Americans  are  enlightened  and  free,  and  as  far 
from  deserving  these  epithets  as  any  people  on  earth." 

"  And  yet  the  fact  follows  from  your  own  theory.  If  one 
man  is  as  good  as  another,  and  any  one  of  them  is  a  fool,  or  a 
knave,  or  a  traitor, — all  are  knaves,  or  fools,  or  traitors  !  The 
insinuation  is  not  mine,  but  it  follows,  I  think,  inevitably,  as  a 
consequence  of  your  own  proposition," 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  87 

In  the  pause  that  succeeded,  Mr.  Sharp  said  in  a  low  voice 
to  Eve,  "  He  is  an  Englishman,  after  all !  " 

"  Mr.  Dodge  does  not  mean  that  one  man  is  as  good  as 
another  in  that  particular  sense,"  Mr.  Effingham  kindly  inter- 
posed, in  his  quality  of  host ;  "  his  views  are  less  general,  I 
fancy  than  his  words  would  give  us,  at  first,  reason  to  suppose." 

"  Very  true,  Mr.  Effingham,  very  true,  sir  ;  one  man  is  not 
as  good  as  another  in  that  particular  sense,  or  in  the  sense  of 
elections,  but  in  all  other  senses.  Yes,  sir,"  turning  towards 
Mr.  Blunt  again,  as  one  reviews  the  attack  on  an  antagonist, 
who  has  given  a  fall,  after  taking  breath,  "  in  all  other  senses, 
one  man  is  unqualifiedly  as  good  as  another.  One  man  has 
the  same  rights  as  another." 

"  The  slave  as  the  freeman  ? " 

"  The  slaves  are  exceytions,  sir.  But  in  the  free  states,  ex- 
cept in  the  case  of  elections,  one  man  is  as  good  as  another  in 
all  things.  That  is  our  meaning,  and  any  other  principle  would 
be  unqualifiedly  unpopular." 

"  Can  one  man  make  a  shoe  as  well  as  another  ?  " 

"  Of  rights,  sir, — I  stick  to  the  rights,  you  will  remember." 

"  Has  the  minor  the  same  rights  as  the  man  of  full  age  ; 
the  apprentice  as  the  master ;  the  vagabond  as  the  resident, 
the  man  who  cannot  pay  as  the  man  who  can  ?  " 

"  No,  sir,  not  in  that  sense  either.  You  do  not  understand 
me,  sir,  I  fear.  All  that  I  mean  is,  that  in  particular  things, 
one  man  is  as  good  as  another  in  America.  This  is  American 
doctrine,  though  it  may  not  happen  to  be  English,  and  I  flatter 
myself  it  will  stand  the  test  of  the  strictest  investigation." 

"  And  you  will  allow  me  to  inquire  where  this  is  not  the 
case,  in  particular  things.  If  you  mean  to  say  that  there  are 
fewer  privileges  accorded  to  the  accidents  of  birth,  or  to  for- 
tune and  station  in  American,  than  is  usual  in  other  countries, 
we  shall  agree  ;  but  I  think  it  will  hardly  do  to  say  there  are 
none  ! " 

"  Privileges  accorded  to  birth  in  America,  sir  !  The  idea 
would  be  odious  to  her  people  !  " 

**  Does  not  the  child  inherit  the  property  of  the  father  ?  " 

"  Most  assuredly ;  but  this  can  hardly  be  termed  a  privi- 
lege." 

"  That  may  depend  a  good  deal  on  taste.  I  should  ac- 
count it  a  greater  privilege  than  to  inherit  a  title  without  the 
fortune." 

"  I  perceive,  gentleman,  that  we  do  not  perfectly  under- 
stand  each  other,  and  I  must  postpone  the  discussion  to  a  mor« 


88  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

favorable  opportunity ;  for  I  confess  great  uneasiness  at  this 
decision  of  the  captain's,  about  steering  in  among  the  rocks  of 
Sylla."  (Mr.  Dodge  was  not  as  clear-headed  as  common,  in 
consequence  of  the  controversy  that  had  just  occurred.)  "  I 
challenge  you  to  renew  the  subject  another  time,  gentlemen. 
I  only  happened  in  "  (another  peculiarity  of  diction  in  this 
gentleman)  "  to  make  a  first  call,  for  I  suppose  there  is  no  ex 
elusion  in  an  American  ship  ?  " 

"  None  whatever,  sir,"  Mr.  John  Effingham  coldly  answered. 
"  All  the  staterooms  are  in  common,  and  I  propose  to  seize  an 
early  occasion  to  return  this  compliment,  by  making  myself  at 
home  in  the  apartment  which  has  the  honor  to  lodge  Mr. 
Dodge  and  Sir  George  Templemore." 

Here  Mr.  Dodge  beat  a  retreat,  without  touching  at  all  on 
his  real  errand.  Instead  of  even  following  up  the  matter  with 
the  other  passengers,  he  got  into  a  corner,  with  one  or  two  con- 
genial spirits,  who  had  taken  great  offence  that  the  Effinghams 
should  presume  to  retire  into  their  cabin,  and  particularly  that 
they  should  have-the  extreme  aristocratical  audacity  to  shut  the 
door,  where  he  continued  pouring  into  the  greedy  ears  of  his 
companions  his  own  history  of  the  recent  dialogue,  in  which,  ac- 
cording to  his  own  account  of  the  matter,  he  had  completely 
gotten  the  better  of  that  "  young  upstart,  Blunt,"  a  man  of  whom 
he  knew  positively  nothing,  divers  anecdotes  of  the  Effingham 
family,  that  came  of  the  lowest  and  most  idle  gossip  of  rustic  ma- 
lignancy, and  his  own  vague  and  confused  notions  of  the  rights 
of  persons  and  of  things.  Very  different  was  the  conversation 
that  ensued  in  the  ladies'  cabin,  after  the  welcome  disappear- 
ance of  the  uninvited  guest.  Not  a  remark  of  any  sort  was  made 
on  his  intrusion,  or  on  his  folly  :  even  John  Effingham,  little 
addicted  in  common  to  forbearance,  being  too  proud  to  waste 
his  breath  on  so  low  game,  and  too  well  taught  to  open  upon  a 
man  the  moment  his  back  was  turned.  But  the  subject  was 
continued,  and  in  a  manner  better  suited  to  the  education,  in- 
telligence, and  views  of  the  several  speakers. 

Eve  said  but  little,  though  she  ventured  to  ask  a  question 
now  and  then  ;  Mr.  Sharp  and  Mr.  Blunt  being  the  principal 
supporters  of  the  discourse,  with  an  occasionally  quiet,  discreet 
remark  from  the  young  lady's  father,  and  a  sarcasm,  now  and 
then,  from  John  Effingham.  Mr.  Blunt,  though  advancing 
his  opinions  with  diffidence,  and  with  a  proper  deference  for 
the  greater  experience  of  the  two  elder  gentlemen,  soon  made 
his  superiority  apparent,  the  subject  proving  to  be  one  on 


BOUND.  S9 

which  he  had  evidently  thought  a  great  deal,  and  that  too  with 
a  discrimination  and  originality  that  are  far  from  common. 

He  pointed  out  the  errors  that  are  usually  made  on  the  sub- 
ject of  the  institutions  of  the  American  Union,  by  confounding 
the  effects  of  the  general  government  with  those  of  the  separate 
states  ;  and  he  clearly  demonstrated  that  the  Confederation  it- 
self had,  in  reality,  no  distinctive  character  of  its  own,  even  for 
or  against  liberty.  It  was  a  confederation,  and  got  its  charac- 
ter from  the  characters  of  its  several  parts,  which  of  themselves 
were  independent  in  all  things,  on  the  important  point  of  dis- 
tinctive principles,  with  the  exception  of  the  vague  general  pro- 
vision that  they  must  be  republics  ;  a  provision  that  meant 
anything,  or  nothing,  so  far  as  true  liberty  was  concerned,  as 
each  state  might  decide  for  itself. 

"  The  character  of  the  American  government  is  to  be 
sought  in  the  characters  of  the  state  governments,"  he  con- 
cluded, "  which  vary  with  their  respective  policies.  It  is  in 
this  way  that  communities  that  hold  one  half  of  their  numbers 
in  domestic  bondage  are  found  tied  up  in  the  same  political 
fasces  with  other  communities  of  the  most  democratic  institu- 
tions. The  general  government  assures  neither  liberty  of 
speech,  liberty  of  conscience,  action,  nor  of  anything  else,  ex- 
cept as  against  itself ;  a  provision  that  is  quite  unnecessary, 
as  it  is  purely  a  government  of  delegated  powers,  and  has  no 
authority  to  act  at  all  on  those  particular  interests." 

"  This  is  very  different  from  the  general  impression  in 
Europe,"  observed  Mr.  Sharp;  "and  as  I  perceive  I  have  the 
good  fortune  to  be  thrown  into  the  society  of  an  American,  if 
not  an  American  lawyer,  able  to  enlighten  my  ignorance  on 
those  interesting  topics,  I  hope  to  be  permitted,  during  some 
of  the  idle  moments,  of  which  we  are  likely  to  have  many,  to 
profit  by  it." 

The  other  colored,  bowed  to  the  compliment,  but  appeared 
to  hesitate  before  he  answered. 

"  Tis  not  absolutely  necessary  to  be  an  American  by  birth," 
he  said,  "  as  I  have  already  had  occasion  to  observe,  in  order 
to  understand  the  institutions  of  the  country,  and  I  might  pos- 
sibly mislead  you  were  you  to  fancy  that  a  native  was  your  in- 
structor. I  have  often  been  in  the  country,  however,  if  not 
born  in  it,  and  few  young  men,  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic, 
have  had  their  intention  pointed,  with  so  much  earnestness,  to 
all  that  affects  it  as  myself." 

"  I  was  in  hopes  we  had  the  honor  of  including  you  among 
our  countrymen,"  observed  John  Effingham,  with  evident  disap- 


9° 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


pointment.  "  So  many  young  men  come  abroad  disposed  to 
quarrel  with  foreign  excellences,  of  which  they  know  nothing, 
or  to  concede  so  many  of  our  own,  in  the  .true  spirit  of  serviles/ 
that  I  was  flattering  myself  I  had  at  last  found  an  exception." 

Eve  also  felt  regret,  though  she  hardly  avowed  to  herself 
the  reason. 

"  He  is  then,  an  Englishman,  after  all !  "  said  Mr.  Sharp, 
in  another  aside. 

"  Why  not  a  German — or  a  Swiss — or  even  a  Russian  ?  ' 

11  His  English  is  perfect ;  no  continental  could  speak  so 
fluently,  with  such  a  choice  of  words,  so  totally  without  an  ac- 
cent, without  an  effort.  As  Mademoiselle  Viefville  says,  he 
does  not  speak  well  enough  for  a  foreigner." 

Eve  was  silent,  for  she  was  thinking  of  the  singular  manner 
in  which  a  conversation  as  oddly  commenced,  had  brought 
about  an  explanation  on  a  point  that  had  often  given  her  many 
doubts.  Twenty  times  had  she  decided  in  her  own  mind  that 
this  young  man,  whom  she  could  properly  call  neither  stranger 
nor  acquaintance,  was  a  countryman,  and  as  often  had  she 
been  led  to  change  her  opinion.  He  had  now  been  explicit, 
she  thought,  and  she  felt  compelled  to  set  him  down  as  a  Euro- 
pean, though  not  disposed,  still,  to  believe  he  was  an  English- 
man.  For  this  latter  notion,  she  had  reasons  it  might  not  have 
done  to  give  to  a  native  of  the  island  they  had  just  left,  as  she 
knew  to  be  the  fact  with  Mr.  Sharp. 

Music  succeeded  this  conversation,  Eve  having  taken  the 
precaution  to  have  the  piano  tuned  before  quitting  port,  an  ex- 
pedient we  would  recommend  to  all  who  have  a  regard  for  the 
instrument  that  extends  beyond  its  outside,  or  even  for  their 
own  ears.  John  Effingham  executed  brilliantly  on  the  violin  : 
and,  as  it  appeared  on  inquiry,  the  two  younger  gentlemen  per- 
formed respectably  on  the  flute,  flageolet,  and  one  or  two  other 
wind  instruments.  We  shall  leave  them  doing  great  justice  to 
Beethoven,  Rossini,  and  Mayerbeer,  whose  compositions  Mr. 
Dodge  did  not  fail  to  sneer  at  in  the  outer  cabin,  as  affected 
and  altogether  unworthy  of  attention,  and  return  on  deck  to  the 
company  of  the  anxious  master, 

Captain  Truck  had  continued  to  pace  the  deck  moodily  and 
alone,  during  the  whole  evening,  and  he  only  seemed  to  come 
to  a  recollection  of  himself  when  the  relief  passed  him  on  his 
way  to  the  wheel,  at  eight  bells.  Inquiring  the  hour,  he  got 
into  the  mizzen  rigging,  with  a  night-glass,  and  swept  the  horizon 
in  search  of  the  Foam.  Nothing  could  be  made  out,  the  dark- 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  91 

ness  having  settled  upon  the  water  in  a  way  to  circumscribe  the 
visble  horizon  to  very  narrow  limits. 

"  This  may  do,"  he  muttered  to  himself,  as  he  swung  off  by 
a  rope,  and  alighted  again  on  the  planks  of  the  deck.  Mr. 
Leach  was  summoned,  and  an  order  was  passed  for  the  relieved 
watch  to  remain  on  deck  for  duty. 

When  all  was  ready,  the  first  mate  went  through  the  ship, 
seeing  that  all  the  candles  were  extinguished,  or  that  the  hoods 
were  drawn  over  the  skylights,  in  such  a  way  as  to  conceal  any 
rays  that  might  gleam  upwards  from  the  cabin.  At  the  same  time 
attention  was  paid  to  the  binnacle-lamp.  This  precaution  ob- 
served, the  people  went  to  work  to  reduce  the  sail,  and  in  the 
course  of  twenty  minutes  they  had  got  in  the  studding  sails, 
and  all  the  standing  canvas  to  the  topsails,  the  fore-course,  and 
a  forward  staysail.  The  three  topsails  were  then  reefed,  with 
sundry  urgent  commands  to  the  crew  to  be  active,  for,  "  The 
Englishman  was  coming  up  like  a  horse,  all  this  time,  no 
doubt," 

This  much  effected,  the  hands  returned  on  deck  as  much 
amazed  at  the  several  arrangements  as  if  the  order  had  been  to 
cut  away  the  masts. 

"  If  we  had  a  few  guns,  and  were  a  little  stronger-handed," 
growled  an  old  salt  to  the  second  mate,  as  he  hitched  up  his 
trousers  and  rolled  over  his  quid,"  I  should  think  the  hard  one 
aft,  had  been  stripping  for  a  fight ;  but  as  it  is,  we  have  nothing 
to  carry  on  the  war  with,  unless  we  throw  sea  biscuits  into  the 
enemy  !" 

"  Stand  by  to  veer  !  "called  out  the  captain  from  the  quarter 
deck  ;  or,  as  he  pronounced  it,  "  ware." 

The  man  sprang  to  the  braces,  and  the  bows  of  the  ship  fell 
off  gradually,  as  the  yards  yielded  slowly  to  the  drag.  In  a  minute 
the  Montauk  was  rolling  dead  before  it,  and  her  broadside 
came  sweeping  up  to  the  wind  with  the  ship's  head  to  the  east- 
ward. This  new  direction  in  the  course  had  the  double  effect 
of  hauling  off  the  land,  and  of  diverging  at  more  than  right 
angles  from  the  line  of  sailing  of  the  Foam,  if  that  ship  still 
continued  in  pursuit.  The  seamen  nodded  their  heads  at  each 
other  in  approbation,  for  all  now  as  well  understood  the  mean- 
ing of  the  change  as  if  it  had  been  explained  to  them  verbally. 

The  revolution  on  deck  produced  as  sudden  a  revolution  be- 
low. The  ship  was  no  longer  running  easily  on  an  even  keel. 
but  was  pitching  violently  into  a  head-beating  sea,  and  the 
wind,  which  a  few  minutes  before,  was  scarcely  felt  to  blow,  was 
now  whistling  its  hundred  strains  among  the  cordage.  Some 


92  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

sought  their  berths,  among  whom  were  Mr.  Sharp  and  Mr. 
Dodge  ;  some  hurried  up  the  stairs  to  learn  the  reason,  and  all 
broke  up  their  avocations  for  the  night. 

Captain  Truck  had  the  usual  number  of  questions  to  answer 
which  he  did  in  the  following  succinct  and  graphic  manner,  a 
reply  that  we  hope  will  prove  as  satisfactory  to  the  reader,  as 
it  was  made  to  be,  perforce,  satisfactory  to  the  curious  on  board. 

"  Had  we  stood  on  an  hour  longer,  gentlemen,  we  should 
have  been  lost  on  the  coast  of  Cornwall !  "  he  said,  pithily  : "  had 
we  stopped  where  we  were,  the  sloop  of  war  would  have  been 
down  upon  us  in  twenty  minutes  :  by  changing  the  course,  in 
the  way  you  have  seen,  he  may  get  to  leeward  of  us  ;  if  he  find 
it  out,  he  may  change  his  own  course,  in  the  dark,  being  as 
likely  to  go  wrong  as  to  go  right  :  or  he  may  stand  in,  and  set 
up  the  ribs  of  his  majesty's  ship  Foam  to  dry  among  the  rocks 
of  the  Lizard,  where  I  hope  all  her  people  will  get  safely  ashore, 
dry  shod." 

After  waiting  the  result  anxiously  for  an  hour,  the  passen- 
gers retired  to  their  rooms  one  by  one  ;  but  Captain  Truck  did 
not  quit  the  deck  until  the  middle  watch  was  set.  Paul  Blunt 
heard  him  enter  his  stateroom,  which  was  next  to  his  own,  and 
putting  out  his  head,  he  inquired  the  news  above.  The  worthy 
master  had  discovered  something  about  this  young  man  which 
created  a  respect  for  his  nautical  information,  for  he  never  mis- 
applied a  term,  and  he  invariably  answered  all  his  questions 
promptly,  and  with  respect. 

"  Dirtier,  and  dirtier,"  he  said,  in  defiance  of  Mr.  Dodge's 
opinion  of  the  phrase,  pulling  off  his  pea-jacket,  and  laying 
aside  his  sou'wester  ;  "  a  cap  full  of  wind,  with  just  enough  driz- 
zle to  take  the  comfort  out  of  a  man,  and  lacker  him  down  like 
a  boot" 

"  The  ship  has  gone  about  ?  " 

"  Like  a  dancing  master  with  two  toes.  We  have  got  het 
head  to  the  southward  and  westward  again ;  another  reef  in 
the  topsails,"  (which  word  Mr.  Truck  pronounced  tawsails,  with 
great  unction,)  "  England  well  under  our  lee,  and  the  Atlantic 
ocean  right  before  us.  Six  hours  on  this  course,  and  we  make 
a  fair  wind  of  it." 

"  And  the  sloop  ?  " 

"  Well,  Mr.  Blunt,  I  can  give  no  direct  account  of  her.  She 
has  dropped  in  alongshore,  I  suspect,  where  she  is  clawing  off, 
like  a  boy  climbing  a  hillock  of  ice  on  his  hands  and  knees ;  or 
is  flying  about  among  the  other  foam,  somewhere  in  the  latitudf 


HOMEWARD  BOUND, 


93 


of  the  Lizard.     An  easy  pillow  to  you,  Mr.  Blunt,  and  no  tack- 
ing till  the  nap's  up." 

"  And  the  poor  wretches  in  the  Foam  ?  " 

"  Why,  the  Lord  have  mercy  on  their  souls  1 " 


CHAPTER  IX. 

The  moon  was  now 

Rising  full  orbed,  but  broken  by  a  cloud. 
The  wind  was  hushed,  and  the  sea  mirror-like. 

Italy. 

MOST  of  the  passengers  appeared  on  deck  soon  after  Saun- 
ders  was  again  heard  rattling  among  his  glasses.  The  day  was 
sufficiently  advanced  to  allow  a  distinct  view  of  all  that  was  pass- 
ing, and  the  wind  had  shifted.  The  change  had  not  occurred 
more  than  ten  minutes,  and  as  most  of  the  inmates  of  the  cabin 
poured  up  the  cabin-stairs  nearly  in  a  body,  Mr.  Leach  had  just 
got  through  with  the  necessary  operation  of  bracing  the  yards 
about,  for  the  breeze,  which  was  coming  stiff,  now  blew  from  the 
northeast.  No  land  was  visible,  and  the  mate  was  just  giving 
his  opinion  that  they  were  up  with  Scilly,  as  Captain  Truck  ap- 
peared in  the  group. 

One  glance  aloft,  and  another  at  the  heavens,  sufficed  to  let 
the  experienced  master  into  all  the  secrets  of  his  present  situ- 
ation. His  next  step  was  to  jump  into  the  rigging,  and  to  take 
a  look  at  the  sea,  in  the  direction  of  the  Lizard.  There,  to  his 
extreme  disappointment,  appeared  a  ship  with  everything  set 
that  would  draw,  and  with  a  studding-sail  flapping,  before  it 
could  be  drawn  down,  which  he  knew  in  an  instant  to  be  the 
Foam.  At  this  spectacle  Mr.  Truck  compressed  his  lips,  and 
made  an  inward  imprecation,  that  it  would  ill  comport  with  our 
notions  of  propriety  to  repeat. 

"Turn  the  hands  up  and  shake  out  the  reefs,  sir,"  he  said 
coolly  to  his  mate,  for  it  was  a  standing  rule  of  the  captain's  to 
seem  calmest  when  he  was  in  the  greatest  rage.  "  Turn  them 
up,  sir,  and  show  every  rag  that  will  draw,  from  the  truck  to  the 
lower  studding-sail  boom,  and  be  d — d  to  them  !  " 

On  this  hint  Mr.  Leach  bestirred  himself,  and  the  men  were 
quickly  on  the  yards,  casting  loose  gaskets  and  reef-points. 
Sail  opened  after  sail,  and  as  the  steerage  passengers,  who  could 


94  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

show  a  force  of  thirty  or  forty  men,  aided  with  their  strength, 
the  Montauk  was  soon  running  dead  before  the  wind,  undei 
every  thing  that  would  draw,  and  with  studding-sails  on  both 
sides.  The  mates  looked  surprised,  the  seamen  cast  inquiring 
glances  aft,  but  Mr.  Truck  lighted  a  cigar. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  the  captain,  after  a  few  philosophical 
whiffs,  "  to  go  to  America  with  yonder  fellow  on  my  weather 
beam  is  quite  out  of  the  question  :  he  would  be  up  with  me; 
and  in  possession,  before  ten  o'clock,  and  my  only  play  is  to 
bring  the  wind  right  over  the  taffrail,  where,  luckily,  we  have 
got  it.  I  think  we  can  bother  him  at  this  sport,  for  "your  sharp 
bottoms  are  not  as  good  as  your  kettle-bottoms  in  ploughing  a 
full  furrow.  As  for  bearing  her  canvas,  the  Montauk  will  stand 
it  as  long  as  any  ship  in  King  William's  navy,  before  the  gale. 
And  on  one  thing  you  may  rely;  I'll  carry  you  all  into  Lisbon 
before  that  tobacco-hating  rover  shall  carry  you  back  to  Ports- 
mouth. This  is  a  category  to  which  I  will  stick." 

This  characteristic  explanation  served  to  let  the  passengers 
understand  the  real  state  of  the  case.  No  one  remonstrated, 
for  all  preferred  a  race  to  being  taken  ;  and  even  the  English- 
men on  board  began  again  to  take  sides  with  the  vessel  they 
were  in,  and  this  the  more  readily,  as  Captain  Truck  freely  ad- 
mitted that  their  cruiser  was  too  much  for  him  on  every  tack 
but  the  one  he  was  about  to  try.  Mr.  Sharp  hoped  that  they 
might  now  escape,  and  as  for  Sir  George  Templemore,  he  gen- 
erously repeated  his  offer  to  pay,  out  of  his  own  pocket,  all  the 
port-charges  in  any  French,  Spanish,  or  Portuguese  harbor,  the 
master  would  enter,  rather  than  see  such  an  outrage  done  a 
foreign  vessel  in  a  time  of  profound  peace. 

The  expedient  of  Captain  Truck  proved  his  judgment,  and 
his  knowledge  of  his  profession.  Within  an  hour  it  was  appar- 
ent that,  if  there  was  any  essential  difference  in  the  sailing  of 
the  two  ships  under  the  present  circumstances,  it  was  slightly 
in  favor  of  the  Montauk.  The  Foam  now  set  her  ensign  for 
the  first  time,  a  signal  that  she  wished  to  speak  the  ship  in  sight. 
At  this  Captain  Truck  chuckled,  for  he  pronounced  it  a  sign 
that  she  was  conscious  she  could  not  get  them  within  range  of 
her  guns. 

••  Show  him  the  gridiron,"  cried  the  captain,  briskly  ;  "  it 
will  not  do  to  be  beaten  in  civility  by  a  man  who  has  beaten  us 
already  on  so  many  other  tacks  ;  but  keep  all  fast  as  a  church- 
door  on  a  week-day." 

This  latter  comparison  was  probably  owing  to  the  circum- 
stance of  the  master's  having  come  from  a  part  of  the  country 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  9$ 

where  all  the  religion  is  compressed  into  the  twenty-four  hours 
that  commence  on  a  Saturday-night  at  sunset,  and  end  at  sun- 
set the  next  day  :  at  least,  this  was  his  own  explanation  of  the 
matter.  The  effect  of  success  was  always  to  make  Mr.  Truck 
loquacious,  and  he  now  began  to  tell  many  excellent  anecdotes, 
of  which  he  had  stores,  all  of  events  that  had  happened  to  him 
in  person,  or  of  which  he  had  been  an  eyewitness  ;  and  on 
which  his  hearers,  as  Sancho  said,  might  so  certainly  depend 
as  true,  that,  if  they  chose,  they  might  safely  swear  they  had 
seen  them  themselves. 

"  Speaking  of  churches  and  doors,  Sir  George,"  he  said, 
between  the  puffs  of  the  cigar,  "were  you  ever  in  Rhode 
Island  ?  " 

"  Never,  as  this  is  my  first  visit  to  America,  captain." 
"  True ;  well,  you   will  be   likely  to   go  there,  if  you  go  to 
Boston,  as  it  is  the  best  way  ;  unless  you  would  prefer  to  run 
over  Nantucket  shoals,  and  a  hundred   miles  of  ditto,  as   Mr. 
Dodge  calls  it." 

"  Differ,  captain,  if  you  please — ditter :  it  is  the  continental 
word  for  roundabout." 

"  The  d 1  it  is  !  it  is  worth  knowing,  however.     And 

what  may  be  the  French  for  pea-jacket  ?  " 

"  You  mistake  me,  sir, — ditter,  a  circuit,  or  the  longer  way." 

"That  is  the  road  we  are  now  travelling,  by  George! — I 
say,  Leach,  do  you  happen  to  know  that  we  are  making  a  dit- 
ter to  America  ? ', 

"  You  were  speaking  of  a  church,  Captain  Truck,"  politely 
interposed  Sir  George,  who  had  become  rather  intimate  with 
his  fellow-occupant  of  the  stateroom. 

"  I  was  travelling  through  that  state,  a  few  years  since  on  my 
way  from  Providence  to  New  London,  at  a  time  when  a  new 
road  had  just  been  opened.  It  was  on  a  Sunday,  and  the  stage 
— a  four-horse  power,  you  must  know — had  never  yet  run 
through  on  the  Lord's-day.  Well,  we  might  be,  as  it  were,  off 
here  at  right  angles  to  our  course,  and  there  was  a  short  turn 
in  the  road,  as  one  would  say,  out  yonder.  As  we  hove  in  sight 
of  the  turn,  I  saw  a  chap  at  the  mast-head  of  a  tree  ;  down  he 
slid,  and  away  he  went  right  before  it,  towards  a  meeting-house 
two  or  three  cables  length  down  the  road.  We  followed  at  a 
smart  jog,  and  just  before  we  got  the  church  abeam,  out 
poured  the  whole  congregation,  horse  and  foot,  parson  and 
idlers,  sinners  and  hypocrites,  to  see  the  four-horse  power  go 
past.  Now  this  is  what  I  call  keeping  the  church-door  open 
on  a  Sunday." 


96  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

We  might  have  hesitated  about  recording  this  anecdote  of 
the  captain's,  had  we  not  received  an  account  of  the  same  oc- 
currence from  a  quarter  that  left  no  doubt  that  his  version  of 
the  affair  was  substantially  correct.  This  and  a  few  similar  ad- 
ventures, some  of  which  he  invented,  and  all  of  which  he  swore 
were  literal,  enabled  the  worthy  master  to  keep  the  quarter- 
deck in  good  humor,  while  the  ship  was  running  at  the  rate  of 
ten  knots  the  hour  in  a  line  so  far  diverging  from  her  true 
course.  But  the  relief  to  landsmen  is  so  great,  in  general,  in 
meeting  with  a  fair  wind  at  sea,  that  few  are  disposed  to  quar- 
rel with  its  consequences.  A  bright  day,  a  steady  ship,  the 
pleasure  of  motion  as  they  raced  with  the  combing  seas,  and 
the  interest  of  the  chase,  set  every  one  at  ease ;  and  even 
Steadfast  Dodge  was  less  devoured  with  envy,  a  jealousy  of  his 
own  deservings,  and  the  desire  of  management,  than  usual, 
not  an  introduction  occurred,  and  yet  the  little  world  of  the 
ship  got  to  be  better  acquainted  with  each  other  in  the  course 
of  that  day,  than  would  have  happened  in  months  of  the  usual 
collision  on  land. 

The  Montauk  continued  to  gain  on  her  pursuer  until  the  sun 
set,  when  Captain  Truck  began  once  more  to  cast  about  him 
for  the  chances  of  the  night.  He  knew  that  the  ship  was  run- 
ning into  the  mouth  of  the  Bay  of  Biscay,  or  at  least  was  fast 
approaching  it,  and  he  bethought  him  of  the  means  of  getting 
to  the  westward.  The  night  promised  to  be  anything  but  dark, 
for  though  a  good  many  wild-looking  clouds  were  by  this  time 
scudding  athwart  the  heavens,  the  moon  diffused  a  sort  of  twi- 
light gleam  in  the  air.  Waiting  patiently,  however,  until  the 
middle  watch  was  again  called,  he  reduced  sail,  and  hauled  the 
ship  off  to  a  southwest  course,  hoping  by  this  slight  change  in- 
sensibly to  gain  an  offing  before  the  Foam  was  aware  of  it  ;  a 
scheme  that  he  thought  more  likely  to  be  successful,  as  by  dint 
of  sheer  driving  throughout  the  day,  he  had  actually  caused  the 
courses  of  that  vessel  to  dip  before  the  night  shut  in 

Even  the  most  vigilant  become  weary  of  watching,  and  Cap- 
tain Truck  was  unpleasantly  disturbed  next  morning  by  an 
alarm  that  the  Foam  was  just  out  of  gun-shot,  coming  up  with 
them  fast.  On  gaining  the  deck,  he  found  the  fact  indispu- 
table. Favored  by  the  change  in  the  course,  the  cruiser  had 
been  gradually  gaining  on  the  Montauk  ever  since  the  first  watch 
was  relieved,  and  had  indeed  lessened  the  distance  between  the 
respective  ships  by  two-thirds.  No  remedy  remained  but  to 
try  the  old  expedient  of  getting  the  wind  over  the  taffrail  once 
more,  and  of  showing  all  the  canvas  that  could  be  spread.  As 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


97 


like  causes  are  known  to  produce  like  effects,  the  expedient 
brought  about  the  old  results.  The  packet  had  the  best  of  it, 
and  the  sloop  of  war  slowly  fell  astern.  Mr.  Truck  now  de- 
clared he  would  make  a  "  regular  business  of  it,"  and  accord- 
ingly he  drove  his  ship  in  that  direction  throughout  the  day, 
the  following  night,  and  until  near  noon  of  the  day  that  suc< 
ceeded,  varying  his  course  slightly  to  suit  the  wind,  which  he 
studiously  kept  so  near  aft  as  to  allow  the  studding-sails  to  draw 
on  both  sides.  At  meridian,  on  the  fourth  day  out,  the  captain 
got  a  good  observation,  and  ascertained  that  the  ship  was  in 
the  latitude  of  Oporto,  with  an  offing  of  less  than  a  degree.  At 
this  time  the  top-gallant  sails  of  the  Foam  might  be  discovered 
from  the  deck,  resembling  a  boat  clinging  to  the  watery  hori- 
zon. As  he  had  fully  made  up  his  mind  to  run  into  port  in 
preference  to  being  overhauled,  the  master  had  kept  so  near 
the  land,  with  an  intention  of  profiting  by  his  position,  in  the 
event  of  any  change  favoring  his  pursuers  ;  but  now  he  be- 
lieved that  at  sunset  he  should  be  safe  in  finally  shaping  his 
course  for  America. 

"  There  must  be  double-fortified  eyes  aboard  that  fellow  to 
see  what  we  are  about  at  this  distance,  when  the  night  is  once 
shut  in,"  he  said  to  Mr.  Leach,  who  seconded  all  his  orders 
with  obedient  zeal,  "  and  we  will  watch  our  moment  to  slip  out 
fairly  into  the  great  prairie,  and  then  we  shall  discover  who 
best  knows  the  trail  !  You'll  be  for  trotting  off  to  the  prairies, 
Sir  George,  as  soon  as  we  get  in,  and  for  trying  your  hand  at 
the  buffaloes,  like  all  the  rest  of  them.  Ten  years  since,  if  an 
Englishman  came  to  look  at  us,  he  was  afraid  of  being  scalped 
on  Broadway,  and  now  he  is  never  satisfied  unless  he  is  astrad- 
dle of  the  Rocky  Mountains  in  the  first  fortnight.  I  take  over 
lots  of  cockney  hunters  every  summer,  who  just  get  a  shot  at  a 
grizzly  bear  or  two,  or  at  an  antelope  and  come  back  in  time 
for  the  opening  of  Drury  Lane." 

"  Should  we  not  be  more  certain  of  accomplishing  your 
plans,  by  seeking  refuge  in  Lisbon  for  a  day  or  two  ?  I  confess 
now  I  should  like  to  see  Lisbon,  and  as  for  the  port-charges, 
I  would  rather  pay  them  twice,  than  that  this  poor  man  should 
be  torn  from  his  wife.  On  this  point  I  hope,  Captain  Truck, 
I  have  made  myself  sufficiently  explicit." 

Captain  Truck  shook  the  baronet  heartily  by  the  hand,  as 
he  always  did  when  this  offer  was  renewed,  declaring  that  his 
feelings  did  him  honor. 

"  Never  fear  for  Davis,"  he  said.  "  Old  Grab  shall  not 
have  him  this  tack,  nor  the  Foam  neither.  I'll  throw  him  over- 


98  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

board  before  such  a  disgrace  befall  us  or  him.  Well,  this  leech 
has  driven  us  from  the  old  road,  and  nothing  now  remains  but 
to  make  the  southern  passage,  unless  the  wind  prevail  at 
south." 

The  Montauk,  in  truth,  had  not  much  varied  from  a  course 
that  was  once  greatly  in  favor  with  the  London  ships,  Lisbon 
and  New  York  being  nearly  in  the  same  parallel  of  ktitude? 
and  the  currents,  if  properly  improved,  often  favoring  the  run. 
It  is  true,  the  Montauk  had  kept  closer  in  with  the  continent 
by  a  long  distance  than  was  usual,  even  for  the  passage  he  had 
named  ;  but  the  peculiar  circnmstances  of  the  chase  had  left 
no  alternative,  as  the  master  explained  to  his  listeners. 

"  It  was  a  coasting  voyage,  or  a  tow  back  to  Portsmouth, 
Sir  George,"  he  said,  "  and  of  the  two,  I  know  you  like  the 
Montauk  too  well  to  wish  to  be  quit  of  her  so  soon." 

To  this  the  baronet  gave  a  willing  assent,  protesting  that 
his  feelings  had  got  so  much  enlisted  on  the  side  of  the  vessel 
he  was  in,  that  he  would  cheerfully  forfeit  a  thousand  pounds 
rather  than  be  overtaken.  The  master  assured  him  that  was 
just  what  he  liked,  and  swore  that  he  was  the  sort  of  passenger 
he  most  delighted  in. 

"  When  a  man  puts  his  foot  on  the  deck  of  a  ship,  Sir 
George,  he  should  look  upon  her  as  his  home,  his  church,  his 
wife  and  children,  his  uncles  and  aunts,  and  all  the  other  lum- 
ber ashore.  This  is  the  sentiment  to  make  seamen.  Now,  I 
entertain  a  greater  regard  for  the  shortest  ropeyarn  aboard 
this  ship,  than  for  the  topsail-sheets  or  best  bower  of  any  other 
vessel.  It  is  like  a  man's  loving  his  own  finger  or  toe,  before 
another  person's.  I  have  heard  it  said  that  one  should  love 
his  neighbor  as  well  as  himself  ;  but  for  my  part  I  love  my  ship 
better  than  my  neighbor's  or  my  neighbor  himself  ;  and  I  fancy 
if  the  truth  were  known,  my  neighbor  pays  me  back  in  the  same 
coin  !  For  my  .part,  I  like  a  thing  because  it  is  mine." 

A  little  before  dark  the  head  of  the  Montauk  was  inclined 
towards  Lisbon,  as  if  her  intention  was  to  run  in,  but  the  mo- 
ment the  dark  spot  that  pointed  out  the  position  of  the  Foam 
was  lost  in  the  haze  of  the  horizon,  Captain  Truck  gave  the 
order  to  "  ware,'''  and  sail  was  made  to  the  west-southwest. 

Most  of  the  passengers  felt  an  intense  curiosity  to  know 
the  state  of  things  on  the  following  morning,  and  all  the  men 
among  them  were  dressed  and  on  deck  just  as  the  day  began 
to  break.  The  wind  had  been  fresh  and  steady  all  night,  and 
as  the  ship  had  been  kept  with  her  yards  a  little  checked,  and 
topmost  studding-sails  set,  the  officers  reported  her  to  be  at 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  99 

least  a  hundred  miles  to  the  westward  of  the  spot  where  she 
veered.  The  reader  will  imagine  the  disappointment  the  latte- 
experinced,  then,  when  they  beheld  the  Foam  a  little  on  their 
weather-quarter,  edging  away  for  them  as  assidously  as  she  had 
been  hauling  up  for  them  the  night  they  sailed  from  Portsmouth, 
distant  little  more  than  a  league  ! 

"This  is  indeed  extraordinary  perseverance,"  said  Paul 
Blunt  to  Eve?  at  whose  side  he  was  standing  at  the  moment 
the  fact  was  ascertained,  "and  I  think  our  captain  might  do 
well  to  heave-to  and  ascertain  its  cause." 

"  I  hope  not,"  cried  his  companion  with  vivacity.  "  I  con- 
fess to  an  esprit  de  corps,  and  a  gallant  determination  to  *  see  it 
out,'  as  Mr.  Leach  styles  his  own  resolution.  One  does  not 
like  to  be  followed  about  the  ocean  in  this  manner,  unless  it  be 
for  the  interest  it  gives  the  voyage.  After  all,  how  much  bet- 
ter is  this  than  dull  solitude,  and  what  a  zest  it  gives  to  the 
monotony  of  the  ocean  !  " 

"  Do  you  then  find  the  ocean  a  scene  of  monotony  ? " 

"  Such  it  has  oftener  appeared  to  me  than  anything  else, 
and  I  give  it  a  fair  trial,  having  never  le  mal  de  mer.  But  I 
acquit  it  of  this  sin  now  ;  for  the  interest  of  a  chase,  in  reason- 
ably good  weather,  is  quite  equal  to  that  of  a  horse-race,  which 
is  a  thing  I  delight  in.  Even  Mr.  John  Effingham  can  look 
radiant  under  its  excitement." 

'*  And  when  this  is  the  case,  he  is  singularly  handsome,  a 
nobler  outline  of  face  is  seldom  seen  than  that  of  Mr.  John 
Efrlngham." 

"  He  has  a  noble  outline  of  soul,  if  he  did  but  know  it  him- 
self," returned  Eve,  warmly:  "I  love  no  one  as  much  as  he, 
with  the  exception  of  my  father,  and  as  Mademoiselle  Viefville 
would  say  pour  cause" 

The  young  man  could  have  listened  all  day,  but  Eve  smiled, 
bowed  graciously,  though  with  a  glistening  eye,  and  hastily  left 
the  deck,  conscious  of  having  betrayed  some  of  her  most  cher- 
ished feelings  to  one  who  had  no  claim  to  share  them. 

Captain  Truck,  while  vexed  to  his  heart's  core,  or,  as  he 
expressed  it  himself,  "  struck  aback,  like  an  old  lady  shot  off  a 
hand-sled  in  sliding  down  hill,"  was  prompt  in  applying  tjie  old 
remedy  to  the  evil.  The  Montauk  was  again  put  before  the 
wind,  sail  was  made,  and  the  fortunes  of  the  chase  were  once 
more  cast  on  the  "  play  of  the  ship." 

The  commander  gf  the  Foam  certainly  deprecated  this 
change,  for  it  was  hardly  made  before  he  set  his  ensign,  and 
fired  a  gun.  But  of  these  signals  no  other  notice  was  taken 


loo  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

than  to  show  a  flag  in  return,  when  the  captain  and  his  mates 
proceeded  to  get  the  bearings  of  the  sloop-of-war.  Ten  minutes 
showed  they  were  gaining ;  twenty  did  better ;  and  in  an  houl 
she  was  well  on  the  quarter. 

Another  day  of  strife  succeeded,  or  rather  of  pure  sailing, 
for  not  a  rope  was  started  on  board  the  Montauk,  the  wind  still 
standing  fresh  and  steady.  The  sloop  made  many  signals,  all 
indicating  a  desire  to  speak  the  Montauk,  but  Captain  Truck 
declared  himself  too  experienced  a  navigator  to  be  caught  by 
bunting,  and  in  too  great  a  hurry  to  stop  and  chat  by  the  way. 

"  Vattel  has  laid  down  no  law  for  such  a  piece  of  complais- 
ance, in  a  time  of  profound  peace.  I  am  not  to  be  caught  by 
that  category." 

The  result  may  be  anticipated  from  what  has  been  already 
related.  The  two  ships  kept  before  the  wind  until  the  Foam 
was  again  far  astern,  and  the  observations  of  Captain  Truck 
told  him  he  was  as  far  south  as  the  Azores.  In  one  of  these 
islands  he  was  determined  to  take  refuge,  provided  he  was  not 
favored  by  accident,  for  going  farther  south  was  out  of  the 
question,  unless  absolutely  driven  to  it.  Calculating  his  dis- 
tance, on  the  evening  of  the  sixth  day  out,  he  found  that  he 
might  reach  an  anchorage  at  Pico,  before  the  sloop-of-war 
could  close  with  him,  even  allowing  the  necessity  of  hauling  up 
again  by  the  wind. 

But  Providence  had  ordered  differently.  Towards  midnight, 
the  breeze  almost  failed  and  became  baffling,  and  when  the  day 
dawned  the  officer  of  the  watch  reported  that  it  was  ahead. 
The  pursuing  ship,  though  still  in  sight,  was  luckily  so  far 
astern  and  to  leeward  as  to  prevent  any  danger  from  a  visit  by 
boats,  and  there  was  leisure  to  make  the  preparations  that 
might  become  necessary  on  the  springing  up  of  a  new  breeze. 
Of  the  speedy  occurrence  of  such  a  change  there  was  now  every 
symptom,  the  heavens  lighting  up  at  the  northwest,  a  quarter 
from  which  the  genius  of  the  storms  mostly  delights  in  making 
a  display  of  his  power. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


CHAPTER  X. 

I  come  with  mightier  things  ; 
Who  calls  me  silent  ?     I  have  many  tones — 
The  dark  sky  thrills  wfth  low  mysterious  moans t 
Borne  on  my  sweeping  winds. 

MRS.  HEMANS, 

THE  awaking  of  the  winds  on  the  ocean  is  frequently  attended 
with  signs  and  portents  as  sublime  as  any  the  fancy  can  con- 
ceive. On  the  present  occasion,  the  breeze  that  had  pre- 
vailed so  steadily  for  a  week  was  succeeded  by  light  baffling 
puffs,  as  if,  conscious  of  the  mighty  powers  of  the  air  that  were 
assembling  in  their  strength,  these  inferior  blasts  were  hurrying 
to  and  fro  for  a  refuge.  The  clouds,  too,  were  whirling  about 
in  uncertain  eddies,  many  of  the  heaviest  and  darkest  descend- 
ing so  low  along  the  horizon,  that  they  had  an  appearance  of 
settling  on  the  waters  in  quest  of  repose.  But  the  waters  them- 
selves were  unnaturally  agitated.  The  billows,  no  longer  fol- 
lowing each  other  in  long  regular  waves  were  careering 
upwads,  like  fiery  coursers  suddenly  checked  in  their  mad  ca- 
reer. The  usual  order  of  the  eternally  unquiet  ocean  was  lost 
in  a  species  of  chaotic  tossings  of  the  element,  the  seas  heav- 
ing themselves  upward,  without  order,  and  frequently  without 
visible  cause.  This  was  the  reaction  of  the  currents,  and  of  the 
influence  of  breezes  still  older  than  the  last.  Not  the  least 
fearful  symptom  of  the  hour  was  the  terrific  calmness  of  the 
air  amid  such  a  scene  of  menacing  wildness.  Even  the  ship 
came  into  the  picture  to  aid  the  impression  of  intense  expecta- 
tion ;  for  with  her  canvas  reduced,  she,  too,  seemed  to  have 
lost  that  instinct  which  had  so  lately  guided  her  along  the 
trackless  waste,  and  was  "  wallowing,"  nearly  helpless,  among 
the  confused  waters,  Still  she  was  a  beautiful  and  a  grand 
object,  perhaps  more  so  at  that  moment  than  at  any  other ;  for 
her  vast  and  naked  spars,  her  well-supported  masts,  and  all  the 
ingenious  and  complicated  hamper  of  the  machine,  gave  her 
a  resemblance  to  some  sinewy  and  gigantic  gladiator,  pacing 
the  arena,  in  waiting  for  the  conflict  that  was  at  hand. 

"  This  is  an  extraordinary  scene/'  said  Eve,  who  clung 
to  her  father's  arm,  as  she  gazed  around  her  equally  in  admir- 
ation and  in  awe  ;  "  a  dreadful  exhibition  of  the  sublimity  of 
nature !  " 


102  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  Although  accustomed  to  the  sea,"  returned  Mr.  Blunt,  "  I 
have  witnessed  these  ominous  changes  but  twice  before,  and  I 
think  this  the  grandest  of  them  all." 

"  Were  the  others  followed  by  tempests  ?  "  inquired  the 
anxious  parent. 

"  One  brought  a  tremendous  gale,  while  the  other  passed 
away  like  a  misfortune  of  which  we  get  a  near  view,  but  are 
permitted  to  escape  the  effects." 

"  I  do  not  know  that  I  wish  such  to  be  entirely  our  present 
fortune,"  rejoined  Eve,  "  for  there  is  so  much  sublimity  in  this 
view  of  the  ocean  unaroused,  that  I  feel  desirous  of  seeing  it 
when  aroused." 

"  We  are  not  in  the  hurricane  latitudes,  or  hurricane  months," 
resumed  the  young  man,  "  and  it  is  not  probable  that  there  is 
anything  more  in  reserve  for  us  than  a  hearty  gale  of  wind, 
which  may,  at  least  help  us  to  get  rid  of  yonder  troublesome 
follower." 

"  Even  that  I  do  not  wish,  provided  he  will  let  us  continue 
the  race  on  our  proper  route.  A  chase  across  the  Atlantic 
would  be  something  to  enjoy  at  the  moment,  gentlemen,  and 
something  to  talk  of  in  after  life." 

"  I  wonder  if  such  a  thing  be  possible  !  "  exclaimed  Mr. 
Sharp  ;  "  it  would  indeed  be  an  incident  to  recount  to  another 
generation !  " 

"  There  is  little  probability  of  our  witnessing  such  an  ex- 
ploit," Mr.  Blunt  remarked,  "  for  gales  of  wind  on  the  ocean 
have  the  same  separating  influence  on  consorts  of  the  sea,  that 
domestic  gales  have  on  consorts  of  the  land.  Nothing  is  more 
difficult  than  to  keep  ships  and  fleets  in  sight  of  each  other  in 
very  heavy  weather,  unless  indeed,  those  of  the  best  qualities 
are  disposed  to  humor  those  of  the  worst." 

"  I  know  not  which  may  be  called  the  best,  or  which  the  worst, 
in  this  instance,  for  our  tormentor  appears  to  be  as  much  bet- 
ter than  ourselves  in  some  particulars,  as  we  are  better  than  he 
in  others.  If  the  humoring  is  to  come  from  our  honest  captain, 
it  will  be  some  such  humoring  as  the  spoiled  child  gets  from  a 
capricious  parent  in  moments  of  anger." 

Mr.  Truck  passed  the  group  at  that  instant,  and  heard  his 
name  coupled  with  the  word  honest,  in  the  mouth  of  Eve, 
though  he  lost  the  rest  of  the  sentence. 

"  Thank  you  for  the  compliment,  my  dear  young  lady,"  he 
said  ;  "  and  I  wish  I  could  persuade  Captain  Somebody,  of  his 
Britannic  Majesty's  ship  Foam,  to  be  of  the  same  way  of  think- 
ing. It  is  all  because  he  will  not  fancy  me  honest  in  the  article 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  103 

of  tobacco,  that  he  has  got  the  Montauk  down  here,  on  the 
Spanish  coast,  where  the  man  who  built  her  would  not  kno\'v 
her ;  so  unnatural  and  unseemly  is  it  to  catch  a  London  liner 
so  far  out  of  her  track.  I  shall  have  to  use  double  care  to  get 
the  good  craft  home  again." 

"  And  why  this  particular  difficulty,  captain  ?  "  Eve,  who 
was  amused  with  Mr.  Truck's  modes  of  speech,  pleasantly  in- 
quired. "  Is  it  not  equally  easy  to  go  from  one  part  of  the  ocean 
as  from  another  ?  " 

"  Equally  easy  !  Bless  you,  my  dear  young  lady,  you  never 
made  a  more  capital  mistake  in  your  life.  Do  you  imagine  it 
is  as  easy  to  go  from  London  to  New  York,  as  to  go  from  New 
York  to  London  ? " 

"  I  am  so  ignorant  as  to  have  made  this  ridiculous  mistake, 
if  mistake  it  be  ;  nor  do  I  now  see  why  it  should  be  other- 
wise." 

"  Simply  because  it  is  up-hill,  ma'am.  As  for  our  position 
here  to  the  eastward  of  the  Azores,  the  difficulty  is  soon  ex- 
plained. By  dint  of  coaxing  I  had  got  the  good  old  ship  so  as 
to  know  every  inch  of  the  road  on  the  northern  passage,  and 
now  I  shall  be  obliged  to  wheedle  her  along  on  a  new  route, 
like  a  shy  horse  getting  through  a  new  stable-door.  One  might 
as  well  think  of  driving  a  pig  from  his  sty,  as  so  get  a  ship  out 
of  her  track." 

"  We  trust  to  you  to  do  all  this  and  much  more  at  need. 
But  to  what  will  these  grand  omens  lead  ?  Shall  we  have  a 
gale,  or  is  so  much  magnificent  menacing  to  be  taken  as  an 
empty  threat  of  Nature's  ?  " 

"  That  we  shall  know  in  the  course  of  the  day,  Miss  Effing- 
ham,  though  Nature  is  no  bully,  and  seldom  threatens  in  vain. 
There  is  nothing  more  curious  to  study,  or  which  needs  a  nicer 
eye  to  detect,  than  your  winds." 

"Of  the  latter  I  am  fully  persuaded,  captain,  tor  they  are 
called  the  '  viewless  winds,'  you  will  remember,  and  the 
greatest  authority  we  possess,  speaks  of  them  as  being  quite 
beyond  the  knowledge  of  man  :  '  That  we  may  hear  the  sound 
of  the  wind,  but  cannot  tell  whence  it  cometh,  or  whither  it 
goeth." ' 

"  I  do  not  remember  the  writer  you  mean,  my  dear  young 
lady,"  returned  Mr.  Truck,  quite  innocently ;  "  but  he  was  a 
sensible  fellow,  for  I  believe  Vattel  has  never  yet  dared  to 
grapple  with  the  winds.  There  are  people  who  fancy  the 
weather  is  foretold  in  the  almanac  ;  but,  according  to  my  opin- 
ion, it  is  safer  to  trust  a  rheurnatis'  of  two  or  three  years' 


104  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

standing.  A  good,  well-established,  old-fashioned  rheumatis' 
— I  say  nothing  of  your  new-fangled  diseases,  like  the  cholera, 
and  varioloid,  and  animal  magnitudes — but  a  good  old-fash- 
ioned rheumatis',  such  as  people  used  to  have  when  I  was  a 
boy,  is  as  certain  a  barometer  as  that  which  is  at  this  moment 
hanging  up  in  the  coachhouse  here,  within  two  fathoms  of  the 
very  spot  where  we  are  standing.  I  once  had  a  rheumatis'  that 
I  set  much  store  by,  for  it  would  let  me  know  when  to  look  out 
for  easterly  weather,  quite  as  infallibly  as  any  instrument  I  ever 
sailed  with.  I  never  told  you  the  story  of  the  old  Connecticut 
horse-jockey,  and  the  typhoon,  I  believe  ;  and  as  we  are  doing 
nothing  but  waiting  for  the  weather  to  make  up  its  mind — " 

"  The  weather  to  make  up  its  mind  !  "  exclaimed  Eve,  look- 
ing around  her  in  awe  at  the  sublime  and  terrific  grandeur  of 
the  ocean,  of  the  heavens,  and  of  the  pent  and  moody  air ; 
"  is  there  an  uncertainty  in  this  ?  " 

"  Lord  bless  you  !  my  dear  young  lady,  the  weather  is  often 
as  uncertain,  and  as  undecided,  and  as  hard  to  please,  too,  as 
an  old  girl  who  gets  sudden  offers  on  the  same  day,  from  a 
widower  with  ten  children,  an  attorney  with  one  leg,  and  the 
parson  of  the  parish.  Uncertain,  indeed  !  Why  I  have  known 
the  weather  in  this  grandiloquent  condition  for  a  whole  day. 
Mr.  Dodge,  there,  will  tell  you  it  is  making  up  its  mind  which 
way  it  ought  to  blow,  to  be  popular ;  so,  as  we  have  nothing 
better  to  do,  Mr.  Effingham,  I  will  tell  you  the  story  about  my 
neighbor,  the  horse-jockey.  Hauling  yards  when  there  is  no 
wind,  is  like  playing  on  a  Jew's-harp,  at  a  concert  of  trom- 
bones." 

Mr.  Efringham  made  a  complaisant  sign  of  assent,  and 
pressed  the  arm  of  the  excited  Eve  for  patience. 

"  You  must  know,  gentlemen,"  the  captain  commenced, 
looking  round  to  collect  as  many  listeners  as  possible, — for  he 
excessively  disliked  lecturing  to  small  audiences,  when  he  had 
anything  to  say  that  he  thought  particularly  clever, — "you 
must  know  that  we  had  formerly  many  craft  that  went  between 
the  river  and  the  islands — " 

— "  The  river  ?  "  interrupted  the  amused  Mr.  Sharp. 

"  Certain  ;  the  Connecticut,  I  mean ;  we  all  call  it  the  river 
down  our  way — between  the  river  and  the  West  Indies,  with 
horses,  cattle,  and  other  knick-knacks  of  that  description. 
Among  others  was  old  Joe  Bunk,  who  had  followed  the  trade 
in  a  high-decked  brig  for  some  twenty-three  years,  he  and  the 
brig  having  grown  old  in  company,  like  man  and  wife.  About 
forty  years  since,  our  river  ladies  began  to  be  tired  of  their 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  105 

bohea,  and  as  there  was  a  good  deal  said  in  favor  of  souchong 
in  those  days,  an  excitement  was  got  up  on  the  subject,  as  Mr. 
Dodge  calls  it,  and  it  was  determined  to  make  an  experiment 
in  the  new  quality,  before  they  dipped  fairly  into  the  trade. 
Well,  what  do  you  suppose  was  done  in  the  premises,  as  Vattel 
says,  my  dear  young  lady  ?  " 

Eve's  eyes  were  still  on  the  grand  and  portentous  aspect  of 
the  heavens,  but  she  civilly  answered, — 

"  No  doubt  they  sent  to  a  shop  and  purchased  a  sample." 

"  Not  they ;  they  knew  too  much  for  that,  since  any  rogue 
of  a  grocer  might  cheat  them.  When  the  excitement  had  got  a 
little  headway  on  it,  they  formed  a  tea  society,  with  the  parson's 
wife  for  presidentess,  and  her  eldest  daughter  for  secretary.  In 
this  way  they  went  to  work,  until  the  men  got  into  the  fever 
too,  and  a  project  was  set  a-foot  to  send  a  craft  to  China  for  a 
sample  of  what  they  wanted." 

"  China  !  "  exclaimed  Eve,  this  time  looking  the  captain 
fairly  in  the  face. 

"  China,  certain  ;  it  lies  off  hereaway,  you  know,  round  on 
the  other  side  of  the  earth.  Well,  whom  should  they  choose  to 
go  on  the  errand  but  old  Joe  Bunk.  The  old  man  had  been  so 
often  to  the  island  and  back,  without  knowing  anything  of 
navigation,  they  thought  he  was  just  their  man,  as  there  was 
no  such  thing  as  losing  him." 

"  One  would  think  he  was  the  very  man  to  get  lost,"  ob- 
served Mr.  Effingham,  while  the  captain  fitted  a  fresh  cigar ; 
for  smoke  he  would,  and  did,  in  any  company,  that  was  out  of 
the  cabin,  although  he  always  professed  a  readiness  to  cease, 
if  any  person  disliked  the  fragrance  of  tobacco. 

"  Not  he,  sir ;  he  was  just  as  well  off  in  the  Indian  Ocean 
as  he  would  be  here,  for  he  knew  nothing  about  either.  Well, 
Joe  fitted  up  the  brig ,  the  Seven  Dollies  was  her  name  ;  for 
you  must  know  we  had  seven  ladies  in  the  town,  who  were  called 
Dolly,  and  they  each  of  them  used  to  send  a  colt,  or  a  steer,  or 
some  other  delicate  article  to  the  islands  by  Joe,  whenever  he 
went ;  so  he  fitted  up  the  Seven  Dollies,  hoisted  in  his  dollars, 
and  made  sail.  The  last  that  was  seen  or  heard  of  the  old 
man  for  eight  months,  was  off  Montauk,  where  he  was  fallen 
in  with,  two  days  out,  steering  southeasterly,  by  compass." 

"  I  should  think,"  observed  John  Effingham,  who  began  to 
arouse  himself  as  the  story  proceeded,  "  that  Mrs.  Bunk  must 
have  been  very  uneasy  all  this  time  ?  " 

"  Not  she ;  she  stuck  to  the  bohea  in  hopes  the  souchong 
would  arrive  before  the  restoration  of  the  Jews.  Arrive  it  did, 


-06  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

sure  enough,  at  the  end  of  eight  months,  and  a  capital  adven* 
ture  it  proved  for  all  concerned.  Old  Joe  got  a  great  name  in 
the  river  for  the  exploit,  though  how  he  got  to  China  no  one 
could  say,  or  how  he  got  back  again  ;  or,  for  a  long  time,  how 
he  got  the  huge  heavy  silver  teapot,  he  brought  home  with 
him." 

"  A  silver  teapot  ?  " 

"  Exactly  that  article.  At  last  the  truth  came  to  be  known  ; 
for  it  is  not  an  easy  matter  to  hide  anything  of  that  nature 
down  our  way ;  it  is  aristocratic,  as  Mr.  Dodge  says,  to  keep  a 
secret.  At  first  they  tried  Joe  with  all  sorts  of  questions,  but 
he  gave  them  *  guess,'  'for  guess.'  Then  people  began  to  talk,  and 
finally  it  was  fairly  whispered  that  the  old  man  had  stolen  the 
tea-pot.  This  brought  him  before  the  meeting. — Law  was  out 
of  the  question,  you  will  understand,  as  there  was  no  evi- 
dence ;  but  the  meeting  don't  stick  much  at  particulars,  provided 
people  talk  a  good  deal." 

"  And  the  result  ?  "  asked  John  Efringham,  "  I  suppose  the 
parish  took  the  teapot  and  left  Joe  the  grounds." 

"  You  are  as  far  out  of  the  way  as  we  are  here,  down  on  the 
coast  of  Spain  !  The  truth  is  just  this.  The  Seven  Dollies  was 
lying  among  the  rest  of  them,  at  anchor,  below  Canton,  with 
the  weather  as  fine  as  young  girls  love  to  see  it  in  May,  when 
Joe  began  to  get  down  his  yards,  to  house  his  masts,  and  to 
send  out  all  his  spare  anchors.  He  even  went  so  far  as  to  get 
two  hawsers  fastened  to  a  junk  that  had  grounded  a  little  ahead 
of  him.  This  made  a  talk  among  the  captains  of  the  vessels, 
and  some  came  on  board  to  ask  the  reason.  Joe  told  them  he 
was  getting  ready  for  the  typhoon  ;  but  when  they  inquired  his 
reasons  for  believing  there  was  to  be  a  typhoon  at  all,  Joe  looked 
solemn,  shook  his  head,  and  said  he  had  reasons  enough,  but 
they  were  his  own.  Had  he  been  explicit,  he  would  have  been 
laughed  at,  but  the  sight  of  an  old  gray-headed  man,  who  had 
been  at  sea  forty  years,  getting  ready  in  this  serious  manner, 
set  the  others  at  work  too  :  for  ships  follow  each  other's  move- 
ments, like  sheep  running  through  a  breach  in  the  fence.  Well, 
that  night  the  typhoon  came  in  earnest,  and  it  blew  so  hard, 
that  Joe  Bunk  said  he  could  see  the  houses  in  the  moon,  all  the 
air  having  blown  out  of  the  atmosphere." 

"  But  what  has  this  to  do  with  the  teapot,  Captain  Truck  ? " 

"  It  is  the  life  and  soul  of  it.  The  captains  in  port  were  so 
delighted  with  Joe's  foreknowledge,  that  they  clubbed,  and  pre- 
sented him  this  pot  as  a  testimony  of  their  gratitude  and  esteem. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  Ic>7 

He'd  got  to  be  popular  among  them,  Mr.  Dodge,  and  that  was 
the  way  they  proved  it." 

"  But,  pray,  how  did  he  know  the  storm  was  approaching  ? " 
asked  Eve,  whose  curiosity  had  been  awakened  in  spite  of  her 
self.  '•  It  could  not  have  been  that  his  '  foreknowledge'  was 
supernatural." 

"  That  no  one  can  say,  for  Joe  was  presbyterian-built,  as  we 
say,  kettle-bottomed,  and  stowed  well.  The  truth  was  not  dis- 
covered until  ten  years  afterwards,  when  the  old  fellow  got  to 
be  a  regular  cripple,  what  between  rheumatis,'  old  age,  and 
steaming.  One  day  he  had  an  attack  of  the  first  complaint, 
and  in  one  of  its  most  severe  paroxysms  when  nature  is  apt  to 
wince,  he  roared  three  times,  *  a  typhoon  !  a  typhoon !  a 
typhoon  ! '  and  the  murder  was  out.  Sure  enough,  the  next 
day  we  had  a  regular  northeaster ;  but  old  Joe  got  no  sign  of 
popularity  that  time.  And  now,  when  you  get  to  America,  gen- 
tlemen and  ladies,  you  will  be  able  to  say  you  have  heard  the 
story  of  Joe  Bunk  and  his  teapot." 

Thereupon  Captain  Truck  took  two  or  three  hearty  whiffs 
of  the  cigar,  turned  his  face  upwards,  and  permitted  the  smoke 
to  issue  forth  in  a  continued  stream  until  it -was  exhausted,  but 
still  keeping  his  head  raised  in  the  inconvenient  position  it  had 
taken.  The  eye  of  the  master,  fastened  in  this  manner  on 
something  aloft,  was  certain  to  draw  other  eyes  in  the  same 
direction,  and  in  a  few  seconds  all  around  him  were  gazing  in 
the  same  way,  though  none  but  himself  could  tell  why. 

"  Turn  up  the  watch  below,  Mr.  Leach,"  Captain  Truck  at 
length  called  out,  and  Eve  observed  that  he  threw  away  the 
cigar,  although  a  fresh  one  ;  a  proof,  as  she  fancied,  that  he  was 
preparing  for  duty. 

The  people  were  soon  at  their  places,  and  an  effort  was 
made  to  get  the  ship's  head  round  to  the  southward.  Although 
the  frightful  stillness  of  the  atmosphere  rendered  the  manoeuvre 
difficult,  it  succeeded  in  the  end,  by  profiting  by  the  passing 
and  fitful  currents,  that  resembled  so  many  sighings  of  the  air. 
The  men  were  then  sent  on  the  yards,  to  furl  all  the  canvas, 
with  the  exception  of  the  three  topsails  and  the  fore-course, 
most  of  it  having  been  merely  hauled  up  to  await  the  result. 
All  those  who  had  ever  been  at  sea  before,  saw  in  these  prep- 
arations proof  that  Captain  Truck  expected  the  change  would 
be  sudden  and  severe  :  still,  as  he  betrayed  no  uneasiness,  they 
hoped  his  measures  were  merely  those  of  prudence.  Mr.  Effing- 
ham  could  not  refrain  from  inquiring,  however,  if  there  existed 


108  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

any  immediate  motives  for  the  preparations  that  were  so  actively, 
though  not  hurriedly,  making. 

("  This  is  no  affair  for  the  rheumatis',"  returned  the  facetious 
master,  "  for,  look  you  here,  my  worthy  sir,  and  you,  my  dear 
young  lady," — this  was  a  sort  of  parental  familiarity  the  honest 
Jack  fancied  he  had  a  right  to  take  with  all  his  unmarried  female 
passengers,  in  virtue  of  his  office,  and  of  his  being  a  bachelor 
drawing  hard  upon  sixty ; — "  look  you  here,  my  dear  young 
lady,  and  you,  too,  ma'amselle,  for  you  can  understand  the  clouds, 
I  take  it,  if  they  are  not  French  clouds  ;  do  you  not  see  the 
manner  in  which  those  black-looking  rascals  are  putting  their 
heads  together  ?  They  are  plotting  something  quite  in  their  own 
way,  I'll  warrant  you." 

"  The  clouds  are  huddling,  and  rolling  over  each  other, 
certainly,"  returned  Eve,  who  had  been  struck  with  the  wild 
beauty  of  their  evolutions,  "  and  a  noble,  though  fearful  picture 
they  present ;  but  I  do  not  understand  the  particular  meaning 
of  it,  if  there  be  any  hidden  omen  in  their  airy  flights." 

"  No  rheumatis'  about  you,  young  lady,"  said  the  captain, 
jocularly  ;  "  too  young,  and  handsome,  and  too  modern,  too,  I 
dare  say,  for  that  old-fashioned  complaint.  But  on  one  cate- 
gory you  may  rely,  and  that  is,  that  nothing  in  nature  conspires 
without  an  object." 

"  But  I  do  not  think  vapor  whirling  in  a  current  of  air  is  a 
conspiracy,"  answered  Eve,  laughing,  "though  it  may  be  a 
category." 

"  Perhaps  not, — who  knows,  however ;  for  it  is  as  easy  to 
suppose  that  objects  understand  each  other,  as  that  horses  and 
dogs  understand  each  other.  We  know  nothing  about  it,  and, 
therefore,  it  behoves  us  to  say  nothing.  If  mankind  conversed 
only  of  the  things  they  understood,  half  the  words  might  be 
struck  out  of  the  dictionaries.  But,  as  I  was  remarking,  those 
clouds,  you  can  see,  are  getting  together,  and  are  making  ready 
for  a  start,  since  here  they  will  not  be  able  to  stay  much 
longer." 

"  And  what  will  compel  them  to  disappear  ?  " 

"  Do  me  the  favor  to  turn  your  eyes  here,  to  the  nor'west. 
You  see  an  opening  there  that  looks  like  a  crouching  lion  ;  is 
it  not  so  ?  " 

"  There  is  certainly  a  bright  clear  streak  of  sky  along  the 
margin  of  the  ocean,  that  has  quite  lately  made  its  appearance ; 
does  it  prove  that  the  wind  will  blow  from  that  quarter  ?  " 

"  Quite  as  much,  my  dear  young  lady,  as  when  you  open 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  IOQ 

your  window  it  proves  that  you  mean  to  put  your  head  out 
of  it." 

"  An  act  a  well-bred  young  woman  very  seldom  performs," 
observed  mademoiselle  Viefville  ;  "  and  never  in  a  town." 

"  No  ?  Well,  in  our  town  on  the  river,  the  women's  heads 
are  half  the  time  out  of  the  windows.  But  I  do  not  pretend, 
ma'amselle,  to  be  expert  in  proprieties  of  this  sort,  though 
I  can  venture  to  say  that  I  am  somewhat  of  a  judge  of  what 
the  winds  would  be  about  when  they  open  their  shutters.  This 
opening  to  the  nor'west,  then,  is  a  sure  sign  of  something 
coming  out  of  the  window,  well-bred  or  not." 

"But,"  added  Eve,  "the  clouds  above  us,  and  those  farther 
south,  appear  to  be  hurrying  towards  your  bright  opening, 
captain,  instead  of  from  it." 

"  Quite  in  nature,  gentlemen  ;  quite  in  nature,  ladies.  When 
a  man  has  fully  made  up  his  mind  to  retreat,  he  blusters  the 
most ;  and  one  step  forward  often  promises  two  backward. 
You  often  see  the  stormy  petterel  sailing  at  a  ship  as  if  he 
meant  to  come  aboard,  but  he  takes  good  care  to  put  his  helm 
down  before  he  is  fairly  in  the  rigging.  So  it  is  with  clouds, 
and  all  other  things  in  nature.  Vattel  says  you  may  make  a 
show  of  fight  when  your  necessities  require  it,  but  that  a 
neutral  cannot  fire  a  gun,  unless  against  pirates.  Now, 
these  clouds  are  putting  the  best  face  on  the  matter,  but  in  a 
few  minutes  you  will  see  them  wheeling  as  St.  Paul  did  before 
them." 

"  St.  Paul,  Captain  Truck  !  " 

"  Yes,  my  dear  young  lady ;  to  the  right  about." 

Eve  frowned,  for  she  disliked  some  of  these  nautical  images, 
though  it  was  impossible  not  to  smile  in  secret  at  the  queer 
associations  that  so  often  led  the  well-meaning  master's  dis- 
cursive discourse.  His  mind  was  a  strange  jumble  of  an  early 
religious  education, — religious  as  to  externals  and  professions, 
at  least, — with  subsequent  loose  observation  and  much  worldly 
experience,  and  he  drew  on  his  stock  of  information,  according 
to  his  own  account  of  the  matter,  "  as  Saunders,  the  Steward, 
cut  the  butter  from  the  firkins,  or  as  it  came  first." 

His  prediction  concerning  the  clouds  proved  to  be  true,  for 
half  an  hour  did  not  pass  before  they  were  seen  "  scampering 
out  of  the  way  of  the  nor'wester,"  to  use  the  captain's  figure, 
*'  like  sheep  giving  play  to  the  dogs."  The  horizon  brightened 
with  a  rapidity  almost  supernatural,  and,  in  a  surprisingly  short 
space  of  time,  the  whole  of  that  frowning  vault  that  had  been 
shadowed  by  murky  and  menacing  vapor,  sporting  its  gambols 


!  1 6  HOME  WARD  BOUND. 

in  ominous  wildness,  was  cleared  of  everything  like  a  cloud, 
with  the  exception  of  a  few  white,  rich,  fleecy  piles,  that  were 
grouped  in  the  north,  like  a  battery  discharging  its  artillery  on 
some  devoted  field. 

The  ship  betrayed  the  arrival  of  the  wind  by  a  cracking  of 
the  spars,  as  they  settled  into  their  places,  and  then  the  huge 
hull  began  to  push  aside  the  waters,  and  to  come  under  con- 
trol. The  first  shock  was  far  from  severe,  though,  as  the  cap- 
tain determined  to  bring  his  vessel  up  as  near  his  course  as  the 
direction  of  the  breeze  would  permit,  he  soon  found  he  had  as 
much  canvas  spread  as  she  could  bear.  Twenty  minutes 
brought  him  to  a  single  reef,  and  half  an  hour  to  a  second. 

By  this  time  attention  was  drawn  to  the  Foam.  The  old 
superiority  of  that  cruiser  was  now  apparent  again,  and  calcu- 
lations were  made  concerning  the  possibility  of  avoiding  her,  if 
they  continued  to  stand  on  much  longer  on  the  present  course. 
The  captain  had  hoped  the  Montauk  would  have  the  advantage 
from  her  greater  bulk,  when  the  two  vessels  should  be  brought 
down  to  close-reefed  topsails,  as  he  foresaw  would  be  the  case ; 
but  he  was  soon  compelled  to  abandon  even  that  hope.  Fur- 
ther to  the  southward  he  was  resolved  he  would  not  go,  as  it 
would  be  leading  him  too  far  astray,  and,  at  last,  he  came  to 
the  determination  to  stand  towards  the  islands,  which  were  as 
near  as  might  be  in  his  track,  and  to  anchor  in  a  neutral  road- 
stead, if  too  hard  pressed. 

"  He  cannot  get  up  with  us  before  midnight,  Leach,"  he  con- 
cluded the  conference  held  with  the  mate  by  saying  ;  "  and  by 
that  time  the  gale  will  be  at  its  height,  if  we  are  to  have  a  gale, 
and  then  the  gentleman  will  not  be  desirous  of  lowering  his 
boats.  In  the  mean  time,  we  shall  be  driving  in  towards  the 
Azores,  and  it  will  be  nothing  out  of  the  course  of  nature, 
should  I  find  an  occasion  to  play  him  a  trick.  As  for  offering 
up  the  Montauk  a  sacrifice  on  the  altar  of  tobacco,  as  old  Dea- 
con Hourglass  used  to  say  in  his  prayers,  it  is  a  category  to  be 
averted  by  any  catastrophe  short  of  condemnation." 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


CHAPTER  XL 

I,  that  shower  dewy  light 

Through  slumbering  leaves,  bring  storms ! — the  tempest  birth 
Of  memory,  thought,  remorse. — Be  holy,  Earth ! 

I  am  the  solemn  Night  ! 

MRS.  HEMANS. 

IN  this  instance,  it  is  not  our  task  to  record  any  of  the  phe- 
nomena of  the  ocean,  but  a  regular,  though  fierce  gale  of  wind. 
One  of  the  first  signs  of  its  severity  was  the  disappearance  of 
the  passengers  from  the  deck,  one  shutting  himself  into  his 
room  after  another,  until  none  remained  visible  but  John  Effing- 
ham  and  Paul  Blunt.  Both  these  gentlemen,  as  it  appeared, 
had  made  so  many  passages,  and  had  got  to  be  so  familiar  with 
ships,  that  sea-sickness  and  alarms  were  equally  impotent  as 
respects  their  constitutions  and  temperaments. 

The  poor  steerage-passengers  were  no  exception,  but  they 
stole  for  refuge  into  their  dens,  heartily  repentant,  for  the  time 
being,  at  having  braved  the  dangers  and  discomforts  of  the  sea. 
The  gentle  wife  of  Davis  would  now  willingly  have  returned  to 
meet  the  resentment  of  her  uncle  ;  and  as  for  the  bridegroom 
himself,  as  Mr.  Leach,  who  passed  through  this  scene  of  abom- 
inations to  see  that  all  was  right,  described  him, — "  Mr.  Grab 
would  not  wring  him  for  a  dishcloth,  if  he  could  see  him  in  his 
present  pickle." 

Captain  Truck  chuckled  a  good  deal  at  this  account,  for  he 
had  much  the  same  sympathy  for  ordinary  cases  of  sea-sickness, 
as  a  kitten  feels  in  the  agony  of  the  first  mouse  it  has  caught, 
and  which  it  is  its  sovereign  pleasure  to  play  with,  instead  of 
eating. 

"  It  serves  him  right,  Mr.  Leach,  for  getting  married  and 
mind  you  don't  fall  into  the  same  abuse  of  your  opportunities," 
he  said,  with  an  air  of  self-satisfaction,  while  comparing  three  or 
four  cigars  in  the  palm  of  his  hand,  doubtful  which  of  the  fra- 
grant plump  rolls  to  put  into  his  mouth.  "  Getting  married, 
Mr.  Blunt,  commonly  makes  a  man  a  fit  subject  for  nausea,  and 
nothing  is  easier  than  to  set  the  stomach-pump  in  motion  in  one 
of  your  bridegrooms  ;  is  not  this  true  as  the  gospel,  Mr,  John 
Effingham  ?  " 

Mr.  John  Effingham  made  no  reply, — but  the  young  man 
who  at  the  moment  was  admiring  his  fine  form,  and  the  noble 


112  HOMEWARD  BOUND* 

outline  of  his  features,  was  singularly  struck  with  the  bitterness, 
not  to  say  anguish,  of  the  smile  with  which  he  bowed  a  cold 
assent.  All  this  was  lost  on  Captain  Truck,  who  proceeded 
con  amore. 

"  One  of  the  first  things  that  I  ask  concerning  my  passen- 
gers is,  is  he  married  ?  when  the  answer  is  *  no,'  I  set  him 
down  as  a  good  companion  in  a  gale  like  this,  or  as  one  who 
can  smoke,  or  crack  a  joke  when  a  topsail  is  flying  out  of  a 
bolt-rope, — a  companion  for  a  category.  Now,  if  either  of  you 
gentlemen  had  a  wife,  she  would  have  you  under  hatches  to- 
day, lest  you  should  slip  through  a  scupperhole, — or  be  washed 
overboard  with  the  spray, — or  have  your  eyebrows  blown  away 
in  such  a  gale,  and  then  I  sho-uld  lose  the  honor  of  your  com- 
pany. Comfort  is  too  precious  to  be  thrown  away  in  matri- 
mony. A  man  may  gain  foreknowledge  by  a  wife,  but  he 
loses  free  agency.  As  for  you,  Mr.  John  Effingham,  you  must 
have  coiled  away  about  half  a  century  of  life,  and  there  is  not 
much  to  fear  on  your  account ;  but  Mr.  Blunt  is  still  young 
enough  to  be  in  danger  of  a  mishap.  I  wish  Neptune  would 
come  aboard  of  us,  hereaway,  and  swear  you  to  be  true  and 
constant  to  yourself,  young  gentleman." 

Paul  laughed,  colored  slightly,  and  then  rallying,  he  replied 
in  the  same  voice, — 

"  At  the  risk  of  losing  your  good  opinion,  captain,  and 
even  in  the  face  of  this  gale,  I  shall  avow  myself  an  advocate 
of  matrimony." 

"  If  you  will  answer  me  one  question,  my  dear  sir,  I  will 
tell  you  whether  the  case  is  or  is  not  hopeless." 

"  In  order  to  assent  to  this,  you  will  of  course  see  the 
necessity  of  letting  me  know  what  the  question  is." 

"  Have  you  made  up  your  mind  who  the  young  woman  shall 
be  ?  If  that  point  is  settled,  I  can  only  recommend  to  you 
some  of  Joe  Bunk's  souchong,  and  advise  you  to  submit,  for 
there  is  no  resisting  one's  fate.  The  reason  your  Turks  yield 
so  easily  to  predestination  and  fate,  is  the  number  of  their 
wives.  Many  a  book  is  written  to  show  the  cause  of  their 
submitting  their  necks  so  easily  to  the  sword  and  the  bow- 
string. I've  been  in  Turkey,  gentlemen,  and  know  something 
of  their  ways.  The  reason  of  their  submitting  so  quietly  to  be 
beheaded  is,  that  they  are  always  ready  to  hang  themselves. 
How  i$  the  fact,  sir  ?  have  you  settled  upon  the  young  lady  in 
your  own  mind  or  not  ?  " 

Although  there  was  nothing  in  all  this  but  the  permitted 
trifling  of  boon  companions  on  shipboard,  Paul  Blunt  re- 


HOMEWARD  113 

ceived  it  with  an  awkwardness  one  would  hardly  have  expected 
in  a  young  man  of  his  knowledge  of  the  world.  He  reddened, 
laughed,  made  an  effort  to  throw  the  captain  to  a  greater  dis- 
tance by  reserve,  and  in  the  end  fairly  gave  up  the  matter  by 
walking  to  another  part  of  the  deck.  Luckily,  the  attention  of 
the  honest  master  was  drawn  to  the  ship,  at  that  instant,  and 
Paul  flattered  himself  he  was  unperceived  ;  but  the  shadow  of 
a  figure  at  his  elbow  startled  him,  and  turning  quickly,  he 
found  Mr.  John  Effingham  at  his  side. 

"  Her  mother  was  an  angel,"  said  the  latter  huskily,  "  I 
too  love  her ;  but  it  is  as  a  father." 

"  Sir  ! — Mr.  Effingham  ! — These  are  sudden  and  unexpected 
remarks,  and  such  as  I  am  not  prepared  for." 

"  Do  you  think  one  as  jealous  of  that  fair  creature  as  I, 
could  have  overlooked  your  passion  ? — She  is  loved  by  both  of 
you,  and  she  merits  the  warmest  affection  of  a  thousand. 
Persevere,  for  while  I  have  no  voice,  and,  I  fear,  little  in- 
fluence on  her  decision,  some  strange  sympathy  causes  me  to 
wish  you  ^success.  My  own  man  told  me  that  you  have  met 
before,  and  with  her  father's  knowledge,  and  this  is  all  I  ask, 
for  my  kinsman  is  discreet.  He  probably  knows  you,  though 
I  do  not." 

The  face  of  Paul  glowed  like  fire,  and  he  almost  gasped  for 
breath.  Pitying  his  distress,  Effingham  smiled  kindly,  and  was 
about  to  quit  him,  when  he  felt  his  hand  convulsively  grasped 
by  those  of  the  young  man. 

"  Do  not  quit  me,  Mr.  Effingham,  I  entreat  you,"  he  said 
rapidly  ;  "  it  is  so  unusual  for  me  to  hear  words  of  confidence, 
or  even  of  kindness,  that  they  are  most  precious  to  me  !  I  have 
permitted  myself  to  be  disturbed  by  the  random  remarks  of 
that  well-meaning  but  unreflecting  man  ;  but  in  a  moment  I 
shall  be  more  composed — more  manly — less  unworthy  of  your 
attention  and  pity." 

"  Pity  is  a  word  I  should  never  have  thought  of  applying  to 
the  person,  character,  attainments,  or,  as  I  hoped,  fortunes  of 
Mr.  Blunt ;  and  I  sincerely  trust  that  you  will  acquit  me  of  im- 
pertinence. I  have  felt  an  interest  in  you,  young  man,  that  I 
have  long  ceased  to  feel  in  most  of  my  species,  and  I  trust  this 
will  be  some  apology  for  the  liberty  I  have  taken.  Perhaps  the 
suspicion  that  you  were  anxious  to  stand  well  in  the  good 
opinion  of  my  little  cousin  was  at  the  bottom  of  it  all." 

"  Indeed  you  have  not  misconceived  my  anxiety,  sir ;  for 
who  is  there  that  could  be  indifferent  to  the  good  opinion  of 
one  so  simple  and  yet  so  cultivated  ;  with  a  mind  in  which  nature 


,I4  HOMEWARD  BOUtfB. 

and  knowledge  seem  to  struggle  for  the  possession.  One,  Mr. 
Effingham,  so  little  like  the  cold  sophistication  and  heartlessness 
of  Europe  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  unformed  girlishness  of 
America,  on  the  other ;  one,  in  short,  so  every  way  what  the 
fondest  father  or  the  most  sensitive  brother  could  wish." 

John  Effingham  smiled,  for  to  smile  at  any  weakness  was 
with  him  a  habit ;  but  his  eye  glistened.  After  a  moment  of 
doubt,  he  turned  to  his  young  companion,  and  with  a  delicacy 
of  expression  and  a  dignity  of  manner  that  none  could  excel 
him  in,  when  he  chose,  he  put  a  question  that  for  several  days 
had  been  uppermost  in  his  thoughts,  though  no  fitting  occasion 
had  ever  before  offered,  on  which  he  thought  he  might  ven- 
ture 

"  This  frank  confidence  emboldens  me — one  who  ought  to 
be  ashamed  to  boast  of  his  greater  experience,  when  every  day 
shows  him  to  how  little  profit  it  has  been  turned, — to  presume 
to  render  our  acquaintance  less  formal  by  alluding  to  interests 
more  personal  than  strangers  have  a  right  to  touch  on.  You 
speak  of  the  two  parts  of  the  world  just  mentioned,  in  a  way  to 
show  me  you  are  equally  acquainted  with  both." 

"  I  have  often  crossed  the  ocean,  and,  for  so  young  a  man, 
have  seen  a  full  share  of  their  societies.  Perhaps  it  increases  my 
interest  in  your  lovely  kinswoman,  that,  like  myself,  she  properly 
belongs  to  neither." 

"  Be  cautious  how  you  whisper  that  in  her  ear,  my  youthful 
friend ;  for  Eve  Effingham  fancies  herself  as  much  American  in 
character  as  in  birth.  Single-minded  and  totally  without  man- 
agement; devoted  to  her  duties;  religious  without  cant;  a 
warm  friend  of  liberal  institutions,  without  the  slightest  approach 
to  the  impracticable  ;  in  heart  and  soul  a  woman  ;  you  will  find 
it  hard  to  persuade  her,  that  with  all  her  practice  in  the  world, 
and  all  her  extensive  attainments,  she  is  more  than  a  humble 
copy  of  her  own  great  beau  ideal" 

Paul  smiled,  and  his  eyes  met  those  of  John  Effingham — 
the  expression  of  both  satisfied  the  parties  that  they  thought 
alike  in  more  things  than  in  their  common  admiration  of  the 
subject  of  their  discourse. 

"  I  feel  I  have  not  been  as  explicit  as  I  ought  to  be  with 
you,  Mr.  Effingham,"  the  young  man  resumed,  after  a  pause 
"  but  on  a  more  fitting  occasion,  I  shall  presume  on  your 
kindness  to  be  less  reserved.  My  lot  has  thrown  me  on  the 
world,  almost  without  friends,  quite  without  relatives,  so  far  as 
intercourse  with  them  is  concerned ;  and  I  have  known  little  of 
the  language  or  the  acts  of  the  affections." 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  Hi* 

John  EfBngham  pressed  his  hand,  and  from  that  time  he 
cautiously  abstained  from  any  allusion  to  his  personal  concerns  ; 
for  a  suspicion  crossed  his  mind  that  the  subject  was  painful 
to  the  young  man.  He  knew  that  thousands  of  well-educated 
and  frequently  of  affluent  people,  of  both  sexes,  were  to  be  found 
in  Europe,  to  whom,  from  the  circumstance  of  having  been  born 
out  of  wedlock,  through  divorces,  or  other  family  misfortunes, 
their  private  histories  were  painful,  and  he  at  once  inferred 
that  some  such  event,  quite  probably  the  first,  lay  at  the  bottom 
of  Paul  Blunt's  peculiar  situation.  Nothwithstanding  his  warm 
attachment  to  Eve,  he  had  too  much  confidence  in  her  own  as 
well  as  her  father's  judgment,  to  suppose  an  acquaintance  of 
any  intimacy  would  be  lightly  permitted ;  and  as  to  the  mere 
prejudices  connected  with  such  subjects,  he  was  quite  free 
from  them.  Perhaps  his  masculine  independence  of  character 
caused  him,  on  all  such  points,- to  lean  to  the  side  of  the  ultra 
in  liberality. 

In  this  short  dialogue,  with  the  exception  of  the  slight 
though  unequivocal  allusion  of  John  Effingham,  both  had  avoided 
any  farther  allusions  to  Mr.  Sharp,  or  to 'his  supposed  attach- 
ment to  Eve.  Both  were  confident  of  its  existence,  and  this  per- 
haps was  one  reason  why  neither  felt  any  necessity  to  advert  to  it : 
for  it  was  a  delicate  subject,  and  one,  under  the  circumstances, 
that  they  would  mutually  wish  to  forget  in  their  cooler  moments. 
The  conversation  then  took  a  more  general  character,  and  for 
several  hours  that  day,  while  the  rest  of  the  passengers  were 
kept  below  by  the  state  of  the  weather,  these  two  were  together, 
laying,  what  perhaps  it  was  now  too  late  to  term,  the  founda- 
tion of  a  generous  and  sincere  friendship.  Hitherto  Paul  had 
regarded  John  Effingham  with  distrust  and  awe,  but  he  found 
him  a  man  so  different  from  what  report  and  his  own  fancy  had 
pictured,  that  the  reaction  in  his  feelings  served  to  heighten 
them,  and  to  aid  in  increasing  his  respect.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  young  man  exhibited  so  much  modest  good  sense,  a  fund 
of  information  so  much  beyond  his  years,  such  integrity  and 
justice  of  sentiment,  that  when  they  separated  for  the  "night, 
the  old  bachelor  was  full  of  regret  that  nature  had  not  made 
him  the  parent  of  such  a  son. 

All  this  time  the  business  of  the  ship  had  gone  on.  The 
wind  increased  steadily,  until  as  the  sun  went  down,  Captain 
Truck  announced  it  in  the  cabin,  to  be  a  "  regular-built  gale  of 
wind."  Sail  after  sail  had  been  reduced  or  furled,  until  the 
Montauk  was  lying-to  under  her  foresail,  a-  close-reefed  main- 
topsail,  a  fore-topmast  staysail,  and  a  mizzen  staysail.  Doubts 


Ii6  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

were  even  entertained  whether  the  second  of  these  sails  would 
not  have  to  be  handed  soon,  and  the  foresail  itself  reefed. 

The  ship's  head  was  to  the  south-southwest,  her  drift  con- 
siderable, and  her  way  of  course  barely  sufficient  to  cause  her 
to  feel  her  helm.  The  Foam  had  gained  on  her  several  miles 
during  the  time  sail  could  be  carried  ;  but  she  also,  had  been 
obliged  to  heave-to,  at  the  same  increase  of  the  sea  and  wind 
as  that  which  had  forced  Mr.  Truck  to  lash  his  wheel  down. 
This  state  of  things  made  a  considerable  change  in  the  relative 
positions  of  the  two  vessels  again  ;  the  next  morning  showing 
the  sloop-of-war  hull  down,  and  well  on  the  weather-beam  of 
the  packet.  Her  sharper  mould  and  more  weatherly  qualities 
had  done  her  this  service,  as  became  a  ship  intended  for  war 
and  the  chase. 

At  all  this,  however,  Captain  Truck  laughed.  He  could  not 
be  boarded  in  such  weather,  and  it  was  matter  of  indifference 
where  his  pursuer  might  be,  so  long  as  he  had  time  to  escape, 
when  the  gale  ceased.  On  the  whole,  he  was  rather  glad  than 
otherwise  of  the  present  state  of  things,  for  it  offered  a  chance 
to  slip  away  to  leeward  as  soon  as  the  weather  would  permit,  if, 
indeed,  his  tormentor  did  not  altogether  disappear  in  the 
northern  board,  or  to  windward 

The  hopes  and  fears  of  the  worthy  master,  however  were 
poured  principally  into  the  ears  of  his  two  mates  ;  for  few  of  the 
passengers  were  visible  until  the  afternoon  of  the  second  day  of 
the  gale  ;  then,  indeed,  a  general  relief  to  their  physical  suffering 
occurred,  though  it  was  accompanied  by  apprehensions  that 
scarcely  permitted  the  change  to  be  enjoyed.  About  noon,  on 
that  day,  the  wind  came  with  such  power,  and  the  seas  poured 
down  against  the  bows  of  the  ship  with  a  violence  so  tremendous, 
that  it  got  to  be  questionable  whether  she  could  any  longer  re- 
main with  safety  in  her  present  condition.  Several  times  in  the 
course  of  the  morning,  the  waves  had  forced  her  bows  off,  and 
before  the  ship  could  recover  her  position,  the  succeeding  billow 
would  break  against  her  broadside,  and  throw  a  flood  of  water 
on  her  decks.  This  is  a  danger  peculiar  to  lying-to  in  a  gale  ; 
for  if  the  vessel  get  into  the  trough  of  the  sea,  and  is  met  in 
that  situation  by  a  wave  of  unusual  magnitude,  she  runs  the 
double  risk  of  being  thrown  on  her  beam-ends,  and  of  having 
her  decks  cleared  of  everything,  by  the  cataract  of  water  that 
washes  athwart  them.  Landsmen  entertain  little  notion  of  the 
power  of  the  waters,  when  driven  before  a  tempest  and  are  often 
surprised,  in  reading  of  naval  catastrophes,  at  the  description  of 
the  injuries  done.  But  experience  shows  that  boats,  hurricane' 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  TIj 

houses,  guns,  anchors  of  enormous  weight,  bulwarks  and  planks, 
are  even  swept  off  into  the  ocean,  in  this  manner,  or  are  ripped 
up  from  their  fastenings. 

The  process  of  lying-to  has  a  double  advantage,  so  long  as 
it  can  be  maintained,  since  it  offers  the  strongest  portion  of 
the  vessel  to  the  shock  of  the  seas,  and  has  the  merit  of  keep- 
ing her  as  near  as  possible  to  the  desired  direction.  But  it  is 
a  middle  course,  being  often  adopted  as  an  expedient  of  safety 
when  a  ship  cannot  scud  ;  and  then,  again,  it  is  abandoned  for 
scudding  when  the  gale  is  so  intensely  severe  that  it  becomes 
in  itself  dangerous.  In  nothing  are  the  high  qualities  of  ships 
so  thoroughly  tried  as  in  their  manner  of  behaving,  as  it  is 
termed,  in  these  moments  of  difficulty ;  nor  is  the  seamanship 
of  the  accomplished  officer  so  triumphantly  established  in  any 
other  part  of  his  professional  knowledge,  as  when  he  has  had 
an  opportunity  of  showing  that  he  knows  how  to  dispose  of  the 
vast  weight  his  vessel  is  to  carry,  so  as  to  enable  her  mould  to 
exhibit  its  perfection,  and  on  occasion  to  turn  both  to  the  best 
account. 

Nothing  will  seem  easier  to  a  landsman  than  for  a  vessel  to 
run  before  the  wind,  let  the  force  of  the  gale  be  what  it  may. 
But  his  ignorance  overlooks  most  of  the  difficulties,  nor  shall 
we  anticipate  their  dangers,  but  let  them  take  their  places  in 
the  regular  thread  of  the  narrative. 

Long  before  noon,  or  the  hour  mentioned,  Captain  Truck 
foresaw  that,  in  consequence  of  the  seas  that  were  constantly 
coming  on  board  of  her,  he  should  be  compelled  to  put  his 
ship  before  the  wind.  He  delayed  the  manoeuvre  to  the  last 
moment,  however,  for  what  he  deemed  to  be  sufficient  reasons. 
The  longer  he  kept  the  ship  lying-to,  the  less  he  deviated  from 
his  proper  course  to  New  York,  and  the  greater  was  the  prob- 
ability of  his  escaping,  stealthily  and  without  observation  from 
the  Foam,  since  the  latter,  by  maintaining  her  position  better, 
allowed  the  Montauk  to  drift  gradually  to  leeward,  and,  of 
course,  to  a  greater  distance. 

But  the  crisis  would  no  longer  admit  of  delay.  All  hands 
were  called  ;  the  maintop-sail  was  hauled  up,  not  without  much 
difficulty,  and  then  Captain  Truck  reluctantly  gave  the  order  to 
haul  down  the  mizzen-staysail,  to  put  the  helm  hard  up,  and  to 
help-the  ship  round  with  the  yards.  This  is  at  all  times  a 
critical  change,  as  has  just  been  mentioned,  for  the  vessel  is 
exposed  to  the  ravages  of  any  sea,  larger  than  common,  that 
may  happen  to  strike  her  as  she  lies,  nearly  motionless,  with 
her  broadside  exposed  to  its  force.  To  accomplish  it,  there- 


tlS  HOMEWARD  BOUND. } 

fore,  Captain  Truck  went  up  a  few  ratlines  in  the  fore-rigging 
(he  was  too  nice  a  calculator  to  offer  even  a  surface  as  small 
as  his  own  body  to  the  wind,  in  the  after  shrouds,)  whence  he 
looked  out  to  windward  for  a -lull,  and  a  moment  when  the 
ocean  had  fewer  billows  than  common  of  the  larger  and  more 
dangerous  kind.  At  the  desired  instant  he  signed  with  his 
hand,  and  the  wheel  was  shifted  from  hard-down  to  hard-up. 

This  is  always  a  breathless  moment  in  a  ship,  for  as  none 
can  foresee  the  result,  it  resembles  the  entrance  of  a  hostile 
battery.  A  dozen  men  may  be  swept  away  in  an  instant,  or 
the  ship  herself  hove  over  on  her  side.  John  Effingham  and 
Paul,  who  of  all  the  passengers  were  alone  on  deck,  understood 
the  hazards,  and  they  watched  the  slightest  change  with  the 
interest  of  men  who  had  so  much  at  stake.  At  first  the  move- 
ment of  the  ship  was  sluggish,  and  such  as  ill-suited  the  eager- 
ness of  the  crew.  Then  her  pitching  ceased,  and  she  settled 
into  the  enormous  trough  bodily,  or  the  whole  fabric  sunk,  as 
it  were,  never  to  rise  again.  So  low  did  she  fall,  that  the  fore- 
sail gave  a  tremendous  flap  ;  one  that  shook  the  hull  and  spars 
from  stem  to  stern.  As  she  rose  on  the  next  surge,  happily 
its  foaming  crest  slid  beneath  her,  and  the  tall  masts  rolled 
heavily  to  windward.  Recovering  her  equilibrium,  the  ship 
started  through  the  brine,  and  as  the  succeeding  roller  came 
on,  she  was  urging  ahead  fast.  Still,  the  sea  struck  her  abeam 
forcing  her  bodily  to  leeward,  and  heaving  the  lower  yard-arms 
into  the  ocean.  Tons  of  water  fell  on  her  decks,  with  the  dull 
sound  of  the  clod  on  the  coffin.  At  this  grand  moment,  old 
Jack  Truck,  who  was  standing  in  the  rigging,  dripping  with  the 
spray,  that  had  washed  over  him,  with  a  naked  head,  and  his 
gray  hair  glistening,  shouted  like  a  Stentor,  "  Haul  in  your 
force-braces,  boys !  away  with  the  yard,  like  a  fiddlestick  ! " 
Every  nerve  was  strained  ;  the  unwilling  yards,  pressed  upon 
by  an  almost  irresistible  column  of  air  yielded  slowly,  and  as 
the  sail  met  the  gale  more  perpendicularly,  or  at  right  angles 
to  its  surface,  it  dragged  the  vast  hull  through  the  sea  with  a 
power  equal  to  that  of  a  steam-engine.  Ere  another  sea  could 
follow,  the  Montauk  was  glancing  through  the  ocean  at  a  furi- 
ous rate,  and  though  offering  her  quarter  to  the  billows,  their 
force  was  now  so  much  diminished  by  her  own  velocity,  as  to 
deprive  them  of  their  principal  danger. 

The  motion  of  the  ship  immediately  became  easy,  though 
her  situation  was  still  far  from  being  without  risk.  No  longei 
compelled  to  buffet  the  waves,  but  sliding  along  in  their  com- 
pany, the  motion  ceased  to  disturb  the  systems  of  the  passengers, 


HOME  WARD  BOUND.  !  ^  9 

and  ten  minutes  had  not  elapsed  before  most  of  them  were 
again  on  deck,  seeking  the  relief  of  the  open  air.  Among  the 
others  was  Eve,  leaning  on  the  arm  of  her  father. 

It  was  a  terrific  scene,  though  one  might  now  contemplate 
it  without  personal  inconvenience.  The  gentlemen  gathered 
around  the  beautiful  and  appalled  spectatress  of  this  grand 
sight,  anxious  to  know  the  effect  it  might  produce  on  one  of  her 
delicate  frame  and  habits.  She  expressed  herself  as  awed,  but 
not  alarmed  ;  for  the  habits  of  dependence  usually  leave  females 
less  affected  by  fear  in  such  cases,  than  those  who,  by  their  sex, 
are  supposed  to  be  responsible. 

"  Mademoiselle  Viefville  has  promised  to  follow  me,"  she 
said,  "  and  as  I  have  a  national  claim  to  be  a  sailor,  you  are 
not  to  expect  hysterics  or  even  ecstasies  from  me ;  but  reserve 
yourselves,  gentlemen,  for  the  Parisienne. 

The  Parisienne,  sure  enough,  soon  came  out  of  the  hurri- 
cane-house, with  elevated  hands,  and  eyes  eloquent  of  admira- 
tion, wonder  and  fear.  Her  first  exclamations  were  those 
of  terror,  and  then  turning  a  wistful  look  on  Eve,  she  burst 
into  tears.  "  Ah  ceci  est  decisif  7"  she  exclaimed.  "  When  we 
part,  we  shall  be  separated  for  life." 

"  Then  we  will  not  part  at  all,  my  dear  mademoiselle  ;  you 
have  only  to  remain  in  America,  to  escape  all  future  inconveni- 
ence of  the  ocean.  But  forget  the  danger,  and  admire  the  sub- 
limity of  this  terrific  panorama." 

Well  might  Eve  thus  term  the  scene.  The  hazards  now  to 
be  avoided  were  those  of  the  ship's  broaching-to,  and  of  being 
pooped.  Nothing  may  seem  easier,  as  has  been  said,  than  to  "  sail 
before  the  wind,"  the  words  having  passed  into  a  proverb  ;  but 
there  are  times  when  even  a  favoring  gale  becomes  prolific  of 
dangers,  that  we  shall  now  briefly  explain. 

The  velocity  of  the  water,  urged  as  it  is  before  a  tempest,  is 
often  as  great  as  that  of  the  ship,  and  at  such  moments  the 
rudder  is  useless,  its  whole  power  being  derived  from  its  action 
as  a  moving  body  against  the  element  in  comparative  repose. 
When  ship  and  water  move  together,  at  an  equal  rate,  in  the 
same  direction  of  course  this  power  of  the  helm  is  neutralized, 
and  then  the  hull  is  driven  much  at  the  mercy  of  the  winds  and 
waves.  Nor  is  this  all ;  the  rapidity  of  the  billows  often  ex- 
ceeds that  of  a  ship,  and  then  the  action  of  the  rudder  becomes 
momentarily  reversed,  producing  an  effect  exactly  opposite  to 
that  which  is  desired.  It  is  true,  this  last  difficulty  is  never  or 
more  than  a  few  moments'  continuance,  else  indeed  would  the 
condition  of  the  mariner  be  hopeless  ;  but  it  is  of  constant  oc- 


J20  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

currence,  and  so  irregular  as  to  defy  calculations  and  defeat 
caution.  In  the  present  instance,  the  Montauk  would  seem  to 
fly  through  the  water,  so  swift  was  her  progress  ;  and  then,  as 
a  furious  surge  overtook  her  in  the  chase,  she  settled  heavily 
into  the  element,  like  a  wounded  animal,  that,  despairing  of 
escape,  sinks  helplessly  in  the  grass,  resigned  to  fate.  At  such 
times  the  crests  of  the  waves  swept  past  her,  like  vapor  in  the 
atmosphere,  and  one  upractised  would  be  apt  think  the  ship 
stationary,  though  in  truth  whirling  along  in  company  with  a 
frightful  momentum. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say,  the  process  of  scudding  re- 
quires the  nicest  attention  to  the  helm,  in  order  that  the  hull 
may  be  brought  speedily  back  to  the  right  direction,  when 
thrown  aside  by  the  power  of  the  billows  ;  for,  besides  losing 
her  way  in  the  caldron  of  water — an  imminent  danger  of  itself 
— if  left  exposed  to  the  attack  of  the  succeeding  waves,  her 
decks,  at  least,  would  be  swept,  even  should  she  escape  a  still 
more  serious  calamity. 

Pooping  is  a  hazard  of  another  nature,  and  is  also  peculiar 
to  the  process  of  scudding.  It  merely  means  the  ship's  being 
overtaken  by  the  waters  while  running  from  them,  when  the 
crest  of  a  sea,  broken  by  the  resistance,  is  thrown  inboard,  over 
the  taffrail  or  quarter.  The  term  is  derived  from  the  name  of 
that  particular  portion  of  the  ship.  In  order  to  avoid  this  risk, 
sail  is  carried  on  the  vessel  as  long  as  possible,  it  being  deemed 
one  of  the  greatest  securities  of  scudding,  to  force  the  hull 
through  the  water  at  the  greatest  attainable  rate.  In  conse- 
quence of  these  complicated  risks,  ships  that  sail  the  fastest 
and  steer  the  easiest,  scud  the  best.  There  is,  however,  a 
species  of  velocity  that  becomes  of  itself  a  source  of  new  dan- 
ger ;  thus,  exceedingly  sharp  vessels  have  been  known  to  force 
themselves  so  far  into  the  watery  mounds  in  their  front,  and  to 
receive  so  much  of  the  element  on  deck,  as  never  to  rise  again. 
This  is  a  fate  to  which  those  who  atte^npt  to  sail  the  American 
clipper,  without  understanding  its  properties,  are  peculiarly 
liable.  On  account  of  this  risk,  however,  there  was  now  no 
cause  of  apprehension,  the  full-bowed,  kettle-bottomed  Montauk 
being  exempt  from  the  danger ;  though  Captain  Truck  intimated 
his  doubts  whether  the  corvette  would  like  to  brave  the  course 
he  had  himself  adopted. 

In  this  opinion,  the  fact  would  seem  to  sustain  the  master 
of  the  packet ;  for  when  the  night  shut  in,  the  spars  of  the  Foam 
were  faintly  discernible,  drawn  like  spiders'  webs  on  the  bright 
streak  of  the  evening  sky.  In  a  few  more  minutes,  even  this 


HOME  WARD  BOUND.  1 2  I 

tracery  which  resembled  that  of  a  magic  lantern,  vanished  from 
the  eyes  of  those  aloft ;  for  it  had  not  been  seen  by  any  on  deck 
for  more  than  an  hour. 

The  magnificent  horrors  of  the  scene  increased  with  the 
darkness.  Eve  and  her  companions  stood  supported  by  the 
'hurricane-house,  watching  it  for  hours,  the  supernatural  looking 
light,  emitted  by  the  foaming  sea,  rendering  the  spectacle  one 
of  attractive  terror.  Even  the  consciousness  of  the  hazards 
heightened  the  pleasure  ;  for  there  was  a  solemn  and  grand  en- 
joyment mingled  with  it  all,  and  the  first  watch  had  been  set  an 
hour,  before  the  party  had  resolution  enough  to  tear  themselves 
from  the  sublime  sight  of  a  raging  sea. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Touch.  Wast  ever  in  court,  shepherd  ? 

Cor.  No,  truly. 

Touch.  Then  thou  art  damn'd. 

Cor.  Nay,  I  hope 

Touch.  Truly,  thou  art  damn'd,  like  an  ill-roasted  egg,  all  on  one  side. 

As  You  Like  it. 

No  one  thought  of  seeking  his  berth  when  all  the  passen- 
gers were  below.  Some  conversed  in  broken,  half  intelligible 
dialogues,  a  few  tried  unavailingly  to  read,  and  more  sat  look- 
ing at  each  other  in  silent  misgivings,  as  the  gale  howled 
through  the  cordage  and  spars,  or  among  the  angles  and  bul- 
warks of  the  ship.  Eve  was  seated  on  a  sofa  in  her  own  apart- 
ment, leaning  on  the  breast  of  her  father,  gazing  silently  through 
the  open  doors  into  the  forward  cabin ;  for  all  idea  of  retiring 
within  oneself,  unless  it  might  be  to  secret  prayer,  was  banished 
from  the  mind.  Even  Mr.  Dodge  had  forgotten  the  gnawings 
of  envy,  his  philanthropical  and  exclusive  democracy,  and,  what 
was  perhaps  more  convincing  still  of  his  passing  views  of  this 
sublunary  world,  his  profound  deference  for  rank,  as  betrayed 
in  his  strong  desire  to  cultivate  an  intimacy  with  Sir  George 
Templemore.  As  for  the  baronet  himself,  he  sat  by  the  cabin- 
table  with  his  face  buried  in  his  hands,  and  once  he  had  been 
heard  to  express  a  regret  that  he  had  ever  embarked. 

Saunders  broke  the  moody  stillness  of  this  characteristic 
party,  with  preparations  for  a  supper.  He  took  but  one  end  of. 


122  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

the  table  for  his  cloth,  and  a  single  cover  showed  that  Captain 
Truck  was  about  to  dine,  a  thing  he  had  not  yet  done  that  day. 
The  attentive  steward  had  an  eye  to  his  commander's  tastes  ; 
for  it  is  not  often  one  sees  a  better  garnished  board  than  was 
spread  on  this  occasion,  so  far  at  least  as  quantity  was  con- 
cerned. Besides  the  usual  solids  of  ham,  corned-beef,  and" 
roasted  shoat,  there  were  carcasses  of  ducks,  pickled  oysters — 
a  delicacy  almost  peculiar  to  America — and  all  the  minor  condi- 
ments of  olives,  anchovies,  dates,  figs,  almonds,  raisins,  cold 
potatoes,  and  puddings,  displayed  in  a  single  course,  and  ar- 
ranged on  the  table  solely  with  regard  to  the  reach  of  Captain 
Truck's  arm.  Although  Saunders  was  not  quite  without  taste, 
he  too  well  knew  the  propensities  of  his  superior  to  neglect  any 
of  these  important  essentials,  and  great  care  was  had,  in  parti- 
cular, so  to  dispose  of  everything  as  to  render  the  whole  so 
many  radii  diverging  from  a  common  centre,  which  centre  was 
the  stationary  arm-chair  that  the  master  of  the  packet  loved  to 
fill  in  his  hours  of  ease. 

"  You  will  make  many  voyages,  Mr.  Toast," — the  steward 
affectedly  gave  his  subordinate,  or  as  he  was  sometimes  face- 
tiously called,  the  steward's  mate,  reason  to  understand,  when 
they  had  retired  to  the  pantry  to  await  the  captain's  appearance 
• — "  before  you  accumulate  all  the  niceties  of  a  gentleman's 
dinner.  Eve ry //#/,"  (Saunders  had  been  in  the  Havre  line, 
where  he  had  caught  a  few  words  of  this  nature,)  "  every  plat 
should  be  within  reach  of  the  convive's  arm,  and  particularly  if 
it  happen  to  be  Captain  Truck,  who  has  a  great  awersion  to 
delays  at  his  diet.  As  for  the  entremets,  they  may  be  scattered 
miscellaneously  with  the  salt  and  the  mustard,  so  that  they  can 
come  with  facility  in  their  proper  places." 

"  I  don't  know  what  an  entremet  is,"  returned  the  subordi- 
nate, "  and  I  exceedingly  desire,  sir  to  receive  my  orders  in 
such  English  as  a  gentleman  can  diwine." 

"  An  entremet,  Mr.  Toast,  is  a  mouthful  thrown  in  promis- 
cuously between  the  reliefs  of  the  solids.  Now,  suppose  a 
gentleman  begins  on  pig ;  when  he  has  eaten  enough  of  this, 
he  likes  a  little  brandy  and  water,  or  a  glass  of  porter,  before 
he  cuts  into  the  beef ;  and  while  I'm  mixing  the  first,  or  start- 
ing the  cork,  he  refreshes  himself  with  an  entremet,  such  as  a 
wing  of  a  duck,  or  perhaps  a  plate  of  pickled  oysters.  You 
must  know  that  there  is  great  odds  in  passengers  ;  one  set  eat- 
ing and  jollifying,  from  the  hour  we  sail  till  the  hour  we  get  in, 
while  another  takes  the  ocean  as  it  might  be  sentimentally." 


HOMEWARD  BOUfrD. 


123 


"  Sentimentally,  sir  !  I  s'pose  those  be  they  as  uses  the 
basins  uncommon  ?  " 

"  That  depends  on  the  weather.  I've  known  a  party  not 
eat  as  much  as  would  set  one  handsome  table  in  a  week,  and 
then,  when  they  conwalesced,  it  was  intimidating  how  they  de- 
woured.  It  makes  a  great  difference,  too,  whether  the  passen- 
gers acquiesce  well  together  or  not,  for  agreeable  feelings  give  a 
fine  appetite.  Lovers  make  cheap  passengers  always." 

"Thatisextr'or'nary,  for  I  thought  such  as  they  was  always 
hard  to  please,  with  everything  but  one  another." 

"  You  never  were  more  mistaken.  I've  seen  a  lover  who 
couldn't  tell  a  sweet  potato  from  an  onion,  or  a  canvas-back 
from  an  old  wife.  But  of  all  mortals  in  the  way  of  passengers 
the  bagman  or  go-between  is  my  greatest  animosity.  These 
fellows  will  sit  up  all  night,  if  the  captain  consents,  and  lie 
abed  next  day,  and  do  nothing  but  drink  in  their  berths.  Now, 
this  time  we  have  a  compilable  set,  and  on  the  whole,  it  is, 
quite  a  condescension  and  pleasure  to  wait  on  them." 

"  Well  I  think,  Mr.  Saunders,  they  isn't  alike  as  much  as 
they  might  be  nother." 

"  Not  more  so  than  wenison  and  pig.  Perfectly  correct, 
sir ;  for  this  cabin  is  a  lobskous  as  regards  deportment  and 
character.  I  set  all  the  Effinghams  down  as  tip-tops,  or,  A 
No.  i,  as  Mr.  Leach  calls  the  ship ;  and  then  Mr.  Sharp  and 
Mr.  Blunt  are  quite  the  gentlemen.  Nothing  is  easier,  Mr. 
Toast,  than  to  tell  a  gentleman  ;  and  as  you  have  set  up  a 
new  profession, — in  which  I  hope,  for  the  credit  of  the  color, 
you  will  be  prosperous, — it  is  well  worth  your  while  to  know 
how  this  is  done,  especially  as  you  need  never  expect  much 
from  a  passenger,  that  is  not  a  true  gentleman,  but  trouble. 
There  is  Mr.  John  Effingham,  in  particular;  his  man  says  he 
never  anticipates  change,  and  if  a  coat  confines  his  arm,  he  re- 
pudiates it  on  the  spot." 

"  Well,  it  must  be  a  satisfaction  to  serve  such  a  companion, 
I  think  Mr.  Dodge,  sir,  quite  a  feller." 

"  Your  taste,  Toast,  is  getting  to  be  observable,  and  by 
cultivating  it  ,you  will  soon  be  remarkable  for  a  knowledge  of 
mankind.  Mr.  Dodge,  as  you  werry  justly  insinuate,  is  not 
werry  refined,  or  particularly  well  suited  to  figure  in  genteel 
society." 

"  And  yet  he  seems  attached  to  it,  Mr.  Saunders,  for  he  has 
purposed  to  establish  five  or  six  societies  since  we  sailed." 

"Werry  true,  sir;  but  then  every  society  is  not  genteel. 
When  we  get  back  to  New  York,  Toast,  I  must  see  and  get  you 


I24  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

into  a  better  set  than  the  one  you  occupied  when  we  sailed. 
You  will  not  do  yet  for  our  circle,  which  is  altogether  conclu- 
sive ;  but  you  might  be  elevated.  Mr.  Dodge  has  been  elec- 
tioneering with  me,  to  see  if  we  cannot  inwent  a  society  among 
the  steerage-passengers  for  the  abstinence  of  liquors,  and 
another  for  the  perpetration  of  the  morals  and  religious  princi- 
ples of  our  forefathers.  As  for  the  first,  Toast,  I  told  him  it 
was  sufficiently  indurable  to  be  confined  in  a  hole  like  the 
steerage,  without  being  precluded  from  the  consolation  of  a  little 
drink  ;  and  as  for  the  last,  it  appeared  to  me  that  such  a  propo- 
sition inwolwed  an  attack  on  liberty  of  conscience." 

"  There  you  give'd  him,  sir,  quite  as  good  as  he  sent," 
returned  the  steward's  mate,  chuckling,  or  perhaps  sniggering 
would  be  a  word  better  suited  to  his  habits  of  cachination, 
"and  I  should  have  been  glad  to  witness  his  confusion.  It 
seems  to  me,  Mr.  Saunders,  that  Mr.  Dodge  loves  to  get  up  his 
societies  in  support  of  liberty  and  religion,  that  he  may  pre- 
dominate over  both  by  his  own  inwentions." 

Saunders  laid  his  long  yellow  finger  on  the  broad  flat  nose 
of  his  mate,  with  an  air  of  approbation,  as  he  replied, — 

"Toast,  you  have  hit  his  character  as  pat  as  I  touch  your 
Roman.  He  is  a  man  fit  to  make  proselytes  among  the  wulgar 
and  Irish," — the  Hibernian  peasant  and  the  American  negro 
are  sworn  enemies — "  but  quite  unfit  for  anything  respectable 
or  decent.  Were  it  not  for  Sir  George,  I  would  scarcely 
descend  to  clean  his  stateroom." 

"  What  is  your  sentiments,  Mr.  Saunders,  respecting  Sir 
George  ! " 

"Why,  Sir  George  is  a  titled  gentlemen,  and  of  course  is  not 
to  be  strictured  too  freely.  He  has  complimented  me  already 
with  a  sovereign,  and  apprised  me  of  his  intention  to  be  more 
particular  when  we  get  in." 

"  I  feel  astonished  such  a  gentleman  should  neglect  to  se- 
cure a  stateroom  to  his  own  convenience." 

"  Sir  George  has  elucidated  all  that  in  a  conversation  we 
had  in  his  room,  soon  after  our  acquaintance  commenced.  He 
is  going  to  Canada  on  public  business,  and  sailed  at  an  hour's 
interval.  He  was  too  late  for  a  single  room,  and  his  own  man 
is  to  follow  with  most  of  his  effects  by  the  next  ship.  Oh  !  Sir 
George  may  be  safely  put  down  as  respectable  and  liberalized> 
though  thrown  into  disparagement  perhaps  by  forty  circum- 
stances." 

Mr.  Saunders,  who  had  run  his  vocubulary  hard  in  this  con- 
versation, meant  to  say  "  fortuitous  ;  "  and  Toast  thought  that 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  I2$ 

so  many  circumstances  might  well  reduce  a  better  man  to  a 
dilemma.  After  a  moment  of  thought,  or  what  in  his  orbicular 
shining  features  he  fancied  passed  for  thought,  he  said, — 

"  I  seem  to  diwine,  Mr.  Saunders,  that  the  EfBnghams  do  not 
much  intimate  Sir  George." 

Saunders  looked  out  of  the  pantry-door  to  reconnoitre,  and 
finding  the  sober  quiet  already  described  reigning,  he  opened  a 
drawer,  and  drew  forth  a  London  newspaper. 

"  To  treat  you  with  the  confidence  of  a  gentleman  in  a  situa- 
tion as  respectable  and  responsible  as  the  one  you  occupy,  Mr. 
Toast,"  he  said,  "  a  little  ewent  transpired  in  my  presence  yes- 
terday, that  I  thought  sufficiently  particular  to  be  designated 
by  retaining  this  paper.  Mr.  Sharp  and  Sir  George  happened 
to  be  in  the  cabin  together,  alone,  and  the  last,  as  it  suggested 
to  me,  Toast,  was  desirous  of  removing  some  of  the  haughter 
of  the  first,  for  you  may  have  observed  that  there  has  been  no 
conversation  between  any  of  the  Effinghams,  or  Mr.  Blunt,  or 
Mr.  Sharp,  and  the  baronet ;  and  so  to  break  the  ice  of  his 
haughter,  as  it  might  be,  Sir  George  says,  *  Really,  Mr.  Sharp, 
the  papers  have  got  to  be  so  personally  particular,  that  one 
cannot  run  into  the  country  for  a  mouthful  of  fresh  air  that  they 
don't  record  it.  Now,  I  thought  not  a  soul  knew  of  my  depart- 
ure for  America,  and  yet  here  you  see  they  have  mentioned  it, 
with  more  particulars  than  are  agreeable.'  On  concluding,  Sir 
George  gave  Mr.  Sharp  this  paper,  and  indicated  this  here  para- 
graph. Mr.  Sharp  perused  it,  laid  down  the  paper, -and  retorted 
coldly,  '  It  is  indeed  quite  surprising,  sir ;  but  impudence  is  a 
general  fault  of  the  age/  And  then  he  left  the  cabin  solus. 
Sir  George  was  so  wexed,  he  went  into  his  stateroom  and  for- 
got the  paper,  which  fell  to  the  steward,  you  know,  on  a  prin- 
ciple laid  down  in  Wattel,  Toast." 

Here  the  two  worthies  indulged  in  a  smothered  merriment 
of  their  own  at  the  expense  of  their  commander  ;  for  though  a 
dignified  man  in  general,  Mr.  Saunders  could  laugh  on  occasion, 
and  according  to  his  own  opinion  of  himself  he  danced  par- 
ticularly well. 

"  Would  you  like  to  read  the  paragraph,  Mr.  Toast  ?  " 

"Quite  unnecessary,  sir;  your  account  wil.  be  perfectly 
legible  and  satisfactory." 

By  this  touch  of  politeness,  Mr.  Toast,  who  knew  as  much 
of  the  art  of  reading  as  a  monkey  commonly  knows  of  mathe- 
matics, got  rid  of  the  awkwardness  of  acknowledging  the  careless 
manner  in  which  he  had  trifled  with  his  early  opportunities. 
Luckily,  Mr,  Saunders,  who  had  been  educated  as  a  servant  in 


126  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

a  gentleman's  family,  was  better  off,  and  as  he  was  vain  of  all 
his  advantages,  he  was  particularly  pleased  to  have  an  opportu- 
nity of  exhibiting  them.  Turning  to  the  paragraph  he  read  the 
following  lines,  in  that  sort  of  didactic  tone  and  elaborate  style 
with  which  gentlemen  who  commence  the  graces  after  thirty 
are  a  little  apt  to  make  bows  : 

"  We  understand  Sir  George  Templemore,  Bart.,  the  member 
for  Boodleigh,  is  about  to  visit  our  American  colonies,  with  a 
view  to  make  himself  intimately  acquainted  with  the  merits  of 
the  unpleasant  questions  by  which  they  are  just  now  agitated, 
and  with  the  intention  of  entering  into  the  debates  in  the  house 
on  that  interesting  subject  on  his  return.  We  believe  that  Sir 
George  will  sail  in  the  packet  of  the  first  from  Liverpool,  and 
will  return  in  time  to  be  in  his  seat  after  the  Easter  holidays. 
His  people  and  effects  left  town  yesterday  by  the  Liverpool 
coach.  During  the  baronet's  absence,  his  country  will  be 
hunted  by  Sir  Gervaise  de  Brush,  though  the  establishment  at 
Templemore  Hall  will  be  kept  up." 

"  How  came  Sir  George  here,  then  ? "  Mr.  Toast  very 
naturally  inquired. 

"  Having  been  kept  too  late  in  London,  he  was  obliged  to 
come  this  way  or  to  be  left.  It  is  sometimes  as  close  work  to 
get  the  passengers  on  board,  Mr.  Toast,  as  to  get  the  people. 
I  have  often  admired  how  gentlemen  and  ladies  love  procrasti- 
nating, when  dishes  that  ought  to  be  taken  hot,  are  getting  to 
be  quite  insipid  and  uneatable." 

"  Saunders  !  "  cried  the  hearty  v6ice  of  Captain  Truck, 
who  had  taken  possession  of  what  he  called  his  throne  in  the 
cabin.  All  the  steward's  elegant  diction  and  finish  of  demeanor 
vanished  at  the  well-known  sound,  and  thrusting  his  head  out 
of  the  pantry-door,  he  gave  the  prompt  ship-answer  to  a  call, 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir  !  " 

"  Come,  none  of  your  dictionary  in  the  pantry  there,  but 
show  your  physiognomy  in  my  presence.  What  the  devil  do 
you  think  Vattel  would  say  to  such  a  supper  as  this  ? " 

"  I  think,  sir,  he  would  call  it  a  werry  good  supper,  for  a 
ship  in  a  hard  gale  of  wind.  That's  my  honest  opinion,  Cap- 
tain Truck,  and  I  never  deceive  any  gentleman  in  a  matter  of 
food.  I  think,  Mr.  Wattel  would  approve  of  that  there  supper, 
sir." 

"  Perhaps  he  might,  for  he  has  made  blunders  as  \vell  as 
another  man.  Go,  mix  me  a  glass  of  just  what  I  love,  when 
I've  not  had  a  drop  all  day.  Gentlemen,  will  any  of  you  honor 
me,  by  sharing  in  a  cut !  This  beef  is  not  indigestible,  and 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  127 

/lore  is  a  real  Marylander,  in  the  way  of  a  ham.  No  want  of 
oakum  to  fill  up  the  chinks  with,  either." 

Most  of  the  gentlemen  were  too  full  of  the  gale  to  wish  to 
eat ;  besides  they  had  not  fasted  like  Captain  Truck  since 
morning.  But  Mr.  Monday,  the  bagman,  as  John  Efnngham 
had  termed  him,  and  who  had  been  often  enough  at  sea  to 
know  something  of  its  varieties,  consented  to  take  a  glass  of 
brandy  and  water,  as  a  corrective  of  the  Madeira  he  had  been 
swallowing.  The  appetite  of  Captain  Truck  was  little  affected 
by  the  state  of  the  weather,  however  ;  for  though  too  attentive  to 
his  duties  to  quit  the  deck  until  he  had  ascertained  how  matters 
were  going  on,  now  that  he  had  fairly  made  up  his  mind  to  eat, 
he  set  about  it  with  a  heartiness  and  simplicity  that  proved 
his  total  disregard  of  appearances  when  his  hunger  was  sharp. 
For  some  time  he  was  too  much  occupied  to  talk,  making 
regular  attacks  upon  the  different//^,  as  Mr.  Saunders  called 
them,  without  much  regard  to  the  cookery  or  the  material.  The 
only  pauses  were  to  drink,  and  this  was  always  done  with  a 
steadiness  that  never  left  a  drop  in  the  glass.  Still  Mr.  Truck 
was  a  temperate  man ;  for  he  never  consumed  more  than  his 
physical  wants  appeared  to  require,  or  his  physical  energies 
knew  how  to  dispose  of.  At  length,  however,  he  came  to  the 
steward's  entremets,  or  he  began  to  stuff  what  he,  himself,  had 
called  "  oakum,"  into  the  chinks  of  his  dinner. 

Mr.  Sharp  had  watched  the  whole  process  from  the  ladies' 
cabin,  as  indeed  had  Eve,  and  thinking  this  a  favorable 
occasion  to  ascertain  the  state  of  things  on  deck,  the  former 
came  into  the  main-cabin,  commissioned  by  the  latter,  to  make 
the  inquiry. 

"  The  ladies  are  desirous  of  knowing  where  we  are,  and 
what  is  the  state  of  the  gale,  Captain  Truck,"  said  the  gentle- 
man, when  he  had  seated  himself  near  the  throne. 

"  My  dear  young  Jady,"  called  out  the  captain,  by  way  of 
cutting  short  the  diplomacy  of  employing  ambassadors  between 
them,  "  I  wish  in  my  heart  I  could  persuade  you  and  Mademoi- 
selle V.A.V.,  (for  so  he  called  the  governess,  in  imitation  of 
Ej^e's  pronunciation  of  her  name,)  to  try  a  few  of  these  pickled 
oysters  ;  they  are.  as  delicate  as  yourselves,  and  worthy  to  be 
set  before  a  mermaid,  if  there  were  any  such  thing." 

"  I  thank  you  for  the  compliment,  Captain  Truck,  and 
while  I  ask  leave  to  decline  it,  I  beg  leave  to  refer  you  to  the 
plenipotentiary  Mademoiselle  Viefville  "  (Eve  would  not  say 
herself)  "  has  intrusted  with  her  wishes." 

"  Thus  you  perceive,  sir,"  interposed  Mr.  Sharp  again,  "  you 


I28  HOMEWARD  BOUND, 

will  have  to  treat  with  me,  by  all  the  principles  laid  down  bv 
Vattel." 

"  And,treatyou,  too,  my  good  sir.  Let  me  persuade  you  to  try 
a  slice  of  this  anti-abolitionist,"  laying  his  knife  on  the  ham, 
which  he  still  continued  to  regard  himself  with  a  sort  of 
melancholy  interest.  "  No  ?  well,  I  hold  over-persuasion  as  the 
next  thing  to  neglect.  I  am  satisfied,  sir,  after  all.  as  Satin- 
ders  says,  that  Vattel  himself,  unless  more  unreasonable  at  his 
grub  than  in  matters  of  state,  would  be  a  happier  man  after 
he  had  been  at  his  table  twenty  minutes,  than  before  he  sat 
down." 

Mr.  Sharp  perceiving  that  it  was  idle  ta  pursue  his  inquriy 
while  the  other  was  in  one  of  his  discursive  humors,  determined 
to  let  things  take  their  course,  and  fell  into  the  captain's  own 
vein. 

"  If  Vattel  would  approve  of  the  repast,  few  men  ought  to 
repine  at  their  fortune  in  being  so  well  provided." 

"  I  flatter  myself,  sir,  that  I  understand  a  supper,  espe- 
pecially  in  a  gale  of  wind,  as  well  as  Mr.  Vattel,  or  any  other 
man  could  do." 

"  And  yet  Vattel  was  one  of  the  most  celebrated  cooks  of 
his  day." 

Captain  Truck  stared,  looked  his  grave  companion  steadily 
in  the  eye,  for  he  was  too  much  addicted  to  mystifying  not 
to  distrust  others,  and  picked  his  teeth  with  redoubled  vigi- 
lance. 

"  Vattel  a  cook  !     This  is  the  first  I  ever  heard  of  it." 

"  There  was  a  Vattel,  in  a  former  age,  who  stood  at  the  head 
of  his  art  as  a  cook  ;  this  I  can  assure  you,  on  my  honor  :  he 
may  not  have  been  your  Vattel,  however." 

"  Sir,  there  never  were  two  Vattels.  This  is  extraordinary 
news  to  me,  and  I  scarcely  know  how  to  receive  it." 

"  If  you  doubt  my  information,  you  may  ask  any  of  the  other 
passengers.  Either  of  the  Mr.  Effinghams,  or  Mr.  Blunt,  or 
Miss  Effingham,  or  Mademoiselle  Viefville  will  confirm,  what  I 
tell  you,  I  think  ;  especially  the  latter,  for  he  was  her  country- 
man/' 

Hereupon  Captain  Truck  began  to  stuff  in  the  oakum  again, 
for  the  calm  countenance  of  Mr.  Sharp  produced  an  effect  ;  and 
as  he  was  pondering  on  the  consequences  of  his  oracle's  turn- 
ing out  to  be  a  cook,  he  thought  it  not  amiss  to  be  eating,  as 
it  were,  incidentally.  After  swallowing  a  dozen  olives,  six  or 
eight  anchovies,  as  many  pickled  oysters,  and  raisins  and 
almonds,  as  the  advertisements  say  a  volonte,  he  suddenly 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  129 

struck  his  fist  on  the  table,  and  announced  his  intention  of 
putting  the  question  to  both  the  ladies. 

"  My  dear  young  lady,"  he  called  out,  "  will  you  do  me  the 
honor  to  say  whether  you  ever  heard  of  a  cook  of  the  name  of 
Vattel  ?  " 

Eve  laughed,  and  her  sweet  tones  were  infectious  amid  the 
dull  howling  of  the  gale,  which  was  constantly  heard  in  the 
cabins,  like  a  bass  accompaniment,  or  the  distant  roar  of  a 
cataract  among  the  singing  of  birds. 

"  Certainly,  captain,"  she  answered  ;  "  Mr.  Vattel  was  not 
only  a  cook,  but  perhaps  the  most  celebrated  on  record,  for 
sentiment  at  least,  if  not  for  skill." 

"  I  make  no  doubt  the  man  did  his  work  well,  let  him  be 
set  about  what  he  might  ;  and,  mademoiselle,  he  was  a  coun- 
tryman of  yours,  they  tell  me  ? " 

"  Assurement,  Monsieur  Vattel  has  left  more  distinguished 
souvenirs  than  any  other  cook  in  France  ? " 

Captain  Truck  turned  quickly  to  the  elated  and  admiring 
Saunders,  who  felt  his  own  glory  enhanced  by  this  important 
discovery,  and  said  in  that  short-hand  way  he  had  of  express- 
ing himself  to  the  chief  of  the  pantry, — 

u  Do  you  hear  that,  sir  ;  see  and  find  out  what  they  are 
and  dress  me  a  uish  of  these  souvenirs  as  soon  as  we  get  in.  I 
daresay  they  are  to  be  had  at  the  Fulton  market,  and  mind 
while  there  to  look  out  for  some  tongues  and  sounds.  I've  not 
made  half  a  supper  to-night,  for  the  want  of  them.  I  daresay 
these  souvenirs  are  capital  eating,  if  Monsieur  Vattel  thought 
so  highly  of  them.  Pray,  mademoiselle  is  the  gentleman 
dead  ?  " 

'*  Helas^  out  f  How  could  he  live  with  a  sword  run  through 
his  body." 

"  Ha  !  killed  in  a  duel,  I  declare  ;  died  fighting  for  his 
principles,  if  the  truth  were  known  !  I  shall  have  a  double 
respect  for  his  opinion,  for  this  is  the  touchstone  of  a  man's 
honesty.  Mr.  Sharp,  let  us  take  a  glass  of  Geissenheimer  to 
his  memory  ;  we  might  honor  a  less  worthy  man." 

As  the  captain  poured  out  the  liquor,  a  fall  of  several  tons 
of  water  on  the  deck  shook  the  entire  ship,  and  one  of  the 
passengers  in  the  hurricane-house,  opening  a  door  to  ascertain 
the  cause,  the  sound  of  the  hissing  waters  and  of  the  roaring 
winds  came  fresher  and  more  distinct  into  the  cabin.  Mr. 
Truck  cast  an  eye  at  the  telltale  over  his  head  to  ascertain 
the  course  of  the  ship,  and  paused  just  an  instant,  and  then 
tossed  off  his  wine. 


I;5o  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  This  hint  reminds  me  of  my  mission,"  Mr.  Sharp  rejoined 
"  The  ladies  desire  to  know  your  opinion  of  the  state  of  the 
weather  ?  " 

"  I  owe  them  an  answer,  if  it  were  only  in  gratitude  for  the 
hint  about  Vattel.  Who  the  devil  would  have  supposed  the 
man  ever  was  a  cook  !  But  these  Frenchmen  are  not  like  the 
rest  of  mankind,  and  half  the  nation  are  cooks,  or  live  by  food, 
in  some  way  or  other." 

"  And  very  good  cooks,  too,  Monsieur  le  Capitaine,"  said 
Mademoiselle  Viefville.  "  Monsieur  Vattel  did  die  for  the 
honor  of  his  art.  He  fell  on  his  own  sword,  because  the  fish 
did  not  arrive  in  season  for  the  dinner  of  the  king." 

Captain  Truck  looked  more  astonished  than  ever.  Then  turn- 
ing short  round  to  the  steward,  he  shook  his  head  and  ex- 
claimed,— 

"  Do  you  hear  that,  sir  ?  How  often  would  you  have  died, 
if  a  sword  had  been  run  through  you  every  time  the  fish  was 
forgotten,  or  was  too  late  ?  Once,  to  a  dead  cartainty,  about 
these  very  tongues  and  sounds." 

"  But  the  weather  ?  "  interrupted  Mr.  Sharp. 

"  The  weather,  my  dear  sir  ;  the  weather,  my  dear  ladies, 
is  very  good  weather,  with  the  exception  of  winds  and  waves,  of 
which  unfortunately  there  are,  just  now,  more  of  both  than  we 
want.  The  ship  must  scud,  and  as  we  go  like  a  racehorse,  without 
stopping  to  take  breath,  we  may  see  the  Canary  Islands  before 
the  voyage  is  over.  Of  danger  there  is  none  in  this  ship,  as  long 
as  we  can  keep  clear  of  the  land,  and  in  order  that  this  may 
be  done,  I  will  just  step  into  my  stateroom,  and  find  out  ex- 
actly where  we  are." 

On  receiving  this  information,  the  passengers  retired  for  the 
night,  Captain  Truck  setting  about  his  task  in  good  earnest. 
The  result  of  his  calculations  showed  that  they  would  run  west- 
ward of  Madeira,  which  was  all  he  cared  about  immediately, 
intending  always  to  haul  up  to  his  course  on  the  first  good 
occasion. 


UQMEWARD  BOUND 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

There  are  yet  two  things  in  my  destiny — 
A  world  to  roam  o'er,  and  a  home  with  thee. 

BYRON. 

^  EVE  EFFINGHAM  slept  little :  although  the  motion  of  the 
ship  had  been  much  more  severe  and  uncomfortable  while  con- 
tending with  head-winds,  on  no  other  occasion  were  there  so 
many  signs  of  a  fierce  contention  of  the  elements  as  in  this  gale. 
As  she  lay  in  her  berth,  her  ear  was  within  a  foot  of  the  roar- 
ing waters  without,  and  her  frame  trembled  as  she  heard  them 
gurgling  so  distinctly,  that  it  seemed  as  if  they  had  already 
forced  their  way  through  the  seams  of  the  planks,  and  were 
filling  the  ship.  Sleep  she  could  not,  for  a  long  time,  there- 
fore, and  during  two  hours  she  remained  with  closed  eyes,  an 
entranced  and  yet  startled  listener  to  the  fearful  strife  that 
was  raging  over  the  ocean.  Night  had  no  stillness,  for  the 
roar  of  the  winds  and  waters  was  incessant,  though  deadened 
by  the  intervening  decks  and  sides  ;  but  now  and  then  an  open 
door  admitted,  as  it  might  be,  the  whole  scene  into  the  cabins. 
At  such  moments  every  sound  was  fresh,  and  frightfully  grand, 
— even  the  shout  of  the  officer  coming  to  the  ear  like  a  warning 
cry  from  the  deep. 

At  length  Eve,  wearied  by  her  apprehensions  even,  fell  into  a 
troubled  sleep,  in  which  her  frightened  faculties,  however,  kept 
so  much  on  the  alert,  that  at  no  time  was  the  roar  of  the  tempest 
entirely  lost  to  her  sense  of  hearing.  About  midnight  the 
glare  of  a  candle  crossed  her  eyes,  and  she  was  broad  awake 
in  an  instant.  On  rising  in  her  berth  she  found  Nanny  Sidley, 
who  had  so  often  and  so  long  watched  over  her  infant  and 
childish  slumbers,  standing  at  her  side,  and  gazing  wistfully  in 
her  face. 

"  'Tis  a  dread  night,  Miss  Eve,"  half  whispered  the  appalled 
domestic.  "  I  have  not  been  able  to  sleep  for  thinking  of  you, 
and  of  what  might  happen  on  these  wide  waters ! " 

"  And  why  of  me  particularly,  my  good  Nanny  ?  "  returned 
Eve,  smiling  in  the  face  of  her  old  nurse  as  sweetly  as  the  in- 
fant smiles  in  its  moments  of  tenderness  and  recollection. 
"  Why  so  much  of  me,  my  excellent  Ann  ? — are  there  not 
others  too,  worthy  of  your  care  ?  my  beloved  father — your  own 


1^2  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

good  self — Mademoiselle  Viefville — cousin  Jack — and — "  ths 
warm  color  deepened  on  the  cheek  of  the  beautiful  girl,  she 
scarcely  knew  why  herself — "  and  many  others  in  the  vessel, 
that  one,  kind  as  you,  might  think  of,  I  should  hope,  when  your 
thoughts  become  apprehensions,  and  your  wishes  prayers." 

"  There  are  many  precious  souls  in  the  ship,  ma'am,  out  of 
all  question ;  and  I'm  sure  no  one  wishes  them  all  safe  on  land 
again  more  than  myself ;  but  it  seems  to  me,  no  one  among 
them  all  is  so  much  loved  as  you." 

Eve  leaned  forward  playfully,  and  drawing  her  old  nurse 
towards  her,  kissed  her  cheek,  while  her  own  eyes  glistened, 
and  then  she  laid  her  flushed  cheek  on  that  bosom  which  had 
so  frequently  been  its  pillow  before.  After  remaining  a  minute 
in  this  affectionate  attitude,  she  rose  and  inquired  if  her  nurse 
had  been  on  deck. 

"  I  go  every  half-hour,  Miss  Eve  ;  for  I  feel  it  as  much  my 
duty  to  watch  over  you  here,  as  when  I  had  you  all  tc*  myself 
in  the  cradle.  I  do  not  think  your  father  sleeps  a  great  deal 
to-night,  and  several  of  the  gentlemen  in  the  other  cabins, 
remain  dressed ;  they  ask  me  how  you  spend  the  time  in  this 
tempest,  whenever  I  pass  their  stateroom  doors." 

Eve's  color  deepened,  and  Ann  Sidley  thought  she  had 
never  seen  her  child  more  beautiful,  as  the  bright  luxuriant 
golden  hair,  which  had  strayed  from  the  comfinement  of  the 
cap,  fell  on  the  warm  cheek,  and  rendered  eyes  that  were  always 
full  of  feeling,  softer  and  more  brilliant  even  than  common. 

"  They  conceal  their  uneasiness  for  themselves  under  an 
affected  concern  for  me,  my  good  Nanny,"  she  said  hurriedly  ; 
"  and  your  own  affection  makes  you  an  easy  dupe  to  the  arti- 
fice." 

"  It  may  be  so  ma'am,  for  I  know  but  little  of  the  ways  of 
the  world.  It  is  fearful,  is  it  not,  Miss  Eve,  to  think  that  we 
are  in  a  ship,  so  far  from  any  land,  whirling  along  over  the 
bottom  as  fast  as  a  horse  could  plunge  ? " 

"The  danger  is  not  exactly  of  that  nature,  perhaps, 
Nanny." 

"  There  is  a  bottom  to  the  ocean,  is  there  not  ?  I  have 
heard  some  maintain  there  is  no  bottom  to  the  sea — and  that 
would  make  the  danger  so  much  greater.  I  think,  if  I  felt 
certain  that  the  bottom  was  not  very  deep,  and  there  was  only 
a  rock  to  be  seen  now  and  then,  I  should  not  find  it  so  very 
dreadful." 

Eve  laughed  like  a  child,  and  the  contrast  between  the  sweet 
simplicity  of  her  looks,  her  manners,  and  her  more  cultivate4 


HOME  WARD  BO UND.  ! 3 3 

intellect,  and  the  matronly  appearance  of  the  less  instructed 
Ann,  made  one  of  those  pictures  in  which  the  superiority  of 
mind  over  all  other  things  becomes  most  apparent. 

"  Your  notions  of  safety,  my  dear  Nanny,"  she  said,  "  are 
not  precisely  those  of  a  seaman  ;  for  I  believe  there  is  nothing 
of  which  they  stand  more  in  dread  than  of  rocks  and  the 
bottom." 

"  I  fear  I'm  but  a  poor  sailor,  ma'am,  for  in  my  judgment 
we  could  have  no  greater  consolation  in  such  a  tempest  than 
to  see  them  all  around  us.  Do  you  think,  Miss  Eve,  that  the 
bottom  of  the  ocean,  if  there  is  truly  a  bottom,  is  whitened 
with  the  bones  of  shipwrecked  mariners,  as  people  say  ?  " 

"  I  doubt  not,  my  excellent  Nanny,  that  the  great  deep 
might  give  up  many  awful  secrets ;  but  you  ought  to  think  less 
of  these  things,  and  more  of  that  merciful  Providence  which 
has  protected  us  through  so  many  dangers  since  we  have  been 
wanderers.  You  are  in  much  less  danger  now  than  I  have 
known  you  to  be,  and  escaped  unharmed." 

"  I !  Miss  Eve  ! — Do  you  suppose  that  I  fear  for  myself  ? 
What  matters  it  if  a  poor  old  woman  like  me  die  a  few  years 
sooner  or  later  or  where  her  frail  old  body  is  laid  ?  I  have 
never  been  of  so  much  account  when  living  as  to  make  it  of 
consequence  where  the  little  which  will  remain  to  decay  when 
dead  moulders  into  dust.  Do  not,  I  implore  you,  Miss  Effing- 
ham,  suppose  me  so  selfish  as  to  feel  any  uneasiness  to-night  on 
my  own  account." 

"  Is  it  then,  as  usual,  all  for  me,  my  dear,  my  worthy  old 
nurse,  that  you  feel  this  anxiety  ?  Put  your  heart  at  ease,  for 
they  who  know  best  betray  no  alarm  ;  and  you  may  observe  that 
the  captain  sleeps  as  tranquil  this  night  as  on  any  other." 

"  But  he  is  a  rude  man,  and  accustomed  to  danger.  He  has 
neither  wife  nor  children,  and  I'll  engage  has  never  given  a 
thought  to  the  horrors  of  having  a  form  precious  as  this  floating 
in  the  caverns  of  the  ocean,  amidst  ravenous  fish  and  sea- 
monsters." 

Here  her  imagination  overcame  poor  Nanny  Sidley,  and 
she  folded  her  arms  about  the  beautiful  person  of  Eve,  and 
sobbed  violently.  Her  young  mistress,  accustomed  to  similar 
exhibitions  of  affection,  soothed  her  with  blandishments  and 
assurances  that  soon  restored  her  self-command,  when  the  dia- 
logue was  resurned  with  a  greater  appearance  of  tranquillity  on 
the  part  of  the  nurse.  They  conversed  a  few  minutes  on  the 
subject  of  their  reliance  on  God,  Eve  returning  fourfold,  or  with 
the  advantages  of  a  cultured  intellect,  many  of  those  simple 


I34  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

lessons  of  faith  and  humanity  that  she  had  received  from  her 
companion  when  a  child ;  the  latter  listening,  as  she  always  did, 
to  these  exhortations,  which  sounded  in  her  ears,  like  the  echoes 
oi  all  her  own  better  thoughts,  with  a  love  and  reverence  no 
other  could  awaken.  Eve  passed  her  small  white  hand  ovei 
the  wrinkled  cheek  of  Nanny  in  kind  fondling,  as  it  had  been 
passed  a  thousand  times  when  a  child,  an  act  she  well  knew 
her  nurse  delighted  in,  and  continued, — 

"  And  now,  my  good  old  Nanny,  you  will  set  your  heart  at 
ease,  I  know ;  for  though  a  little  too  apt  to  trouble  yourself 
about  one  who  does  not  deserve  half  your  care,  you  are  much 
too  sensible  and  too  humble  to  feel  distrust  out  of  reason. 
We  will  talk  of  something  else  a  few  minutes,  and  then  you  will 
lie  down  and  rest  your  weary  body." 

"  Weary !  I  should  never  feel  weary  in  watching,  when  I 
thought  there  was  a  cause  for  it." 

Although  Nanny  made  no  allusion  to  herself,  Eve  under- 
stood in  whose  behalf  this  watchfulness  was  meant.  She  drew 
the  face  of  the  old  woman  towards  her,  and  left  a  kiss  on  each 
cheek  ere  she  continued, — 

"  These  ships  have  other  things  to  talk  about,  besides  their 
dangers,"  she  said.  "  Do  you  not  find  it  odd,  at  least,  that  a 
vessel  of  war  should  be  sent  to  follow  us  about  the  ocean  in 
this  extraordinary  way  ?" 

"  Quite  so,  ma'am,  and  I  did  intend  to  speak  to  you  about 
it,  some  time  when  I  saw  you  had  nothing  better  to  think  of. 
At  first  I  fancied,  but  I  believe  it  was  a  silly  thought,  that  some 
of  the  great  English  lords  and  admirals  that  used  to  be  so 
much  about  us  at  Paris,  and  Rome  and  Vienna,  had  sent  this  ship 
to  see  you  safe  to  America,  Miss  Eve  ;  for  I  never  supposed  they 
would  make  so  much  fuss  concerning  a  poor  runaway  couple, 
like  these  steerage-passengers." 

Eve  did  not  refrain  from  laughing  again,  at  this  conceit  of 
Nanny's,  for  her  temperament  was  gay  as  childhood,  though 
well  restrained  by  cultivation  and  manner,  and  once  more  she 
patted  the  cheek  of  her  nurse  kindly. 

"  Those  great  lords  and  admirals  are  not  great  enough  for 
that,  dear  Nanny,  even  had  they  the  inclination  to  do  so  silly 
a  thing.  But  has  no  other  reason  suggested  itself  to  you, 
among  the  many  curious  circumstances  you  may  have  had  occa- 
sion to  observe  in  the  ship  ?  " 

Nanny  looked  at  Eve,  and  turned  her  eyes  aside,  glanced 
furtively  at  the  young  lady  again,  and  at  last  felt  compelled  to 
answer. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


'35 


"  I  endeavor,  ma'am,  to  think  well  of  everybody,  though 
strange  thoughts  will  sometimes  arise  without  our  wishing  it. 
I  suppose  I  know  to  what  you  allude ;  but  I  don't  feel  quite 
certain  it  becomes  me  to  speak." 

"  With  me  at  least,  Nanny,  you  need  have  no  reserves,  and 
I  confess  a  desire  to  learn  if  we  have  thought  alike  about  some 
of  our  fellow-passengers.  Speak  freely,  then  ;  for  you  can  have 
no  more  apprehension  in  communicating  all  your  thoughts  to 
me  than  in  communicating  them  to  your  own  child." 

"  Not  as  much,  ma'am,  not  half  as  much  ;  for  you  are  both 
child  and  mistress  to  me,  and  I  look  quite  as  much  to  receiv- 
ing advice  as  to  giving  it.  It  is  odd,  Miss  Eve,  that  gentlemen 
should  not  pass  under  their  proper  names,  and  I  have  had  un- 
pleasant feelings  about  it,  though  I  did  not  think  it  became  me 
to  be  the  first  to  speak,  while  your  father  was  with  you,  and 
mamerzelle,"  for  so  Nanny  always  styled  the  governess,  "  and 
Mr.  John,  all  of  whom  love  you  almost  as  much  as  I  do,  and 
all  of  whom  are  so  much  better  judges  of  what  is  right.  But 
now  you  encourage  me  to  speak  my  mind,  Miss  Eve,  I  will  say  1 
should  like  that  no  one  came  near  you  who  does  not  carry  his 
heart  in  his  open  hand,  that  the  youngest  child  might  know 
his  character  and  understand  his  motives." 

Eve  smiled  as  her  nurse  grew  warm,  but  she  blushed  in 
spite  of  an  effort  to  seem  indifferent. 

"  This  would  be  truly  a  vain  wish,  dear  Nanny,  in  the  mixed 
company  of  a  ship,"  she  said.  "  It  is  too  much  to  expect  that 
strangers  will  throw  aside  all  their  reserves,  on  first  finding 
themselves  in  close  communion.  The  well-bred  and  prudent 
will  only  stand  more  on  their  guard  under  such  circumstances." 

"  Strangers,  ma'am  !  " 

"  I  perceive  that  you  recollect  the  face  of  one  of  our  ship- 
mates. Why  do  you  shake  your  head  ? "  The  telltale  blood  of 
Eve  again  mantled  over  her  lovely  countenance.  "  I  suppose  I 
ought  to  have  said  two  of  our  shipmates,  though  I  had  doubted 
whether  you  retained  any  recollection  of  one  of  them." 

"  No  gentleman  ever  speaks  to  you  twice,  Miss  Eve,  that 
I  do  not  remember  him." 

"  Thank  you,  dearest  Nanny,  for  this  and  a  thousand  other 
proofs  of  your  never-cea'sing  interest  in  my  welfare ;  but  I  had 
not  believed  you  so  vigilant  as  to  .  take  heed  of  every  face 
that  happens  to  approach  me." 

"  Ah,  Miss  Eve  !  neither  of  these  gentleman  would  like 
to  be  mentioned  by  you  in  this  careless  manner,  I'm  sure. 


/36  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

They  both  did  a  great  deal  more  than '  happen  to  approach 
you ;  for  as  to — " 

"  Hist !  dear  Nanny ;  we  are  in  a  crowded  place,  and  you 
may  be  overheard.  You  will  use  no  names,  therefore,  as  I 
believe  we  understand  each  other  without  going  into  all  these 
particulars.  Now,  my  dear  nurse,  would  I  give  something  to 
know  which  of  these  young  men  has  made  the  most  favorable 
impression  on  your  upright  and  conscientious  mind  " 

"  Nay,  Miss  Eve,  what  is  my  judgment  in  comparison  with 
your  own,  and  that  of  Mr.  John  Effingham,  and " 

"  — My  cousin  Jack !  In  the  name  of  wonder,  Nanny, 
what  has  he  to  do  with  the  matter  ?  " 

"  Nothing,  ma'am ;  only  I  can  see  he  has  his  favorites  as 
well  as  another,  and  I'll  venture  to  say  Mr.  Dodge  is  not  the 
greatest  he  has  in  this  ship." 

"  I  think  you  might  add  Sir  George  Templemore,  too,"  re- 
turned Eve,  laughing. 

Ann  Sidley  looked  hard  at  her  young  mistress,  and  smiled 
before  she  answered ;  and  then  she  continued  the  discourse 
naturally,  as  if  there  had  been  no  interruption. 

"  Quite  likely,  ma'am  ;  and  Mr.  Monday,  and  all  the  rest  of 
that  set.  But  you  see  how  soon  he  discovers  a  real  gentleman  ; 
for  he  is  quite  easy  and  friendly  with  Mr.  Sharp  and  Mr.  Blunt, 
particularly  the  last." 

Eve  was  silent,  for  she  did  not  like  the  open  introduction  of 
these  names,  though  she  scarce  knew  why  herself. 

"  My  cousin  is  a  man  of  the  world,"  she  resumed,  on  per- 
ceiving that  Nanny  watched  her  countenance  with  solicitude, 
as  if  fearful  of  having  gone  too  far  ;  "  and  there  is  nothing  sur- 
prising in  his  discovering  men  of  his  own  class.  We  know 
both  these  persons  to  be  not  exactly  what  they  seem,  though  I 
think  we  know  no  harm  of  either,  unless  it  be  the  silly  change 
of  names.  It  would  have  been  better  had  they  come  on  board, 
bearing  their  proper  appellations  ;  to  us,  at  least,  it  would  have 
been  more  respectful,  though  both  affirm  they  were  ignorant 
that  my  father  had  taken  passage  in  the  Montauk, — a  circum- 
stance that  may  very  well  be  true,  as  you  know  we  got  the 
cabin  that  was  first  engaged  by  another  party." 

"I  should  be  sorry,  ma'am,  if  either  failed  in  respect." 

"  It  is  not  quite  adulatory  to  make  a  young  woman  the  in- 
voluntary keeper  of  the  secrets  of  two  unreflecting  young  men  ; 
that  is  all,  my  good  Nanny.  We  cannot  well  betray  them,  and 
we  are  consequently  their  confidants  par  force.  The  most 
amusing  part  of  the  thing  is,  that  they  are  masters  of  each 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  ^7 

other's  secrets,  in  part  at  least,  and  feel  a  delightful  awkward- 
ness in  a  hundred  instances.  For  my  own  part  I  pity  neither, 
but  think  each  is  fairly  enough  punished.  They  will  be  fortu- 
nate if  their  servants  do  not  betray  them  before  we  reach  New 
York." 

"  No  fear  of  that,  ma'am,  for  they  are  discreet,  cautious 
men,  and  if  disposed  to  blab,  Mr.  Dodge  has  given  both  good 
opportunities  already,  as  I  believe  he  has  put  to  them  as  many 
questions  as  there  are  speeches  in  the  catechism." 

"  Mr.  Dodge  is  a  vulgar  man." 

"  So  we  all  say,  ma'am,  in  the  servant's  cabin,  and  every- 
body is  so  set  against  him  there,  that  there  is  little  chance  of 
his  learning  much.  I  hope,  Miss  Eve,  mamerzelle  does  not 
distrust  either  of  the  gentlemen  ?  " 

"  Surely  you  cannot  suspect  Mademoiselle  Viefville  of  indis- 
cretion, Nanny ;  a  better  spirit,  or  a  better  tone  than  hers,  does 
not  exist." 

"  No,  ma'am,  'tis  not  that ;  but  I  should  like  to  have  one 
more  secret  with  you,  all  to  myself.  I  honor  and  respect 
mamerzelle,  who  has  done  a  thousand  times  more  for  you  than 
a  poor  ignorant  woman  like  me  could  have  done,  with  all  my 
zeal ;  but  I  do  believe,  Miss  Eve,  I  love  your  shoe  tie  better 
than  she  loves  your  pure  and  beautiful  spirit." 

"Mademoiselle  Viefville  is  an  excellent  woman,  and  I  be- 
lieve is  sincerely  attached  to  me." 

"  She  would  be  a  wretch  else.  I  do  not  deny  her  attach- 
ment, but  I  only  say  it  is  nothing,  it  ought  to  be  nothing,  it  can 
be  nothing,  it  shall  be  nothing,  compared  to  that  of  the  one 
who  first  held  you  in  her  arms,  and  who  has  always  held  you  in 
her  heart.  Mamerzelle  can  sleep  such  a  night  as  this,  which 
I'm  sure  she  could  not  do  were  she  as  much  concerned  for  you 
as  I  am." 

Eve  knew  that  jealousy  of  Mademoiselle  Viefville  was 
Nanny's  greatest  weakness,  and  drawing  the  old  woman  to  her, 
she  entwined  her  arms  around  her  neck  and  complained  of 
drowsiness.  Accustomed  to  watching,  and  really  unable  to 
sleep,  the  nurse  now  passed  a  perfectly  happy  hour  in  holding 
her  child,  who  literally  dropped  asleep  on  her  bosom ;  after 
which  Nanny  slid  into  the  berth  beneath,  in  her  clothes,  and 
finally  lost  the  sense  of  her  apprehensions  in  perturbed  slum- 
bers. 

A  cry  on  deck  awoke  all  in  the  cabins  early  on  the  succeed- 
ing morning.  It  was  scarcely  light,  but  a  common  excitement 
seized  every  passenger,  and  ten  minutes  had  not  elapsed  when 


'38 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


Eve  and  her  governess  appeared  in  the  hurricane-house,  the 
last  of  those  who  came  from  below.  Few  questions  had  been 
asked,  but  all  hurried  on  deck  with  their  apprehensions,  awak- 
ened by  the  gale,  increased  to  the  sense  of  some  positive  and 
impending  danger. 

Nothing,  however,  was  immediately  apparent  to  justify  all 
this  sudden  clamor.  The  gale  continued,  if  anything,  with  in- 
creased power;  the  ocean  was  rolling  over  its  cataracts  of 
combing  seas,  with  which  the  ship  was  still  racing,  driven  under 
the  strain  of  a  reefed  forecourse,  the  only  canvas  that  was  set. 
Even  with  this  little  sail  the  hull  was  glancing  through  the 
raging  seas,  or  rather  in  their  company,  at  a  rate  a  little  short 
of  ten  miles  in  the  hour. 

Captain  Truck  was  in  the  mizzen-rigging,  bareheaded,  every 
lock  of  hair  he  had  blowing  out  like  a  pennant.  Occasionally 
he  signed  to  the  man  at  the  wheel  which  way  to  put  the  helm ; 
for  instead  of  sleeping,  as  many  had  supposed,  he  had  been 
conning  the  ship  four  hours  in  the  same  situation.  As  Eve 
appeared,  he  was  directing  the  attention  of  several  of  the  gen- 
tlemen to  some  object  astern,  but  a  very  few  moments  put  all 
on  deck  in  possession  of  the  facts. 

About  a  cable's  length,  on  one  of  the  quarters  of  the  Mon- 
tauk,  was  a  ship  careering  before  the  gale  like  themselves,  though 
carrying  more  canvas,  and  consequently  driving  faster  through 
the  water.  The  sudden  appearance  of  the  vessel  in  the  sombre 
light  of  the  morning,  when  objects  were  seen  distinctly  but 
without  the  glare  of  day ;  the  dark  hull,  relieved  by  a  single 
narrow  line  of  white  paint,  dotted  with  ports ;  the  glossy  ham- 
mock-cloth, and  all  those  other  coverings  of  dark  glistening 
canvas  which  give  to  a  cruiser  an  air  of  finish  and  comfort,  like 
that  of  a  travelling  carriage  :  the  symmetry  of  the  spars,  and 
the  gracefulness  of  all  the  lines,  whether  of  the  hull  or  hamper, 
told  all  who  knew  anything  of  such  subjects,  that  the  stranger 
was  a  vessel  of  war.  To  this  information  Captain  Truck  added 
that  it  was  their  old  pursuer  the  Foam. 

"  She  is  corvette-built,"  said  the  master  of  the  Montauk, 
'•'  and  is  obliged  to  carry  more  canvas  than  we,  in  order  to 
keep  out  of  the  way  of  the  seas  ;  for,  if  one  of  those  big  fellows 
should  overtake  her,  and  throw  its  crest  into  her  waist,  she 
would  become  like  a  man  who  has  taken  too  much  Saturday- 
night,  and  with  whom  a  second  dose  might  settle  the  purser's 
books  forever." 

Such,  in  fact,  was  the  history  of  the  sudden  appearance  of 
this  ship.  She  had  lain-to  as  long  as  possible,  and  on  being  driveia 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  !39 

to  scud,  carried  a  close-reefed  maintop-sail,  a  show  of  canvas 
that  urged  her  through  the  water  about  two  knots  to  the  hour 
faster  than  the  rate  of  the  packet.  Necessarily  following  the 
same  course,  she  overtook  the  latter  just  as  the  day  began  to 
dawn.  The  cry  had  arisen  on  her  sudden  discovery,  and  the 
moment  had  now  arrived  when  she  was  about  to  come  upr 
quite  abreast  of  her  late  chase.  The  passage  of  the  Foam, 
under  such  circumstances,  was  a  grand  but  thrilling  thing. 
Her  captain,  too,  was  seen  in  the  mizzen-rigging  of  his  ship, 
rocked  by  the  gigantic  billows  over  which  the  fabric  was  career- 
ing. He  held  a  speaking-trumpet  in  his  hand,  as  if  still  bent 
on  his  duty,  in  the  midst  of  that  awful  warring  of  the  elements. 
Captain  Truck  called  for  a  trumpet  in  his  turn,  and  fearful  of 
consequences  he  waved  it  to  the  other  to  keep  more  aloof. 
The  injunction  was  either  misunderstood,  the  man-of-wars's 
man  was  too  much  bent  on  his  object,  or  the  ocean  was  too 
uncontrollable  for  such  a  purpose,  the  corvette  driving  up  on  a 
sea  quite  abeam  of  the  packet,  and  in  fearful  proximity.  The 
Englishman  applied  the  trumpet,  and  words  were  heard  amid 
the  roaring  of  the  winds.  At  that  time  the  white  field  of  old 
Albion,  with  the  St.  George's  cross,  rose  over  the  bulwarks,  and 
by  the  time  it  had  reached  the  gaff-end,  the  bunting  was  whip- 
ping in  ribbons. 

"  Show  'em  the  gridiron  !  "  growled  Captain  Truck  through 
his  trumpet,  with  its  mouth  turned  in  board. 

As  everything  was  ready  this  order  was  instantly  obeyed, 
and  the  stripes  of  America  were  soon  seen  fluttering  nearly  in 
separate  pieces.  The  two  ships  now  ran  a  short  distance  in 
parallel  lines  rolling  from  each  other  so  heavily  that  the 
bright  copper  of  the  corvette  was  seen  nearly  to  her  keel. 
The  Englishman,  who  seemed  a  portion  of  his  ship,  again  tried 
his  trumpet ;  the  detached  words  of  "  lie-by," — "  orders," — 
"  communicate,"  were  caught  by  one  or  two,  but  the  howling 
of  the  gale  rendered  all  connection  in  the  meaning  impossible. 
The  Englishman  ceased  his  efforts  to  make  himself  heard, 
for  the  two  ships  were  now  rolling-to,  and  it  appeared  as  if 
their  spars  would  interlock.  There  was  an  instant  when  Mr. 
Leach  had  his  hand  on  the  main  brace  to  let  it  go  ;  but"  the 
Foam  started  away  on  a  sea,  like  a  horse  that  feels  the  spur, 
and  disobeying  her  helm,  shot  forward,  as  if  about  to  cross  the 
Montauk's  forefoot. 

A  breathless  instant  followed,  for  all  on  board  the  two  ships 
thought  they  must  now  inevitably  come  foul  of  each  other,  and 
this  the  more  so,  because  the  Montauk  took  the  impulse  of  the 


I4o  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

sea  just  as  it  was  lost  to  the  Foam,  and  seemed  on  the  point  oi 
plunging  directly  into  the  stern  of  the  latter.  Even  the  seamen 
clenched  the  ropes  around  them  convulsively,  and  the  boldest 
held  iheir  breaths  for  a  time.  The  "  p-o-r-t,  hard  a  port,  and 

be  d d  to  you  !"  of  Captain  Truck  ;  and  the  "  S-t-a-r-b-o-a-r-d, 

starboard  hard ! "  of  the  Englishman,  were  both  distinctly 
audible  to  all  in  the  two  ships  ;  for  this  was  a  moment  in  which 
seamen  can  speak  louder  than  the  tempest.  The  affrighted 
vessels  seemed  to  recede  together,  and  they  shot  asunder  in 
diverging  lines,  the  Foam  leading.  All  further  attempts  at  a 
communication  were  instantly  useless  ;  the  corvette  being  half  a 
mile  ahead  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  rolling  her  yard-arms  nearly 
to  the  water. 

Captain  Truck  said  little  to  his  passengers  concerning  this 
adventure  ;  but  when  he  had  lighted  a  cigar,  and  was  discuss- 
ing the  matter  with  his  chief-mate,  he  told  the  latter  there  was 
"just  one  minute  when  he  would  not  have  given  a  ship's  bis- 
cuit for  both  vessels,  nor  much  more  for  their  cargoes.  A  man 
must  have  a  small  regard  for  human  souls,  when  he  puts  them, 
and  their  bodies  too,  in  so  much  jeopardy  for  a  little  tobacco." 

Throughout  the  day  it  blew  furiously,  for  the  ship  was 
running  into  the  gale,  a  phenomenon  that  we  shall  explain,  as 
most  of  our  readers  may  not  comprehend  it.  All  gales  of 
wind  commence  to  leeward ;  or,  in  other  words,  the  wind  is 
first  felt  at  some  particular  point,  and  later,  as  we  recede  from 
that  point,  proceeding  in  the  direction  from  which  the  wind 
blows.  It  is  always  severest  near  the  point  where  it  com- 
mences, appearing  to  diminish  in  violence  as  it  recedes.  This, 
therefore,  is  an  additional  motive  for  mariners  to  lie-to,  instead 
of  scudding,  since  the  latter  not  only  carries  them  far  from 
their  true  course,  but  it  carries  them  also  nearer  to  the  scene 
of  the  greatest  fury  of  the  elements. 


CHAPTER.  XIV. 

Good  boatswain,  have  care. 

Tempest 

AT  sunset,  the  speck  presented  by  the  reefed  topsail  of 
the  corvette  had  sunk  beneath  the  horizon,  in  the  southern 
board,  and  that  ship  was  seen  no  longer.  Several  islands 
had  been  passed,  looking  tranquil  and  smiling  amid  the  fury 


HOMEWARD   BOUND.  !41 

of  the  tempest ;  but  it  was  impossible  to  haufup  for  any  one 
among  them.  The  most  that  could  be  done  was  to  keep  the 
ship  dead  before  it,  to  prevent  her  broaching-to,  and  to  have  a 
care  that  she  kept  clear  of  those  rocks  and  of  that  bottom,  for 
which  Nanny  Sidley  had  so  much  pined. 

Familiarity  with  the  scene  began  to  lessen  the  apprehen- 
sions of  the  passengers,  and  as  scudding  is  an  easy  process  for 
those  who  are  liable  to  sea-sickness,  ere  another  night  shut  in, 
the  principal  concern  was  connected  with  the  course  the  ship 
was  compelled  to  steer.  The  wind  had  so  far  hauled  to  the 
westward  as  to  render  it  certain  that  the  coast  of  Africa  would 
lie  in  their  way,  if  obliged  to  scud  many  hours  longer ;  for 
Captain  Truck's  observations  actually  placed  him  to  the  south- 
ward and  eastward  of  the  Canary  Islands.  This  was  a  long 
distance  out  of  his  course,  but  the  rate  of  sailing  rendered  the 
fact  sufficiently  clear. 

This,  too,  was  the  precise  time  when  the  Montauk  felt  the 
weight  of  the  tempest,  or  rather,  when  she  experienced  the 
heaviest  portion  of  that  which  it  was  her  fate  to  feel.  Lucky 
was  it  for  the  good  ship  that  she  had  not  been  in  this  lati- 
tude a  few  hours  earlier,  when  it  had  blown  something  very 
like  a  hurricane.  The  responsibility  and  danger  of  his  situa- 
tion now  began  seriously  to  disturb  Captain  Truck,  although 
he  kept  his  apprehensions  to  himself,  like  a  prudent  officer. 
All  his  calculations  were  gone  over  again  with  the  utmost  care, 
the  rate  of  sailing  was  cautiously  estimated,  and  the  result 
showed,  that  ten  or  fifteen  hours  more  would  inevitably  produce 
shipwreck  of  another  sort,  unless  the  wind  moderated. 

Fortunately,  the  gale  began  to  break  about  midnight.  The 
wind  still  blew  tremendously,  but  it  was  less  steadily,  and  there 
were  intervals  of  half  an  hour  at  a  time  when  the  ship  might 
have  carried  much  more  canvas,  even  on  a  bowline  :  of  course 
her  speed  abated  in  proportion,  and,  after  the  day  had  dawned, 
a  long  and  anxious  survey  from  aloft  showed  no  land  to  the 
eastward.  When  perfectly  assured  of  this  important  fact,  Cap 
tain  Truck  rubbed  his  hands  with  delight,  ordered  a  coal  for 
his  cigar,  and  began  to  abuse  Saunders  about  the  quality  of  the 
coffee  during  the  blow. 

**  Let  there  be  something  creditable,  this  morning,  sir," 
added  the  captain,  after  a  sharp  rebuke  ;  "  and  remember  we 
are  down  here  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  country  of  your  fore- 
fathers, where  a  man  ought,  in  reason,  to  be  on  his  good  be- 
havior. If  I  hear  any  more  of  your  washy  compounds,  I'll  put 


I42  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

* 

you  ashore,  antt  let  you  run  naked  a  summer  or  two  with  the 
monkeys  and  ouran-outangs." 

"  I  endeavor,  on  all  proper  occasions,  to  render  myself 
agreeable  to  you,  Captain  Truck,  and  to  all  those  with  wtom 
I  have  the  happiness  to  sail,"  returned  the  steward  ;  "  but  the 
coffee,  sir,  cannot  be  very  good,  sir,  in  such  weather,  sir.  I  do 
diwine  that  the  wind  must  blow  away  its  flavor,  for  I  am  ready 
to  confess  it  has  not  been  as  odorous  as  it  usually  is,  when  I 
have  had  the  honor  to  prepare  it.  As  for  Africa,  sir,  I  flatter 
myself,  Captain  Truck,  that  you  esteem  me  too  highly  to  be- 
lieve I  am  suited  to  consort  or  resort  with  the  ill-formed  and 
medicated  men  who  inhabit  that  wild  country.  I  misremember 
whether  my  ancestors  came  from  this  part  of  the  world  or  not ; 
but  if  they  did,  sir,  my  habits  and  profession  entirely  unqualify 
me  for  their  company,  I  hope.  I  know  I  am  only  a  poor 
steward,  sir,  but  you'll  please  to  recollect  that  your  great  Mr. 
Vattel  was  nothing  but  a  cook." 

"  D — n  the  fellow,  Leach  ;  I  believe  it  is  this  conceit  that 
has  spoiled  the  coffee  the  last  day  or  two  !  Do  you  suppose  it 
can  be  true  that  a  great  writer  like  this  man  could  really  be  no 
better  than  a  cook,  or  was  that  Englishman  roasting  me, 
by  way  of  showing  how  cooking  is  done  ashore  ?  If  it 
were  not  for  the  testimony  of  the  ladies,  I  might  believe 
it ;  but  they  would  not  share  in  such  an  indecent  trick.  .What 
are  you  lying-by  for,  sir  ?  go  to  your  pantry,  and  remember  that 
the  gale  is  broken,  and  we  shall  all  sit  down  to  table  this  morn- 
ing, as  keen-set  as  a  party  of  your  brethren  ashore  here,  who 
had  a  broiled  baby  for  breakfast." 

Saunders,  who  ex-qffido  might  be  said  to  be  trained  in  simi- 
lar lectures,  went  pouting  to  his  work,  taking  care  to  expend  a 
proper  part  of  his  spleen  on  Mr.  Toast,  who,  quite  as  a  matter 
of  course,  suffered  in  proportion  as  his  superior  was  made  to 
feel,  in  his  own  person,  the  weight  of  Captain  Truck's  authority. 
It  is  perhaps  fortunate  that  nature  points  out  this  easy  and 
self-evident  mode  of  relief,  else  would  the  rude  habits  of  a  ship 
sometimes  render  the  relations  between  him  who  orders  and 
him  whose  duty  it  is  to  obey,  too  nearly  approaching  to  the 
intolerable. 

The  captain's  squalls,  however,  were  of  short  duration,  and 
on  the  present  occasion  he  was  soon  in  even  a  better  humor 
than  common,  as  every  minute  gave  the  cheering  assurance, 
that  the  tempest  was  fast  drawing  to  a  close.  He  had  finished 
his  third  cigar,  and  was  actually  issuing  his  orders  to  turn  the 
reef  out  of  the  foresail,  and  to  set  the  main-topsail  close-reefed- 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  143 

when  most  of  the  passengers  appeared  on  deck,  for  the  first 
time  that  morning. 

"  Here  we  are,  gentlemen  !  "  cried  Captain  Truck,  in  the 
way  of  salutation,  "  nearer  to  Guinea  than  I  could  wish,  with 
every  prospect,  now,  of  soon  working  our  way  across  the  At- 
lantic, and  possibly  of  making  a  thirty  or  thirty-five  days'  pas- 
sage of  it  yet.  We  have  this  sea  to  quiet ;  and  then  I  hope  to 
show  you  what  the  Montauk  has  in  her,  besides  her  passengers 
and  cargo.  I  think  we  have  now  got  rid  of  the  Foam,  as  well 
as  of  the  gale.  I  did  believe,  at  one  time,  her  people  might  be 
walking  and  wading  on  the  coast  of  Cornwall :  but  I  now  be- 
lieve they  are  more  likely  to  try  the  sands  of  the  great  Desert 
of  Sahara." 

"  It  is  to  to  be  hoped  they  have  escaped  the  latter  calamity, 
as  fortunately  as  they  escaped  the  first !  "  observed  Mr.  Effing- 
ham. 

"  It  may  be  so  ;  but  the  wind  has  got  round  to  nor'west, 
and  has  not  been  sighing  these  last  twelve  hours.  Cape  Blanco 
is  not  a  hundred  leagues  from  us,  and,  at  the  rate  he  was  trav- 
elling, that  gentleman  with  the  speaking-trumpet  may  now  be 
philosophizing  over  the  fragments  of  his  ship,  unless  he  had  the 
good  sense  to  haul  off  more  to  the  westward  than  he  was  steer- 
ing when  last  seen.  His  ship  should  have  been  christened  the 
1  Scud,'  instead  of  the  *  Foam.'  " 

Every  one  expressed  the  hope  that  the  ship,  to  which  their 
own  situation  was  fairly  enough  to  be  ascribed,  might  escape 
this  calamity ;  and  all  faces  regained  their  cheerfulness  as  they 
saw  the  canvas  fall,  in  sign  that  their  own  danger  was  past. 
So  rapidly,  indeed,  did  the  gale  now  abate,  that  the  topsails 
were  hardly  hoisted  before  the  order  was  given  to  shake  out 
another  reef,  and  within  an  hour  all  the  heavier  canvas  that 
was  proper  to  carry  before  the  wind  was  set,  solely  with  a  view 
to  keep  the  ship  steady.  The  sea  was  still  fearful,  and  Captain 
Truck  found  himself  obliged  to  keep  off  from  his  course,  in 
order  to  avoid  the  danger  of  having  his  decks  swept. 

The  racing  with  the  crest  of  the  wav^s,  however,  was  quite 
done,  for  the  seas  soon  cease  to  comb  and  break,  after  the  force 
of  the  wind  is  expended. 

At  no  time  is  the  motion  of  the  vessel  more  unpleasant,  or, 
indeed,  more  dangerous,  than  in  the  interval  that  occurs  be- 
tween the  ceasing  of  a  violent  gale,  and  the  springing  up  of  a 
new  wind.  The  ship  is  unmanageable,  and  falling  into  the 
troughs  of  the  sea,  the  waves  break  in  upon  her  decks,  often 
doing  serious  injury,  while  the  spars  and  riggings  are  put  to  the 


,44  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

severest  trial  by  the  sudden  and  violent  surges  which  they  have 
to  withstand.  Of  all  this  Captain  Truck  was  fully  aware,  and 
when  he  was  summoned  to  breakfast  he  gave  many  cautions  to 
Mr.  Leach  before  quitting  the  deck. 

"  I  do  not  like  the  new  shrouds  we  got  up  in  London,"  he 
said,  "for  the  rope  has  stretched  in  this  gale  in  a  way  to  throw 
too  much  strain  on  the  old  rigging ;  so  see  all  ready  for  taking 
a  fresh  drag  on  them,  as  soon  as  the  people  have  breakfasted. 
Mind  and  keep  her  out  of  the  trough,  sir,  and  watch  every  roller 
that  you  find  comes  tumbling  upon  us." 

After  repeating  these  injunctions  in  different  ways,  looking 
to  windward  some  time,  and  aloft  five  or  six  minutes,  Captain 
Truck  finally  went  below,  to  pass  judgment  on  Mr.  Saunders' 
coffee.  Once  in  his  throne,  at  the  head  of  the  long  table,  the 
worthy  master,  after  a  proper  attention  to  his  passengers,  set 
about  the  duty  of  restoration,  as  the  steward  affectedly  called 
eating,  with  a  zeal  that  never  failed  him  on  such  occasions.  He 
had  just  swallowed  a  cup  of  the  coffee,  about  which  he  had 
lectured  Saunders,  when  a  heavy  flap  of  the  sails  announced  the 
sudden  failure  of  the  wind. 

"  That  is  bad  news,"  said  Captain  Truck,  listening  to  the 
fluttering  blows  of  the  canvas  against  the  masts.  "  I  never 
like  to  hear  a  ship  shaking  its  wings  while  there  is  a  heavy  sea 
on ;  but  this  is  better  than  the  Desert  of  Sahara,  and  so,  my 
dear  young  lady,  let  me  recommend  to  you  a  cup  of  this  coffee, 
which  is  flavored  this  morning  by  a  dread  of  ouran-outangs,  as 
Mr.  Saunders  will  have  the  honor  to  inform  you " 

A  jerk  of  the  whole  ship  was  followed  by  a  report  like  that 
made  by  a  musket.  Captain  Truck  rose,  and  stood  leaning  on 
one  hand  in  a  bent  attitude,  expectation  and  distrust  intensely 
portrayed  in  every  feature.  Another  helpless  roll  of  the  ship 
succeeded,  and  three  or  four  similar  reports  were  immediately 
heard,  as  if  large  ropes  had  parted  in  quick  succession.  A 
rending  of  wood  followed,  and  then  came  a  chaotic  crash,  in 
which  the  impending  heavens  seemed  to  fall  on  the  devoted 
ship.  Most  of  the  passengers  shut  their  eyes,  and  when  they 
were  opened  again,  or  a  moment  afterwards,  Mr.  Truck  had 
vanished. 

"It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  describe  the  confusion  that 
followed.  Eve  was  frightened,  but  she  behaved  well,  though 
Mademoiselle  Viefville  trembled  so  much  as  to  require  the 
assistance  of  Mr.  Effingham. 

"  We  have  lost  our  masts,"  John  Efrmgham  coolly  remarked  ; 
"  an  accident  that  will  not  be  likely  to  be  very  dangerous,  though 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  !45 

by  prolonging  the  passage  a  month  or  two,  it  may  have  the 
merit  of  making  this  good  company  more  intimately  acquainted 
with  each  other,  a  pleasure  for  which  we  cannot  express  too 
much  gratitude." 

Eve  implored  his  forbearance  by  a  glance,  for  she  saw  his 
eye  was  unconsciously  directed  towards  Mr.  Monday  and  Mr. 
Dodge,  for  both  of  whom  she  knew  her  kinsman  entertained  an 
incurable  dislike.  His  words,  however,  explained  the  catas- 
trophe, and  most  of  the  men  hastened  on  deck  to  assure  them- 
selves of  the  fact. 

John  Effingham  was  right.  The  new  rigging  which  had 
stretched  so  much  during  the  gale,  had  permitted  too  much  of 
the  strain,  in  the  tremendous  rolls  of  the  ship,  to  fall  upon  the 
other  ropes.  The  shroud  most  exposed  had  parted  first ;  three 
or  four  more  followed  in  succession,  and  before  there  was  time 
to  secure  anything,  the  remainder  had  gone  together,  and  the 
mainmast  had  broken  at  a  place  where  a  defect  was  now  seen 
in  its  heart.  Falling  over  the  side,  the  latter  had  brought  down 
with  it  the  mizzen-mast  and  all  its  hamper,  and  as  much  of  the 
foremast  as  stood  above  the  top.  In  short,  of  all  the  com- 
plicated tracery  of  ropes,  the  proud  display  of  spars,  and  the 
broad  folds  of  canvas  that  had  so  lately  overshadowed  the  deck 
of  the  Montauk,  the  multilated  foremast,  the  foreyard  and 
sail,  and  the  fallen  headgear  alone  remained.  All  the  rest 
either  cumbered  the  deck,  or  was  beating  against  the  side 
of  the  ship,  in  the  water. 

The  hard,  red,  weatherbeaten  face  of  Captain  Truck  was 
expressive  of  mortification  and  concern,  for  a  single  instant, 
when  his  eye  glanced  over  the  ruin  we  have  just  described. 
His  mind  then  seemed  made  up  to  the  calamity,  and  he  ordered 
Toast  to  bring  him  a  coal  of  fire,  with  which  he  quietly  lighted 
a  cigar. 

"  Here  is  a  category,  and  be  d — d  to  it,  Mr.  Leach,"  he 
said,  after  taking  a  single  whiff.  "  You  are  doing  quite  right, 
sir ;  cut  away  the  wreck  and  force  the  ship  free  of  it,  or  we 
shall  have  some  of  those  sticks  poking  themselves  through  the 
planks.  I  always  thought  the  chandler  in  London,  into  whose 

hands  the  agent  has  fallen,  was  a rogue,  and  now  I  know 

it  well  enough  to  swear  to  it.  Cut  away,  carpenter,  and  get  us 
rid  of  all  this  thumping  as  soon  as  possible.  A  very  capital 
vessel,  Mr.  Monday,  or  she  would  have  rolled  the  pumps  out 
of  her,  and  capsized  the  galley." 

No  attempt  being  made  to  save  anything,  the  wreck  was  float- 
ing astern  in  five  minutes,  and  the  ship  was  fortunately  extri- 


I46  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

cated  from  this  new  hazard.  Mr.  Truck,  in  spite  of  his  acquired 
coolness,  looked  piteously  at  all  that  gallant  hamper,  in  which 
he  had  so  lately  rejoiced,  as  yardarm,  crosstrees,  tressel-trees, 
and  tops  rose  on  the  summits  of  swells  or  settled  in  the  troughs^ 
like  whales  playing  their  gambols.  But  habit  is  a  seaman's 
philosophy,  and  in  no  one  feature  is  his  character  more  re- 
spectable than  in  that  manliness  which  disinclines  him  to  mourn 
over  a  misfortune  that  is  inevitable. 

The  Montauk  now  resembled  a  tree  stripped  of  its  branches, 
or  a  courser  crippled  in  his  sinews ;  her  glory  had,  in  a  great 
degree,  departed.  The  foremast  alone  remained,  and  of 
this  even  the  head  was  gone,  a  circumstance  of  which  Captain 
Truck  complained  more  than  of  any  other,  as  to  use  his  own 
expressions,  "it  destroyed  the  symnetry  of  the  spar,  which  had 
proved  itself  to  be  a  good  stick. "  What,  however,  was  of  more 
real  importance,  it  rendered  it  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to 
get  up  a  spare  topmast  forward.  As  both  the  main  and  mizzen- 
mast  had  gone  quite  near  the  deck,  this  was  almost  the  only 
tolerably  easy  expedient  that  remained;  and,  within  an  hour 
of  the  accident,  Mr.  Truck  announced  his  intention  to  stand  as 
far  south  as  he  could  to  strike  the  trades,  and  then  to  make  a 
fair  wind  of  it  across  the  Atlantic,  unless,  indeed,  he  might  be 
able  to  fetch  into  the  Cape  de  Verde  Islands,  where  it  would  be 
possible,  perhaps,  to  get  something  like  a  new  outfit. 

"  All  I  now  ask,  my  dear  young  lady,"  he  said  to  Eve,  who 
ventured  on  deck  to  look  at  the  desolation,  as  soon  as  the 
wreck  was  cut  adrift,  "  all  I  now  ask,  my  dear  young  lady,  is 
an  end  to  westerly  winds  for  two  or  three  weeks,  and  I  will 
promise  to  place  you  all  in  America  yet,  in  time  to  eat  your 
Chistmas  dinner.  I  do  not  think  Sir  George  will  shoot  many 
white  bears  among  the  Rocky  Mountains  this  year,  but  then 
there  will  be  so  many  more  left  for  another  season.  The  ship 
is  in  a  category,  and  he  will  be  an  impudent  scoundrel  who 
denies  it ;  but  worse  categories  than  this  have  been  reasoned 
out  of  countenance.  All  headsail  is  not  a  convenient  show  of 
cloth  to  claw  off  a  leeshore  with  ;  but  I  still  hope  to  escape 
the  misfortune  of  laying  eyes  on  the  coast  of  Africa." 

"  Are  we  far  from  it  ?  "  asked  Eve,  who  sufficiently  under- 
stood the  danger  of  being  on  an  uninhabitable  shore  in  their 
present  situation  ;  one  in  which  it  was  vain  to  seek  for  a  port. 
"  I  would  rather  be  in  the  neighborhood  of  any  other  land,  I 
think,  than  that  of  Africa." 

"  Especially  Africa  between  the  Canaries  and  Cape  Blanco," 
returned  Captain  Truck,  with  an  expressive  shrug.  "  More 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


147 


hospitable  regions  exist,  certainly ;  for,  if  accounts  are  to  be 
credited,  the  honest  people  alongshore  never  get  a  Christian 
that  they  do  not  mount  him  on  a  camel,  and  trot  him  through 
the  sands  a  thousand  miles  or  so,  under  a  hot  sun,  with  a  sort 
of  haggis  for  food,  that  would  go  nigh  to  take  away  even  a 
Scotchman's  appetite." 

"  And  you  do  not  tell  us  how  far  we  are  from  this  frightful 
land,  Mons.  le  Capitaine  ? "  inquired  Mademoiselle  Viefville. 

"In  ten  minutes  you  shall  know,  ladies,  for  I  am  about  to 
observe  for  the  longitude.  It  is  a  little  late,  but  it  may  yet  be 
done." 

"  And  we  may  rely  on  the  fidelity  of  your  information  ?  " 

"  On  the  honor  of  a  sailor  and  a  man." 

The  ladies  were  silent,  while  Mr.  Truck  proceeded  to  get 
the  sun  and  the  time.  As  soon  as  he  had  run  through  his 
calculations,  he  came  to  them  with  a  face  in  which  the  eye  was 
roving,  though  it  was  still  good-humored  and  smiling. 

"  And  the  result  ?  "  said  Eve. 

"  Is  not  quite  as  flattering  as  I  could  wish.  We  are  ma- 
terially within  a  degree  of  the  coast ;  but,  as  the  wind  is  gone, 
or  nearly  so,  we  may  hope  to  find  a  shift  that  will  shove  us 
farther  from  the  land.  And  now  I  have  dealt  frankly  with  you, 
let  me  beg  you  will  keep  the  secret,  for  my  people  will  be 
dreaming  of  Turks,  instead  of  working,  if  they  know  the  fact." 

It  required  no  great  observation  to  discover  that  Captain 
Truck  was  far  from  satisfied  with  the  position  of  his  ship. 
Without  any  after-sail,  and  almost  without  the  means  of  mak- 
ing any,  it  was  idle  to  think  of  hauling  off  from  the  land,  more 
especially  against  the  heavy  sea  that  was  still  rolling  in  from 
the  northwest ;  and  his  present  object  was  to  make  the  Cape 
de  Verdes,  before  reaching  which  he  would  be  certain  to  meet 
the  trades,  and  where,  of  course,  there  would  be  some  chance 
of  repairing  damages.  His  apprehensions  would  have  been 
much  less  were  the  ship  a  degree  further  west,  as  the  prevailing 
winds  in  this  part  of  the  ocean  are  from  the  northward  and 
eastward  ;  but  it  was  no  easy  matter  to  force  a  ship  that  dis- 
tance under  a  foresail,  the  only  regular  sail  that  now  remained 
in  its  place.  It  is  true,  he  had  some  of  the  usual  expedients 
of  seamen  at  his  command,  and  the  people  were  immediately 
set  about  them ;  but,  in  consequence  of  the  principal  spars 
having  gone  so  near  the  decks,  it  became  exceedingly  difficult 
to  rig  jury-masts. 

Something  must  be  attempted,  however,  and  the  spare 
spars  were  got  out,  and  all  the  necessary  preparations  were 


148 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


commenced,  in  order  that  they  might  be  put  into  their  places 
and  rigged,  as  well  as  circumstances  would  allow.  As  soon  as 
the  sea  went  down,  and  the  steadiness  of  the  ship  would  per- 
mit. Mr.  Leach  succeeded  in  getting  up  an  awkward  lowel 
studding-sail,  and  a  sort  of  a  staysail  forward,  and  with  these 
additions  to  their  canvas,  the  ship  was  brought  to  head  south, 
with  the  wind  light  at  the  westward.  The  sea  was  greatly 
diminished  about  noon  ;  but  a  mile  an  hour,  for  those  who  had 
so  long  a  road  before  them,  and  who  were  so  near  a  coast  that 
was  known  to  be  fearfully  inhospitable,  was  a  cheerless  pro- 
gress, and  the  cry  of  "  sail,  ho  !  "  early  in  the  afternoon,  dif- 
fused a  general  joy  in  the  Montauk. 

The  stranger  was  made  to  the  southward  and  eastward  and 
was  standing  on  a  course  that  must  bring  her  quite  near  to 
their  own  track,  as  the  Montauk  then  headed.  The  wind  was 
so  light,  however,  that  Captain  Truck  gave  it  as  his  opinion 
they  could  not  speak  until  night  had  set  in. 

"  Unless  the  coast  has  brought  him  up,  yonder  flaunting 
gentleman,  who  seems  to  have  had  better  luck  with  his  light 
canvas  than  ourselves,  must  be  the  Foam,"  he  said.  "  To- 
bacco, or  no  tobacco,  bride  or  bridegroom,  the  fellow  has  us  at 
last,  and  all  the  consolation  that  is  left  is,  that  we  shall  be 
much  obliged  to  him,  now,  if  he  will  carry  us  to  Portsmouth, 
or  into  any  other  Christian  haven.  We  have  shown  him  what 
a  kettle-bottom  can  do  before  the  wind,  and  now  let  him  give 
us  a  tow  to  windward  like  a  generous  antagonist.  That  is 
what  I  call  Vattel,  my  dear  young  lady." 

"  If  he  do  this,  he  will  indeed  prove  himself  a  generous  ad- 
versary," said  Eve,  "  and  we  shall  be  certain  to  speak  well  of 
his  humanity,  whatever  we  may  think  of  his  obstinacy." 

"  Are  you  quite  sure  the  ship  in  sight  is  the  corvette  ? " 
asked  Paul  Blunt. 

"  Who  else  can  it  be  ? — Two  vessels  are  quite  sufficient  to 
be  jammed  down  here  on  the  coast  of  Africa,  and  we  know  that 
the  Englishman  must  be  somewhere  to  leeward  of  us  ;  though, 
I  will  confess,  I  had  believed  him  much  farther,  if  not  plump 
up  among  the  Mohammedans,  beginning  to  reduce  to  a  feather- 
weight, like  Captain  Riley,  who  came  out  with  just  his  skin  and 
bones,  after  a  journey  across  the  desert." 

"  I  do  not  think  those  top-gallant-sails  have  the  symmetry 
of  the  canvas  of  a  ship-of-war." 

Captain  Truck  looked  steadily  at  the  young  man  an  instant, 
as  one  regards  a  sound  criticism,  and  then  he  turned  his  eye 
towards  the  object  of  which  they  were  speaking. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  I4g 

"  You  are  right,  sir,"  he  rejoined,  after  a  moment  of  exam- 
ination ;  "  and  I  have  had  a  lesson  in  my  own  trade  from  one 
young  enough  to  be  my  son.  The  stranger  is  clearly  no  cruiser4 
and  as  there  is  no  port  in-shore  of  us  anywhere  near  this  lati 
tude,  he  is  probably  some  trader  who  has  been  driven  down 
here,  like  ourselves." 

"  And  I'm  very  sure,  captain,"  put  in  Sir  George  Temple- 
more,  "  we  ought  to  rejoice  sincerely  that,  like  ourselves,  he 
has  escaped  shipwreck.  For  my  part,  I  pity  the  poor  wretches 
on  board  the  Foam  most  sincerely,  and  could  almost  wish  my- 
self a  Catholic,  that  one  might  yet  offer  up  sacrifices  in  their 
behalf." 

"  You  have  shown  yourself  a  Christian  throughout  all  that 
affair,  Sir  George,  and  I  shall  not  forget  your  handsome  offers 
to  befriend  the  ship,  rather  than  let  us  fall  into  the  jaws  of 
the  Philistines.  We  were  in  a  category  more  than  once,  with 
that  nimble-footed  racer  in  oui;  wake,  and  you  were  the  man, 
Sir  George,  who  manifested  the  most  hearty  desire  to  get  us 
out." 

"  I  ever  feel  an  interest  in  the  ship  in  which  I  embark," 
returned  the  gratified  baronet,  who  was  not  displeased  at  hear- 
ing his  liberality  so  openly  commended  ;  "  and  I  would  cheer- 
fully have  given  a  thousand  pounds  in  preference  to  being 
taken.  I  rather  think,  now,  that  is  the  true  spirit  for  a  sports- 
man ! " 

"  Or  for  an  admiral,  my  good  sir.  To  be  frank  with  you, 
Sir  George,  when  I  first  had  the  honor  of  your  acquaintance, 
I  did  not  think  you  had  so  much  in  you.  There  was  a  sort  of 
English  attention  to  small  wares,  a  species  of  knee-buckleism 
about  your  debutt,  as  Mr.  Dodge  calls  it  that  made  me  distrust 
your  being  the  whole-souled  and  one-idea'd  man  I  find  you 
really  are." 

"  Oh  !  I  do  like  my  comforts,"  said  Sir  George,  laughing. 

"  That  you  do,  and  I  am  only  surprised  you  don't  smoke. 
Now,  Mr.  Dodge,  your  roommate,  there,  tells  me  you  have 
six  and  thirty  pair  of  breeches  ! " 

"  I  have — yes,  indeed,  I  have.  One  would  wish  to  go 
abroad  decently  clad." 

"  Well !  if  it  should  be  our  luck  to  travel  in  the  deserts, 
your  wardrobe  would  rig  out  a  whole  harem." 

"  I  wish,  captain,  you  would  do  me  the  favor  to  step  into 
our  stateroom,  some  morning ;  I  have  many  curious  things  I 
should  like  to  show  you.  A  set  of  razors,  in  particular, — and 
a  dressing-case — and  a  pair  of  patent  pistols — and  that  life* 


I$0  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

preserver  that  you  admire  so  much,  Mr.  Dodge.  Mr.  Dodge 
has  seen  most  of  my  curiosities,  I  believe,  and  will  tell  you 
some  of  them  are  really  worth  a  moment's  examination." 

"Yes,  captain,  I  must  say,"  observed  Mr.  Dodge, — for  this 
conversation  was  held  apart  between  the  three,  the  mate  keep- 
ing an  eye  the  while  on  the  duty  of  the  ship,  for  habit  had  given 
Mr.  Truck  the  faculty  of  driving  his  people  while  he  entertained 
his  passengers — "  Yes,  captain,  I  must  say  I  have  met  no  gentle- 
man who  is  better  supplied  with  necessaries,  than  my  friend, 
Sir  George.  But  English  gentlemen  are  curious  in  such  things, 
and  I  admit  that  I  admire  their  ingenuity." 

"  Particularly  in  breeches,  Mr.  Dodge.  Have  you  coats  to 
match,  Sir  George  ?  " 

"  Certainly,  sir.  One  would  be  a  little  absurd  in  his  shirt 
sleeves.  I  wish,  captain,  we  could  make  Mr.  Dodge  a  little 
less  of  a  republican.  I  find  him  a  most  agreeable  roommate, 
but  rather  annoying  on  the  subject  of  kings  and  princes." 

"  You  stick  up  for  the  people,  Mr.  Dodge,  or  to  the  old 
category  ? " 

"On  that  subject,  Sir  George  and  I  shall  never  agree,  for  he 
is  obstinately  monarchical ;  but  I  tell  him  we  shall  treat  him  none 
the  worse  for  that,  when  he  gets  among  us.  He  has  promised 
me  a  visit  in  our  part  of  the  country,  and  I  have  pledged  myself 
to  his  being  unqualifiedly  well  received ;  and  I  think  I  know 
the  whole  meaning  of  a  pledge," 

"  I  understand  Mr.  Dodge,"  pursued  the  baronet,  "  that  he 
is  the  editor  of  a  public  journal,  in  which  he  entertains  his 
readers  with  an  account  of  his  adventures  and  observations 
during  his  travels.  'The  Active  Inquirer,'  is  it  not,  Mr. 
Dodge  ? " 

"  That  is  the  name,  Sir  George.  '  The  Active  Inquirer '  is 
the  present  name,  though  when  we  supported  Mr.  Adams  it 
was  called  *  The  Active  Enquirer,'  with  an  E." 

"  A  distinction  without  a  difference  ;  I  like  that,"  interrupted 
Captain  Truck.  "This  is  the  second  time  I  have  had  the 
honor  to  sail  with  Mr.  Dodge,  and  a  more  active  inquirer  never 
put  foot  in  a  ship,  though  I  did  not  know  the  use  he  put  his 
information  to  before.  It  is  all  in  the  way  of  trade,  I  find." 

"  Mr.  Dodge  claims  to  belong  to  a  profession,  captain,  and 
is  quite  above  trade.  He  tells  me  many  things  have  occurred 
on  board  this  ship,  since  we  sailed,  that  will  make  very  eligible 
paragraphs." 

"  The  d he  does  !— I  should  like  particularly  well,  Mr 


HOMEWARD   BOUND.  !£• 

Dodge,  to  know  what  you  will  find  to  say  concerning  this  cate- 
gory in  which  the  Montauk  is  placed." 

';  Oh !  captain,  no  fear  of  me,  when  you  are  concerned. 
You  know  I  am  a  friend,  and  you  have  no  cause  to  apprehend 
anything  ;  though  I'll  not  answer  for  everybody  else  on  board  ; 
for  there  are  passengers  in  this  ship  to  whom  I  have  decided 
antipathies,  and  whose  deportment  meets  with  my  unqualified 
disapprobation." 

"  And  you  intend  to  paragraph  them  ? " 

Mr.  Dodge  was  now  swelling  with  the  conceit  of  a  vulgar 
and  inflated  man,  who  not  only  fancies  himself  in  possession  of 
a  power  that  others  dread,  but  who  was  so  far  blinded  to  his 
own  qualities  as  to  think  his  opinion  of  importance  to  those 
whom  he  felt,  in  the  minutest  fibre  of  his  envious  and  malig- 
nant system,  to  be  in  every  essential  his  superiors.  He  did  not 
dare  express  all  his  rancor,  while  he  was  unequal  to  suppressing 
it  entirely. 

"  These  Effinghams,  and  this  Mr.  Sharp  and  that  Mr.  Blunt," 
he  muttered,  "  think  themselves  everybody's  betters ;  but  we 
shall  see  !  America  is  not  a  country  in  which  people  can  shut 
themselves  up  in  rooms,  and  fancy  they  are  lords  and  ladies." 

"  Bless  my  soul  ! "  said  Captain  Truck,  with  his  affected 
simplicity  of  manner ;  "  how  did  you  find  this  out.  Mr.  Dodge  ? 
What  a  thing  it  is,  Sir  George,  to  be  an  active  inquirer  !  " 

"  Oh  !  I  know  when  a  man  is  blown  up  with  notions  of  his 
own  importance.  As  for  Mr.  John  Effingham,  he  has  been  so 
long  abroad  that  he  has  forgotten  that  he  is  going  home  to  a 
country  of  equal  rights  !" 

"  Very  true,  Mr.  Dodge  ;  a  country  in  which  a  man  cannot 
shut  himself  up  in  his  room,  whenever  the  notion  seizes  him. 
This  is  the  spirit,  Sir  George,  to  make  a  great  nation,  and  you 
see  that  the  daughter  is  likely  to  prove  worthy  of  the  old  lady  ! 
But,  my  dear  sir,  are  you  quite  sure  that  Mr.  John  Effingham 
has  absolutely  so  high  a  sentiment  in  his  own  favor.  It  would 
be  awkward  business  to  make  a  blunder  in  such  a  serious  matter, 
and  murder  a  paragraph  for  nothing.  You  should  remember 
the  mistake  of  the  Irishman  !  " 

"  What  was  that  ?  "  asked  the  baronet,  who  was  completely 
mystified  by  the  indomitable  gravity  of  Captain  Truck,  whose 
character  might  be  said  to  be  actually  formed  by  the  long  habit 
of  treating  the  weaknesses  of  his  fellow  creatures  with  cool 
contempt.  "  We  hear  many  good  things  at  our  club ;  but  I  do 
not  remember  the  mistake  of  the  Irishman  ? " 


I52  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  He  merely  mistook  the  drumming  in  his  own  ear,  for 
some  unaccountable  noise  that  disturbed  his  companions." 

Mr.  Dodge  felt  uncomfortable  ;  but  there  is  no  one  of  whom 
a  vulgar-minded  man  stands  so  much  in  awe  as  an  immovable 
quiz,  who  has  no  scruple  in  using  his  power.  He  shook  his 
head,  therefore,  in  a  menacing  manner,  and  affecting  to  have 
something  to  do  he  went  below,  leaving  the  baronet  and  the 
captain  by  themselves. 

"  Mr.  Dodge  is  a  stubborn  friend  of  liberty,"  said  the  former, 
when  his  roommate  was  out  of  hearing. 

"  That  is  he,  and  you  have  his  own  word  for  it.  He  has  no 
notion  of  letting  a  man  do  as  he  has  a  mind  to  !  We  are  full 
of  such  active  inquirers  in  America,  and  I  don't  care  how 
many  you  shoot  before  you  begin  upon  the  white  bears,  Sir 
George." 

"  But  it  would  be  more  gracious  in  the  Effinghams,  you  must 
allow,  captain,  if  they  shut  themselves  up  in  their  cabin  less, 
and  admitted  us  to  their  society  a  little  oftener.  I  am  quite 
of  Mr.  Dodge's  way  of  thinking,  that  exclusion  is  excessivly 
odious." 

"  There  is  a  poor  fellow  in  the  steerage,  Sir  George,  to  whom 
I  have  given  a  piece  of  canvas  to  repair  a  damage  to  his  main- 
sail, who  would  say  the  same  thing  did  he  know  of  your  six  and 
thirtys.  Take  a  cigar,  my  dear  sir,  and  smoke  away  sorrow." 

"  Thankee  captain  ;  I  never  smoke.  We  never  smoke  at 
our  club,  though  some  of  us  go,  at  times,  to  the  divan  to  try  a 
chibouk." 

"  We  can't  all  have  cabins  to  ourselves,  or  no  one  would 
live  forward.  If  the  Effinghams  like  their  own  apartment,  I  do 
honestly  believe  it  is  for  a  reason  as  simple  as  that  it  is  the 
best  in  the  ship.  I'll  warrant  you,  if  there  were  a  better, 
that  they  would  be  ready  enough  to  change.  I  suppose  when 
we  get  in,  Mr.  Dodge  will  honor  you  with  an  article  in  '  The 
Active  Inquirer.' 

"  To  own  the  truth,  he  has  intimated  some  such  thing." 

"  And  why  not  ?  A  very  instructive  paragraph  might  be 
made  about  the  six  and  thirty  pair  of  breeches,  and  the  patent 
razors,  and  the  dressing-case,  to  say  nothing  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  and  the  white  bears." 

Sir  George  now  began  to  feel  uncomfortable,  and  making 
a  few  unmeaning  remarks  about  the  late  accident,  he  disap- 
peared. 

Captain  Truck,  who  never  smiled  except  at  the  corner  of 
his  left  eye,  turned  away,  and  began  rattling  off  his  people,  and 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  !55 

throwing  in  a  hint  or  two  to  Saunders  with  as  much  indifference 
as  if  he  were  a  firm  believer  in  the  unfailing  orthodoxy  of  a 
newspaper,  and  entertained  a  profound  respect  for  the  editor  of 
the  *  Active  Inquirer,'  in  particular. 

The  prognostic  of  the  master  concerning  the  strange  ship 
proved  true,  for  about  nine  at  night  she  came  within  hail,  and 
backed  her  maintop-sail.  This  vessel  proved  to  be  an  Ameri- 
can in  ballast,  bound  from  Gibraltar  to  New  York  a  return 
store-ship  from  the  squadron  kept  in  the  Mediterranean.  She 
had  met  the  gale  to  the  westward  of  Madeira,  and  after  holding  on 
as  long  as  possible,  had  also  been  compelled  to  scud.  Accord- 
ing to  the  report  of  her  officers,  the  Foam  had  run  in  much 
closer  to  the  coast  than  herself,  and  it  was  their  opinion  she 
was  lost.  Their  own  escape  was  owing  entirely  to  the  wind's 
abating,  for  they  had  actually  been  within  sight  of  the  land, 
though  having  received  no  injury,  they  had  been  able  to  haul  off 
in  season. 

Luckily,  this  ship  was  ballasted  with  fresh  water,  and  Captain 
Truck  passed  the  night  in  negotiating  a  transfer  of  his  steerage 
passengers,  under  an  apprehension  that,  in  the  crippled  state 
of  his  own  vessel,  his  supplies  might  be  exhausted  before  he 
could  reach  America.  In  the  morning,  the  offer  of  being  put 
on  board  the  store-ship  was  made  to  those  who  chose  to  ac- 
cept it,  and  all  in  the  steerage,  with  most  from  the  cabin, 
profited  by  the  occasion  to  exchange  a  dismasted  vessel  for  one 
that  was,  at  least,  full  rigged.  Provisions  were  transferred  ac- 
cordingly, and  by  noon  next  day  the  stranger  made  sail  on  a 
wind,  the  sea  being  tolerably  smooth,  and  the  breeze  still  ahead. 
In  three  hours  she  was  out  of  sight  to  the  northward  and  west- 
ward, the  Montauk  holding  her  own  dull  course  to  the  south- 
ward, with  the  double  view  of  striking  the  trades,  or  of  reach- 
ing one  of  the  Cape  de  Verdes. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Steph. — His  forward  voice  now  is  to  speak  well  of  his  friend :  his  back- 
ward voice  is  to  utter  foul  speeches,  and  to  detract. 

Tempest. 

THE  situation  of  the  Montauk  appeared  more  desolate  than 
ever,  after  the  departure  of  so  many  of  her  passengers.  So 
long  as  her  decks  were  thronged  there  was  an  air  of  life  about 
her,  that  served  to  lessen  disquietude,  but  now  that  she  was 


j54  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

left  by  all  in  the  steerage,  and  by  so  many  in  the  cabins,  those 
who  remained  began  to  entertain  livelier  apprehensions  of  the 
future.  When  the  upper  sails  of  the  store-ship  sunk  as  a  speck 
in  the  ocean,  Mr.  Effingham  regretted  that  he,  too,  had  not 
overcome  his  reluctance  to  a  crowded  and  inconvenient  cabin, 
and  gone  on  board  her,  with  his  own  party.  Thirty  years 
before  he  would  have  thought  himself  fortunate  in  finding  so 
good  a  ship,  and  accommodations  so  comfortable  ;  but  habit  and 
indulgence  change  all  our  opinions,  and  he  had  now  thought  it 
next  to  impossible  to  place  Eva  and  Mademoiselle  Viefville  in 
a  situation  that  was  so  common  to  those  who  travelled  by  sea 
at  the  commencement  of  the  century. 

Most  of  the  cabin  passengers,  as  has  just  been  stated,  de- 
cided differently,  none  remaining  but  the  Effinghams  and  their 
party,  Mr.  Sharp,  Mr.  Blunt,  Sir  George  Templemore,  Mr. 
Dodge,  and  Mr.  Monday.  Mr.  Effingham  had  been  influenced 
by  the  superior  comforts  of  the  packet,  and  his  hopes  that  a 
speedy  arrival  at  the  islands  would  enable  the  ship  to  refit,  in 
time  to  reach  America  almost  as  soon  as  the  dull-sailing  vessel 
which  had  just  left  them.  Mr.  Sharp  and  Mr.  Blunt  had  both 
expressed  a  determination  to  share  his  fortunes,  which  was  in- 
directly saying  that  they  would  share  the  fortunes  of  his 
daughter.  John  Effingham  remained,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
though  he  had  made  a  proposition  to  the  stranger  to  tow  them 
into  port,  an  arrangement  that  failed  in  consequence  of  the  two 
captains  disagreeing  as  to  the  course  proper  to  be  steered,  as 
well  as  to  a  more  serious  obstacle  in  the  way  of  compensation, 
the  stranger  throwing  out  some  pretty  plain  hints  about  salvage, 
and  Mr.  Monday  staying  from  an  inveterate  attachment  to  the 
steward's  stores,  more  of  which,  he  rightly  judged,  would  now 
fall  to  his  share  than  formerly. 

Sir  George  Templemore  had  gone  on  board  the  store-ship, 
and  had  given  some  very  clear  demonstrations  of  an  intention 
to  transfer  himself  and  the  thirty-six  pair  of  breeches  to  that 
vessel ;  but  on  examining  her  comforts,  and  particularly  the 
confined  place  in  which  he  should  be  compelled  to  stow  him- 
self and  his  numerous  curiosities,  he  was  unequal  to  the 
sacrifice.  On  the  other  hand,  he  knew  an  entire  stateroom 
would  now  fall  to  his  share,  and  this  self-indulged  and  feeble- 
minded young  man  preferred  his  immediate  comfort,  and  the 
gratification  of  his  besetting  weakness,  to  his  safety. 

As  for  Mr.  Dodge,  he  had  the  American  mania  of  hurry,  and 
was  one  of  the  first  to  propose  a  general  swarming,  as  soon  as 
it  was  known  the  stranger  could  receive  them.  During  the 


HOMEWARD  BtUND.  I55 

night,  he  had  been  actively  employed  in  fomenting  a  party  to 
"  resolve "  that  prudence  required  the  Montauk  should  be 
altogether  abandoned,  and  even  after  this  scheme  failed,  he 
had  dwelt  eloquently  in  corners  (Mr.  Dodge  was  too  meek,  and 
too  purely  democratic,  ever  to  speak  aloud,  unless  under  the 
shadow  of  public  opinion,)  on  the  propriety  of  Captain  Truck's 
yielding  his  own  judgment  to  that  of  the  majority.  He  might 
as  well  have  scolded  against  the  late  gale,  in  the  expectation 
of  out-railing  the  tempest,  as  to  make  such  an  attempt  on  the 
firm-set  notions  of  the  old  seaman  concerning  his  duty ;  for  no 
sooner  was  the  thing  intimated  to  him  than  he  growled  a  denial 
in  a  tone  that  he  was  little  accustomed  to  use  to  his  passengers, 
and  one  that  effectually  silenced  remonstrance.  When  these 
two  plans  had  failed,  Mr.  Dodge  endeavored  strenuously  to 
show  Sir  George  that  his  interests  and  safety  were  on  the  side 
of  a  removal  ;  but  with  all  his  eloquence,  and  with  the  hold 
that  incessant  adulation  had  actually  given  him  on  the  mind  of 
the  other,  he  was  unable  to  overcome  his  love  of  ease,  and  chiefly 
the  passion  for  the  enjoyment  of  the  hundred  articles  of  comfort 
and  curiosity  iri  which  the  baronet  so  much  delighted.  The 
breeches  might  nave  been  packed  in  a  trunk,  it  is  true,  and  so 
might  the  razors,  and  the  dressing-case,  and  the  pistols,  and 
most  of  the  other  things  ;  but  Sir  George  loved  to  look  at  them 
daily,  and  as  many  as  possible  were  constantly  paraded  before 
his  eyes. 

To  the  surprise  of  every  one,  Mr.  Dodge,  on  finding  it  im- 
possible to  prevail  on  Sir  George  Templemore  to  leave  the 
packet,  suddenly  announced  his  own  intention  to  remain  also. 
Few  stopped  to  inquire  into  his  motives  in  the  hurry  of  such  a 
moment.  To  his  roommate  he  affirmed  that  the  strong  friend- 
ship he  had  formed  for  him,  could  alone  induce  him  to  relinquish 
the  hope  of  reaching  home  previously  to  the  autumn  elections. 

Nor  did  Mr.  Dodge  greatly  color  the  truth  in  making  this 
statement.  He  was  an  American  demagogue  precisely  in 
obedience  to  those  feelings  and  inclinations  which  would  have 
made  him  a  courtier  anywhere  else.  It  is  true,  he  had  travelled, 
or  thought  he  had  travelled,  in  a  diligence  with  a  countess  or  two, 
but  from  these  he  had  been  obliged  to  separate  early  on  account 
of  the  force  of  things  ;  while  here  he  had  got  a  bona-fide  English 
baronet  all  to  himself,  in  a  confined  stateroom,  and  his  im- 
agination revelled  in  the  glory  and  gratification  of  such  an 
acquaintance.  What  were  the  proud  and  distant  Effinghams  to 
Sir  George  Templemore  !  He  even  ascribed  their  reserve  with 
the  baronet  to  envy,  a  passion  of  whose  existence  he  had  very 


156  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

lively  perceptions,  and  he  found  a  secret  charm  in  being  shut 
up  in  so  small  an  apartment  with  a  man  who  could  excite  envy 
in  an  Effingham.  Rather  than  abandon  his  aristocratical  prize, 
therefore  whom  he  intended  to  exhibit  to  all  his  democratic 
friends  in  his  own  neighborhood,  Mr.  Dodge  determined  to 
abandon  his  beloved  hurry,  looking  for  his  reward  in  the  future 
pleasure  of  talking  of  Sir  George  Templemore  and  his  curi- 
osities, and  of  his  sayings  and  his  jokes,  in  the  circle  at  home. 
Odd,  moreover,  as  it  may  seem,  Mr.  Dodge  had  an  itching 
desire  to  remain  with  the  Effinghams  ;  for  while  he  was  permit- 
ting  jealousy  and  a  consciousness  of  inferiority  to  beget  hatred, 
he  was  willing  at  any  moment  to  make  peace,  provided  it  could 
be  done  by  a  frank  admission  into  their  intimacy.  As  to  the 
innocent  family  that  was  rendered  of  so  much  account  to  the 
happiness  of  Mr.  Dodge,  it  seldom  thought  of  that  individual 
it  all,  little  dreaming  of  its  own  importance  in  his  estimation, 
and  merely  acted  in  obedience  to  its  own  cultivated  tastes  and 
high  principles  in  disliking  his  company.  It  fancied  itself,  in 
this  particular,  the  master  of  its  own  acts,  and  this  so  much  the 
more,  that  with  the  reserve  of  good-breeding  its  members  seldom 
indulged  in  censorious  personal  remarks,  and  iftver  in  gossip. 

As  a  consequence  of  these  contradictory  feelings  of  Mr. 
Dodge,  and  of  the  fastidiousness  of  Sir  George  Templemore, 
the  interest  her  two  admirers  took  in  Eve,  the  devotion  of  Mr. 
Monday  to  sherry  and  champagne,  and  the  decision  of  Mr. 
Effingham,  these  persons  therefore  remained  the  sole  occupants 
of  the  cabins  of  the  Montauk.  Of  the  oi polloi  who  had  left 
them,  we  have  hitherto  said  nothing,  because  this  separation 
was  to  remove  them  entirely  from  the  interest  of  our  incidents. 

If  we  were  to  say  that  Captain  Truck  did  not  feel  melan 
choly  as  the  store-ship  sunk  beneath  the  horizon,  we  should  rep- 
resent that  stout-hearted  mariner  as  more  stoical  than  he 
actually  was.  In  the  course  of  a  long  and  adventurous  pro- 
fessional life,  he  had  encountered  calamities  before,  but  he  had 
never  before  been  compelled  to  call  in  assistance  to  deliver  his 
passengers  at  the  stipulated  port,  since  he  had  commanded  a 
packet.  He  felt  the  necessity,  in  the  present  instance  as  a  sort 
of  stain  upon  his  character  as  a  seaman,  though  in  fact  the 
accident  which  had  occurred  was  chiefly  to  be  attributed  to  a 
concealed  defect  in  the  mainmast.  The  honest  master  sighed 
often,  smoked  nearly  double  the  usual  number  of  cigars  in  the 
course  of  the  afternoon,  and  when  the  sun  went  down  glorious- 
ly in  the  distant  west,  he  stood  gazing  at  the  sky  in  melancholy 
silence,  as  long  as  any  of  the  magnificent  glory  that  accompanies 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  I57 

the  decline  of  day  lingered  among  the  vapors  of  the  horizon. 
He  then  summoned  Saunders  to  the  quarter-deck,  where  the 
following  dialogue  took  place  between  them, — 

"  This  is  a  devil  of  a  category  to  be  in,  Master  Steward  ! " 

"  Well,  he  might  be  better,  sir.  I  only  wish  the  good  butter 
may  endure  until  we  get  in." 

"  If  it  fail,  I  shall  go  nigh  to  see  you  clapped  into  the  State's 
orison,  or  at  least  into  that  Gothic  cottage  on  BlackwelPs 
Island." 

"  There  is  an  end  to  all  things,  Captain  Truck,  if  you  please, 
sir,  even  to  butter.  I  presume,  sir,  Mr.  Vattel,  if  he  know  any- 
thing of  cookery,  will  admit  that." 

"  Harkee,  Saunders,  if  you  ever  insinuate  again  that  Vattel 
belonged  to  the  coppers,  in  my  presence,  I'll  take  the  liberty  to 
land  you  on  the  coast  here,  where  you  may  amuse  yourself  in 
stewing  young  monkeys  for  your  own  dinner.  I  saw  you  aboard 
the  other  ship,  sir,  overhaulimg  her  arrangements  ;  what  sort  of 
a  time  will  the  gentlemen  be  likely  to  have  in  her  ? " 

"  Atrocious,  sir !  I  give  you  my  honor,  as  a  real  gentleman, 
sir.  Why,  would  you  believe  it,  Captain  Truck,  the  steward  is 
a  downright  nigger,  and  he  wears  earrings,  and  a  red  flannel 
shirt,  without  the  least  edication.  As  for  the  cook,  sir,  he 
wouldn't  pass  an  examination  for  Jemmy  Ducks  aboard  here, 
and  there  is  but  one  camboose,  and  one  set  of  coppers." 

"  Well,  the  steerage-passengers,  in  that  case,  will  fare  as  well 
as  the  cabin." 

"  Yes,  sir,  and  the  cabin  as  bad  as  the  steerage ;  and  for 
my  part,  I  abomernate  liberty  and  equality." 

"  You  should  converse  with  Mr.  Dodge  on  that  subject, 
Master  Saunders,  and  let  the  hardest  fend  off  in  the  argument. 
May  I  inquire,  sir,  if  you  happen  to  remember  the  day  of  the 
week  ?  " 

"  Beyond  controversy,  sir  ;  to-morrow  will  be  Sunday,  Cap- 
tain Truck,  and  I  think  it  a  thousand  pities  we  have  not  an  op- 
portunity to  solicit  the  prayers  and  praises  of  the  church,  sir,  in 
our  behalf,  sir." 

"  If  to-morrow  will  be  Sunday,  to-day  must  be  Saturday,  Mr. 
Saunders,  unless  this  last  gale  has  deranged  the  calendar." 

"  Quite  naturally,  sir,  and  werry  justly  remarked.  Every 
body  admits  there  is  no  better  navigator  than  Captain  Truck, 
sir." 

"  This  may  be  true,  my  honest  fellow,"  returned  the  cap- 
tain moodily,  after  making  three  or  four  heavy  puffs  at  the 
cigar  ;  "  but  I  am  sadly  out  of  my  road  down  here  in  the'coun' 


I58  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

try  of  your  amiable  family,  just  now.  If  this  be  Saturday,  there 
will  be  a  Saturday  night  before  long,  and  look  to  it,  that  we 
have  our  '  sweethearts  and  wives.'  Though  I  have  neither  my- 
self, I  feel  the  necessity  of  something  cheerful,  to  raise  my 
thoughts  to  the  future." 

"Depend  on  my  discretion,  sir,  and  I  rejoice  to  hear  you 
say  it ;  for  I  think,  sir,  a  ship  is  never  so  respectable  and  gen- 
teel as  when  she  celebrates  all  the  anniwersaries.  You  will  be 
quite  a  select  and  agreeable  party  to-night,  sir." 

With  this  remark  Mr.  Saunders  withdrew,  to  confer  with 
Toast  on  the  subject,  and  Captain  Truck  proceeded  to  give  his 
orders  for  the  night  to  Mr.  Leach.  The  proud  ship  did  indeed 
present  a  sight  to  make  a  seaman  melancholy ;  for  to  the  only 
regular  sail  that  stood,  the  foresail,  by  this  time  was  added  a 
lower  studding-sail,  imperfectly  rigged,  and  which  would  not 
resist  a  fresh-puff,  while  a  very  inartificial  jury-topmast  sup- 
ported a  topgallant-sail,  that  could  only  be  carried  in  a  free 
wind.  Aft,  preparations  were  making  of  a  more  permanent  na- 
ture, it  is  true.  The  upper  part  of  the  mainmast  had  been  cut 
away,  as  low  as  the  steerage-deck,  where  an  arrangement  had 
been  made  to  step  a  spare  topmast.  The  spar  itself  was  lying 
on  the  deck  rigged,  and  a  pair  of  sheers  were  in  readiness  to  be 
hoisted,  in  order  to  sway  it  up  ;  but  night  approaching,  the  men 
had  been  broken  off,  to  rig  the  yards,  bend  the  sails,  and  to  fit 
the  other  spars  it  was  intended  to  use,  postponing  the  last  act, 
that  of  sending  all  up,  until  morning. 

"  We  are  likely  to  have  a  quiet  night  of  it,"  said  the  cap- 
tain, glancing  his  eyes  round  at  the  heavens  ;  "  and  at  eight 
o'clock  to-morrow  let  all  hands  be  called,  when  we  will  turn-to 
with  a  will,  and  make  a  brig  of  trie  old  hussey.  This  topmast 
will  do  to  bear  the  strain  of  the  spare  main-yard,  unless  there 
come  another  gale,  and  by  reefing  the  new  mainsail  we  shall 
be  able  to  make  something  out  of  it.  The  topgallant-mast  will 
fit  of  course  above,  and  we  may  make  out,  by  keeping  a  little 
free,  to  carry  the  sail  :  at  need,  we  may  possibly  coax  the  con- 
trivance into  carrying  a  studding-sail  also.  We  have  sticks  for 
no  more,  though  we'll  endeavor  to  get  up  something  aft,  out  of 
the  spare  spars  obtained  from  the  store-ship.  You  may  knock 
off  at  four  bells,  Mr.  Leach,  and  let  the  poor  fellows  have  their 
Saturday's  night  in  peace.  It  is  a  misfortune  enough  to  be  dis* 
masted,  without  having  one's  grog  stopped." 

The  mate  of  course  obeyed,  and  the  evening  shut  in  beautit 
fully  and  placid,  with  all  the  glory  of  a  mild  night,  in  a  latitude 
as  low  as  that  they  were  in.  They  who  have  never  seen  the  ocean 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


'59 


under  such  circumstances,  know  little  of  its  charms  in  its  mo- 
ments of  rest.  The  term  of  sleeping  is  well  applied  to  its  im- 
pressive stillness,  for  the  long  sluggish  swells  on  which  the  ship 
rose  and  fell,  hardly  disturbed  its  surface.  The  moon  did  not 
rise  until  midnight,  and  Eve,  accompanied  by  Mademoiselle 
Viefville  and  most  of  her  male  companions,  walked  the  deck  by 
the  bright  starlight,  until  fatigued  with  pacing  their  narrow 
bounds. 

The  song  and  the  laugh  rose  frequently  from  the  forecastle, 
where  the  crew  were  occupied  with  their  Saturday-night ;  and 
occasionally  a  rude  sentiment  in  the  way  of  a  toast  was  heard. 
But  weariness  soon  got  the  better  of  merriment  forward,  and 
the  hard-worked  mariners  who  had  the  watch  below,  soon  went 
down  to  their  berths,  leaving  those  whose  duty  it  was  to  remain 
to  doze  away  the  long  hours  in  such  places  as  they  could  find 
on  deck. 

"  A  white  squall,"  said  Captain  Truck,  looking  up  at  the 
uncouth  sails  that  hardly  impelled  the  vessel  a  mile  in  the  hour 
through  the  water,  "  would  soon  furl  all  our  canvas  for  us,  and 
we  are  in  the  very  place  for  such  an  interlude." 

"  And  what  would  then  become  of  us  ?  "  asked  Mademoi- 
selle Viefville  quickly. 

"  You  had  better  ask  what  would  become  of  that  apology 
for  a  topsail,  mam'selle,  and  yonder  stun 'sail,  which  looks  like 
an  American  in  London  without  straps  to  his  pantaloons.  The 
canvas  would  play  kite,  and  we  should  be  left  to  renew  our  in- 
ventions. A  ship  could  scarcely  be  in  better  plight  than  we 
are  at  this  moment,  to  meet  with  one  of  these  African  flur- 
ries." 

"  In  which  case,  captain,"  observed  Mr.  Monday,  who  stood 
by  the  skylight  watching  the  preparations  below,  "  we  can  go 
to  our  Saturday-night  without  fear ;  for  I  see  the  steward  has 
everything  ready,  and  the  punch  looks  very  inviting,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  champagne." 

"  Gentlemen,  we  will  not  forget  our  duty,"  returned  the  cap- 
tain ;  "  we  are  but  a  small  family,  and  so  much  the  greater  need 
that  we  should  prove  a  jolly  one.  Mr.  Effingham,  I  hope  we 
are  to  have  the  honor  of  your  company  at  '  sweethearts  and 
wives.'  " 

Mr.  Emngham  had  no  wife,  and  the  invitation  coming  under 
such  peculiar  circumstances,  produced  a  pang  that  Eve,  who 
felt  his  arm  tremble,  well  understood.  She  mildly  intimated 
her  intention  to  go  below  however  ;  the  whole  party  followed, 
and  lucky  it  was  for  the  captain's  entertainment  that  she  quitted 


!6o  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

the  deck,  as  few  would  otherwise  have  been  present  at  it.  B)i 
pressing  the  passengers  to  favor  him  with  their  company,  he 
succeeded  in  the  course  of  a  few  minutes  in  getting  all  the 
gentlemen  seated  at  the  cabin  table,  with  a  glass  of  delicious 
punch  before  each  man. 

"  Mr.  Saunders  may  not  be  a  conjurer  or  a  mathematician, 
gentlemen,"  cried  Captain  Truck,  as  he  ladled  out  the  bever- 
age ;  "  but  he  understands  the  philosophy  of  sweet  and  sour, 
strong  and  weak  ;  and  I  will  venture  to  praise  his  liquor  with 
out  tasting  it.  Well,  gentlemen,  there  are  better  rigged  ships 
on  the  ocean  than  this  of  ours  ;  but  there  are  few  with  more 
comfortable  cabins,  or  stouter  hulls,  or  better  company.  Please 
God  we  can  get  a  few  sticks  aloft  again,  now  that  we  are  quit 
of  our  troublesome  shadow,  I  think  I  may  flatter  myself  with  a 
reasonable  hope  of  landing  you,  that  do  me  the  honor  to  stand 
by  me,  in  New  York,  in  less  time  than  a  common  drogger  would 
make  the  passage,  with  all  his  legs  and  arms.  Let  our  first 
toast  be,  if  you  please,  '  A  happy  end  to  that  which  has  had  a 
disastrous  beginning. '  " 

Captain  Truck's  hard  face  twitched  a  little  while  he  was 
making  this  address,  and  as  he  swallowed  the  punch,  his  eyes 
glistened  in  spite  of  himself.  Mr.  Dodge,  Sir  George,  and 
Mr.  Monday  repeated  the  sentiment  sonorously,  word  for  word, 
while  the  other  gentlemen  bowed,  and  drank  it  in  silence. 

The  commencement  of  a  regular  scene  of  merriment  is 
usually  dull  and  formal,  and  it  was  some  time  before  Captain 
Truck  could  bring  any  of  his  companions  up  to  the  point  where 
he  wished  to  see  them  ;  for  though  a  perfectly  sober  man,  he 
loved  a  social  glass,  and  particularly  at  those  times  and  seasons 
which  conformed  to  the  practice  of  his  calling.  Although  Eve 
and  the  governess  had  declined  taking  their  seats  at  the  table, 
they  consented  to  place  themselves  where  they  might  be  seen, 
and  where  they  might  share  occasionally  in  the  conversation. 

"  Here  have  I  been  drinking  sweethearts  and  wives  of  a 
Saturday-night,  my  dear  young  lady,  these  forty  years  and 
more,"  said  Captain  Truck,  after  the  party  had  sipped  their 
liquor  for  a  minute  or  two,  "  without  ever  falling  into  luck's 
latitude,  or  furnishing  myself  with  either  :  but,  though  so  neg 
ligent  of  my  own  interests  and  happiness,  I  make  it  an  invari- 
able rule  to  advise  all  my  young  friends  to  get  spliced  before 
they  are  thirty.  Many  is  the  man  who  has  come  aboard  my 
ship  a  determined  bachelor  in  his  notions,  who  has  left  it  at  the 
end  of  the  passage  ready  to  marry  the  first  pretty  young  woman 
he  fell  in  with." 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  161 

As  Eve  had  too  much  of  the  self-respect  of  a  lady,  and  of 
the  true  dignity  of  her  sex,  to  permit  jokes  concerning  matri- 
mony, or  a  treatise  on  love,  to  make  a  part  of  her  conversation, 
and  all  the  gentlemen  of  her  party  understood  her  character 
too  well,  to  say  nothing  of  their  own  habits,  to  second  this  at- 
tempt of  the  captain's,  after  a  vapid  remark  or  two  from  the 
others,  this  rally  of  the  honest  mariner  produced  no  suites. 

"  Are  we  not  unusually  low,  Captain  Truck,"  inquired  Paul 
Blunt,  with  a  view  to  change  the  discourse,  "  not  to  have  fallen 
in  with  the  trades  ?  I  have  commonly  met  with  those  winds 
on  this  coast  as  high  as  twenty-six  or  twenty-seven,  and  I  be- 
lieve you  observed  to-day,  in  twenty-four." 

Captain  Truck  looked  hard  at  the  speaker,  and  when  he 
had  done,  he  nodded  his  head  in  approbation. 

"  You  have  travelled  this  road  before,  Mr.  Blunt,  I  perceive. 
I  have  suspected  you  of  being  a  brother  chip,  from  the  moment 
'I  saw  you  first  put  your  foot  on  the  side-cleets  in  getting  out  of 
the  boat.  You  did  not  come  aboard  parrot-toed,  like  a  country- 
girl  waltzing ;  but  set  the  ball  of  the  foot  firmly  on  the  wood, 
and  swung  off  the  length  of  your  arms,  like  a  man  who  knows 
how  to  humor  the  muscles.  Your  present  remark,  too,  shows 
you  understand  where  a  ship  ought  to  be  in  her  right  place. 
As  for  the  trades,  they  are  a  little  uncertain,  like  a  lady's  mind 
when  she  has  more  than  one  good  offer ;  for  I've  known  them 
to  blow  as  high  as  thirty,  and  then  again,  to  fail  a  vessel  as 
low  as  twenty-three,  or  even  lower.  It  is  my  private  opinion, 
gentlemen,  and  I  gladly  take  this  opportunity  to  make  it  public, 
that  we  are  on  the  edge  of  the  trades,  or  in  those  light  baffling 
winds  which  prevail  along  their  margin,  as  eddies  play  near 
the  track  of  strong  steady  currents  in  the  ocean.  If  we  can 
force  the  ship  fairly  out  of  this  trimming  region — that  is  the 
word,  I  believe,  Mr.  Dodge — we  shall  do  well  enough ;  for  a 
northeast,  or  an  east  wind,  would  soon  send  us  up  with  the 
island,  even  under  the  rags  we  carry.  We  are  very  near  the 
coast,  certainly — much  nearer  than  I  could  wish  ;  but  when  we 
do  get  the  goo$  breeze,  it  will  be  all  the  better  for  us,  as  it  will 
find  us  well  to  windward." 

"  But  these  trades,  Captain  Truck  ?  "  asked  Eve  :  "  if  they 
always  blow  in  the  same  direction,  how  is  it  possible  that  the 
late  gale  should  drive  a  ship  into  the  quarter  of  the  ocean 
where  they  prevail  ?  " 

"  Always,  means  sometimes,  my  dear  young  lady.  Although 
light  winds  prevail  near  the  edge  of  the  trades,  gales,  and  tre- 
mendous fellows  too,  sometimes  blow  there  also,  as  we  have 


!62  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

just  seen.  I  think  we  shall  now  have  settled  weather,  and  that 
our  chance  of  a  safe  arrival,  more  particularly  in  some  southern 
American  port,  is  almost  certain,  though  our  chance  for  a  speedy 
arrival  be  not  quite  as  good.  I  hope  before  twenty-four  hours 
are  passed,  to  see  our  decks  white  with  sand. 

"  Is  that  a  phenomenon  seen  here  ?  "  asked  the  father. 

"  Often,  Mr.  Effingham,  when  ships  are  close  in  with  Africa 
and  are  fairly  in  the  steady  winds.  To  say  the  truth,  the  coun- 
try abreast  of  us,  some  twenty  or  thirty  miles  distant,  is  not  the 
most  inviting  ;  and  though  it  may  not  be  easy  to  say  where  the 
garden  of  Eden  is,  it  is  not  hazardous  to  say  it  is  not  there." 

"  If  we  are  so  very  near  the  coast,  why  do  we  not  see  it  ? " 

"Perhaps  we  might  from  aloft,  if  we  had  any  aloft  just 
now.  We  are  to  the  southward  of  the  mountains,  however,  and 
off  a  part  of  the  country  where  the  Great  Desert  makes  from 
the  coast.  And  now,  gentlemen,  I  perceive  Mr.  Monday  finds 
all  this  sand  arid,  and  I  ask  permission  to  give  you,  one  and 
all,  '  Sweethearts  and  wives.'  " 

Most  of  the  company  drank  the  usual  toast  with  spirit, 
though  both  the  Effinghams  scarce  wetted  their  lips.  Eve  stole 
a  timid  glance  at  her  father,  and  her  own  eyes  were  filled  with 
tears  as  she  withdrew  them  ;  for  she  knew  that  e.very  allusion 
of  this  nature  revived  in  him  mournful  recollections.  As  for 
her  cousin  Jack,  he  was  so  confirmed  a  bachelor  that  she 
thought  nothing  of  his  want  of  sympathy  with  such  a  senti- 
ment. 

"You  must  have  a  care  for  your  heart,  in  America,  Sir 
George  Templemore."  cried  Mr.  Dodge,  whose  tongue  loosened 
with  the  liquor  he  drank.  "  Our  ladies  are  celebrated  for  their 
beauty,  and  are  immensely  popular,  I  can  assure  you." 

Sir  George  looked  pleased,  and  it  is  quite  probable  his 
thoughts  ran  on  the  one  particular  vestment  of  the  six  and 
thirty,  in  which  he  ought  to  make  his  first  appearance  in  such  a 
society. 

"  I  allow  the  American  ladies  to  be  handsome/'  said  Mr 
Monday  ;  "  but  I  think  no  Englishman  need  be  in  any  particu- 
lar danger  of  his  heart  from  such  a  cause,  after  having  been 
accustomed  to  the  beauty  of  his  own  island.  Captain  Truck, 
I  have  the  honor  to  drink  your  health." 

"  Fairly  said,"  cried  the  captain,  bowing  to  the  compliment ; 
"  and  I  ascribe  my  own  hard  fortune  to  the  fact  that  I  have 
been  kept  sailing  between  two  countries  so  much  favored  in 
this  particular,  that  I  have  never  been  able  to  make  up  my 
mind  which  to  prefer.  I  have  wished  a  thousand  times  there 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  !6j 

was  but  one  handsome  woman  in  the  world,  when  a  man  would 
have  nothing  to  do  but  fall  in  love  with  her  ;  and  make  up  his 
mind  to  get  married  at  once,  or  hang  himself." 

"  That  is  a  cruel  wish  to  us  men,"  returned  Sir  George,  "  as 
we  should  be  certain  to  quarrel  for  the  beauty." 

"  In  such  a  case,"  resumed  Mr.  Monday,  "  we  common  men 
would  have  to  give  way  to  the  claims  of  the  nobility  and  gen- 
try, and  satisfy  ourselves  with  plainer  companions  ;  though  an 
Englishman  loves  his  independence,  and  might  rebel.  I  have 
the  honor  to  drink  your  health  and  happiness,  Sir  George." 

"  I  protest  against  your  principle,  Mr.  Monday,"  said  Mr. 
Dodge,  "  which  is  an  invasion  on  human  rights.  Perfect  free- 
dom of  action  is  to  be  maintained  in  this  matter  as  in  all  others. 
I  acknowledge  that  the  English  ladies  are  extremely  beautiful, 
but  I  shall  always  maintain  the  supremacy  of  the  American 
fair." 

"  We  will  drink  their  healths,  sir.  I  am  far  from  denying 
their  beauty,  Mr.  Dodge,  but  I  think  you  must  admit  that  they 
fade  earlier  than  our  British  ladies.  God  bless  them  both, 
however,  and  I  empty  this  glass  to  the  two  entire  nations,  with 
all  my  heart  and  soul." 

"  Perfectly  polite,  Mr.  Monday  ;  but  as  to  the  fading  of  the 
ladies,  I  am  not  certain  that  I  can  yield  an  unqualified  appro- 
bation to  your  sentiment." 

"  Nay,  sir,  your  climate,  you  will  allow,  is  none  of  the  best, 
and  it  wears  out  constitutions  almost  as  fast  as  your  states 
make  them." 

"  I  hope  there  is  no  real  danger  to  be  apprehended  from 
the  climate,"  said  Sir  George  :  "  I  particularly  detest  bad  cli- 
mates ;  and  for  that  reason  have  always  made  it  a  rule  never 
to  go  to  Lincolnshire." 

"  In  that  case,  Sir  George,  you  had  better  have  stayed  at 
home.  In  the  way  of  climate,  a  man  seldom  betters  himself  by 
leaving  old  England.  Now  this  is  the  tenth  time  I've  been  in 
America,  allowing  that  I  ever  reach  there,  and  although  I  en- 
tertain a  profound  respect  for  the  country,  I  find  myself  grow- 
ing older  every  time  I  quit  it.  Mr.  Effingham,  I  do  myself  the 
favor  to  drink  to  your  health  and  happiness." 

"  You  live  too  well  when  amongst  us,  Mr.  Monday,"  said 
the  captain ;  "  there  are  too  many  soft  crabs,  hard  clams,  and 
canvas-backs  ;  too  much  old  Madeira,  and  generous  sherry, 
for  a  man  of  your  well-known  taste  to  resist  them.  Sit  less  time 
at  table,  and  go  oftener  to  church  this  trip,  and  let  us  hear 
your  report  of  the  consequences  a  twelvemonth  hence." 


I64  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  You  quite  mistake  my  habits,  Captain  Truck,  I  give  you 
my  honor.  Although  a  judicious  eater,  I  seldom  take  anything 
that  is  compounded,  being  a  plain  roast  and  boiled  man  ;  a 
true  old-fashioned  Englishman  in  this  respect,  satisfying  my 
appetite  with  solid  beef  and  mutton,  and  turkeys  and  pork,  and 
puddings  and  potatoes,  and  turnips  and  carrots,  and  similar  sim- 
ple food  ;  and  then  I  never  drink. — Ladies,  I  ask  the  honor  to  be 
permitted  to  wish  you  a  happy  return  to  your  native  countries. 
— I  ascribe  all  the  difficulty,  sir,  to  the  climate,  which  will  not 
permit  a  man  to  digest  properly." 

"  Well,  Mr.  Monday,  I  subscribe  to  most  of  your  opinions, 
and  I  believe  few  men  cross  the  ocean  together  that  are  more 
harmonious  in  sentiment,  in  general,  than  has  proved  to  be  the 
case  between  you  and  Sir  George,  and  myself,"  observed  Mr. 
Dodge,  glancing  obliquely  and  pointedly  at  the  rest  of  the 
party,  as  if  he  thought  they  were  in  a  decided  minority ;  "  but 
in  this  instance,  I  feel  constrained  to  record  my  vote  in  the 
negative.  I  believe  America  has  as  good  a  climate,  and  as 
good  general  digestion  as  commonly  falls  to  the  lot  of  mortals  : 
more  than  this  I  do  not  claim  for  the  country,  and  less  than 
this  I  should  be  reluctant  to  maintain.  I  have  travelled  a  little, 
gentlemen,  not  as  much,  perhaps,  as  the  Messrs.  Effinghams ; 
but  then  a  man  can  see  no  more  than  is  to  be  seen,  and  I  do 
affirm,  Captain  Truck,  that  in  my  poor  judgment,  which  I 
know  is*  good  for  nothing — " 

"  Why  do  you  use  it,  then  ?  "  abruptly  asked  the  straight- 
forward captain  ;  "  why  not  rely  on  a  better  ? " 

"  We  must  use  such  as  we  have,  or  go  without,  sir  ;  and  I 
suspect,  in  my  very  poor  judgment,  which  is  probably  poorer 
than  that  of  most  others  on  board,  that  America  is  a  very  good 
sort  of  a  country.  At  all  events,  after  having  seen  something 
of  other  countries,  and  governments,  and  people,  I  am  of 
opinion  that  America,  as  a  country,  is  quite  good  enough  for 
me." 

"  You  never  said  truer  words,  Mr.  Dodge,  and  I  beg  you 
will  join  Mr.  Monday  and  myself  in  a  fresh  glass  of  punch,  just 
to  help  on  the  digestion.  You  have  seen  more  of  human  na- 
ture than  your  modesty  allows  you  to  proclaim,  and  I  dare  say 
this  company  would  be  gratified  if  you  would  overcome  all 
scruples,  and  let  us  know  your  private  opinions  of  the  different 
people  you  have  visited.  Tell  us  something  of  that  dittur  you 
made  on  the  Rhine." 

"  Mr.  Dodge  intends  to  publish,  it  is  to  be  hoped ! "  ob 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  ^5 

served  Mr.  Sharp ;  "  and  it  may  not  be  fair  to  anticipate  his 
matter." 

"  I  beg,  gentlemen,  you  will  have  no  scruples  on  that  score, 
for  my  work  will  be  rather  philosophical  and  general,  than  of 
the  particular  nature  of  private  anecdotes.  Saunders,  hand 
me  the  manuscript  journal  you  will  find  on  the  shelf  of  our 
stateroom,  next  to  Sir  George's  patent  toothpick  case  This 
is  the  book ;  and  now,  gentlemen  and  ladies,  I  beg  you  to 
remember  that  these  are  merely  the  ideas  as  they  arose,  and 
not  my  more  mature  reflections." 

"  Take  a  little  punch,  sir,"  interrupted  the  captain,  again, 
whose  hard  nor'west  face  was  set  in  the  most  demure  attention. 
"  There  is  nothing  like  punch  to  clear  the  voice,  Mr.  Dodge  ; 
the  acid  removes  the  huskiness,  the  sugar  softens  the  tones, 
the  water  mellows  the  tongue,  and  the  Jamaica  braces  the  mus 
cles.  With  a  plenty  of  punch,  a  man  soon  gets  to  be  anothei 
— I  forget  the  name  of  that  great  orator  of  antiquity, — it  wasn't 
Vattel,  however." 

"You  mean  Demosthenes,  sir;  and,  gentlemen,  I  beg  you 
to  remark  that  this  orator  was  a  republican  :  but  there  can  be 
no  question  that  liberty  is  favorable  to  the  encouragement  of 
all  the  higher  qualities.  Would  you  prefer  a  few  notes  on 
Paris,  ladies,  or  shall  I  commence  with  some  extracts  about  the 
Rhine  !  " 

"  Oh  !  de  grace,  Monsieur,  be  so  very  kind  as  not  to  over 
look  Paris/"  said  Mademoiselle  Viefville. 

Mr.  Dodge  bowed  graciously,  and  turning  over  the  leaves 
of  his  private  journal,  he  alighted  in  the  heart  of  the  great  city 
named.  After  some  preliminary  hemming,  he  commenced 
reading  in  a  grave  didactic  tone,  that  sufficiently  showed  the 
value  he  had  attached  to  his  own  observations. 

"  '  Dejjuned  at  ten,  as  usual,  an  hour,  that  I  find  exceedingly 
unreasonable  and  improper,  and  one  that  would  meet  with 
general  disapprobation  in  America.  I  do  not  wonder  that  a 
people  gets  to  be  immoral  and  depraved  in  their  practices, 
who  keep  such  improper  hours.  The  mind  acquires  habits  of 
impurity,  and  all  the  sensibilities  become  blunted,  by  taking 
the  meals  out  of  the  natural  seasons.  I  impute  much  of  the 
corruption  of  France  to  the  periods  of  the  day  in  which  the 
food  is  taken — '  " 

"  Voila  une  drole  a' idee!"  ejaculated  Mademoiselle  Vief- 
ville. 

"  ' — In  which  food  is  taken,"  repeated  Mr.  Dodge,  who 
fancied  the  involuntary  exclamation  was  in  approbation  of  the 


!66  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

justice  of  his  sentiments.  l  Indeed  the  custom  of  taking  wine 
at  this  meal,  together  with  the  immorality  of  the  hour,  must  be 
chief  reasons  why  the  French  ladies  are  so  much  in  the  practice 
of  drinking  to  excess/  " 

" Mats,  monsieur/" 

"You  perceive,  mademoiselle  calls  in  question  the  accu- 
racy of  your  facts,"  observed  Mr.  Blunt,  who,  in  common  with 
all  the  listeners,  Sir  George  and  Mr.  Monday  excepted,  began 
to  enjoy  a  scene  which  at  first  had  promised  nothing  but  ennui 
and  disgust. 

"  I  have  it  on  the  best  authority,  I  give  you  my  honor,  or  I 
would  not  introduce  so  grave  a  charge  in  a  work  of  this  contem- 
plated importance.  I  obtained  my  information  from  an  English 
gentleman  who  has  resided  twelve  years  in  Paris  ;  and  he  in- 
forms me  that  a  very  large  portion  of  the  women  of  fashion  in 
that  capital,  let  them  belong  to  what  country  they  will,  are  dis- 
sipated." 

11 A  la  bonne  heure,  monsieur ! — mais,  to  drink,  it  is  very 
different." 

"  Not  so  much  so,  mademoiselle,  as  you  imagine,"  rejoined 
John  Effingham.  "  Mr.  Dodge  is  a  purist  in  language  as  well 
as  in  morals,  and  he  uses  terms  differently  from  us  less-in- 
structed prattlers.  By  dissipated,  he  understands  a  drunkard." 

"Comment!" 

"  Certainly ;  Mr.  John  Effingham,  I  presume,  will  at  least 
give  us  the  credit  in  America  in  speaking  our  language  better 
than  any  other  known  people.  *  After  dejjunying,  took  a 
phyacre  and  rode  to  the  palace,  to  see  the  king  and  royal  family 
leave  for  Nully. — '  " 

"  Pour  out" 

"Pour  Neuilly,  mademoiselle"  Eve  quietly  answered. 

"  * — For  Nully.  His  majesty  went  on  horseback,  preceding 
his  illustrious  family  and  all  the  rest  of  the  noble  party,  dressed 
in  a  red  coat,  laced  with  white  on  the  seams,  wearing  blue 
breeches  and  a  cocked  hat.'  " 

"del!" 

" '  I  made  the  king  a  suitable  republican  reverence  as  he 
passed,  which  he  answered  with  a  gracious  smile,  and  a  benig- 
nant glance  of  his  royal  eye.  The  Hon.  Louis  Philippe  Orleans, 
the  present  sovereign  of  the  French,  is  a  gentleman  of  portly 
and  commanding  appearance,  and  in  his  state  attire,  which  he 
wore  on  this  occasion,  looks  'every  inch  a  king.'  He  rides 
with  grace  and  dignity,  and  sets  an  example  of  decorum  and 
gravity  to  his  subjects,  by  the  solemnity  of  his  air,  that  it  is  to 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  ,[£7 

be  hoped  will  produce  a  beneficial  and  benign  influence  during 
this  reign,  on  the  manners  of  the  nation.  His  dignity  was  al 
together  worthy  of  the  schoolmaster  of  Haddonfield.'  " 

"Parexemple!" 

"  Yes,  mam'selle,  in  the  way  of  example,  it  is  that  I  mean. 
Although  a  pure  democrat,  and  every  way  opposed  to  exclusion, 
I  was  particularly  struck  with  the  royalty  of  his  majesty's  de- 
meanor, and  the  great  simplicity  of  his  whole  deportment.  I 
stood  in  the  crowd  next  to  a  very  accomplished  countess,  who 
spoke  English,  and  she  did  me  the  honor  to  invite  me  to  pay 
her  a  visit  at  her  hotel,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Bourse." 

"  Mon  Dieu — man  Dieu — mon  Dieu  /" 

"  After  promising  my  fair  companion  to  be  punctual,  I 
walked  as  far  as  Notter  Dam — " 

"  I  wish  Mr.  Dodge  would  be  a  little  more  distinct  in  his 
names,"  said  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  who  had  begun  to  take  an 
interest  in  the  subject,  that  even  valueless  opinions  excite  in 
us  concerning  things  that  touch  the  affections. 

"  Mr.  Dodge  is  a  little  profane^  mademoiselle,"  observed 
the  captain  ;  "  but  his  journal  probably  was  not  intended  for 
the  ladies,  and  you  must  overlook  it.  Well,  sir,  you  went  to 
that  naughty  place — " 

"  To  Notter  Dam,  Captain  Truck,  if  you  please,  and  I  flatter 
myself  that  is  pretty  good  French." 

"  I  think,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  we  have  a  right  to  insist  on 
a  translation  ;  for  plain  roast  and  boiled  men,  like  Mr.  Mon- 
day and  myself,  are  sometimes  weeping  when  we  ought  to 
laugh,  so  long  as  the  discourse  is  in  anything  but  old-fashioned 
English.  Help  yourself,  Mr.  Monday,  and  remember,  you 
never  drink." 

"  Notter  Dam,  I  believe,  mam'selle,  means  our  Mother ;  the 
Church  of  our  Mother. — Notter,  or  Noster,  our, — Dam, 
Mother  :  Notter  Dam.  '  Here  I  was  painfully  impressed  with 
the  irreligion  of  the  structure,  and  the  general  absence  of  piety 
in  the  architecture.  Idolatry  abounded,  and  so  did  holy  water. 
How  often  have  I  occasion  to  bless  Providence  for  having 
made  me  one  of  the  descendants  of  those  pious  ancestors  who 
cast  their  fortunes  in  the  wilderness  in  preference  to  giving  up 
their  hold  on  faith  and  charity  !  The  building  is  much  inferior 
in  comfort  and  true  taste  to  the  commoner  American  churches, 
and  met  with  my  unqualified  disapprobation.' " 

"  Est  il possible  que  cela  soit  vrai,  ma  chere  !" 

"Je  Fespyre,  bien,  mademoiselle" 

"  You  may  despair  bien,  cousin  Eve,"  said  John  Effingham, 


168  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

whose  fine  curvilinear  face  curled  even  more  than  usual  with 
contempt. 

The  ladies  whispered  a  few  explanations,  and  Mr.  Dodge, 
who  fancied  it  was  only  necessary  to  resolve  to  be  perfect  to 
achieve  his  end,  went  on  with  his  comments,  with  all  the  self- 
satisfaction  of  a  provincial  critic. 

"  *  From  Notter  Dam  I  proceeded  in  a  cabrioly  to  the  great 
national  burying-ground,  PeVe  la  Chaise,  so  termed  from  the 
circumstance  that  its  distance  from  the  capital  renders  chaises 
necessary  for  the  convoys — " 

"  How's  this,  how's  this  !  "  interrupted  Mr.  Truck  ;  "  is  one 
obliged  to  sail  under  a  convoy  about  the  streets  of  Paris  ? " 

"  Monsieur  Dodge  veut  dire,  convoi.  Mr.  Dodge  mean  to 
say,  convoi"  kindly  interposed  Mademoiselle  Viefville. 

"  Mr.  Dodge  is  a  profound  republican,  and  is  an  advocate 
for  rotation  in  language,  as  well  as  in  office  :  I  must  accuse  you 
of  inconstancy,  my  dear  friend,  if  I  die  for  it.  You  certainly 
do  not  pronounce  your  words  always  in  the  same  way,  and 
when  I  had  the  honor  of  carrying  you  out  this  time  six  months, 
when  you  were  practising  the  continentals,  as  you  call  them, 
you  gave  very  different  sounds  to  many  of  the  words  I  then 
had  the  pleasure  and  gratification  of  hearing  you  use." 

"  We  all  improve  by  travelling,  sir,  and  I  make  no  question 
that  my  knowledge  of  foreign  language  is  considerably  en- 
larged by  practice  in  the  countries  in  which  they  are  spoken." 

Here  the  reading  of  the  journal  was  interrupted  by  a  digres- 
sion on  language,  in  which  Messrs.  Dodge,  Monday,  Temple- 
more,  and  Truck  were  the  principal  interlocutors,  and  during 
which  the  pitcher  of  punch  was  twice  renewed.  We  shall  not 
record  much  of  this  learned  discussion,  which  was  singularly 
commonplace,  though  a  few  of  the  remarks  may  be  given  as  a 
specimen  of  the  whole. 

"  I  reust  be  permitted  to  say,"  replied  Mr.  Monday  to  one 
of  Mr.  Dodge's  sweeping  claims  to  superiority  in  favor  of  his 
own  nation,  "that  I  think  it  quite  extraordinary  an  Englishman 
should  be  obliged  to  go  out  of  his  own  country  in  order  to  hear 
his  own  language  spoken  in  purity  ;  and  as  one  who  has  seen 
your  people,  Mr.  Dodge,  I  will  venture  to  aifirm  that  nowhere 
is  English  better  spoken  than  in  Lancashire.  Sir  George,  I 
drink  your  health  !  " 

"  More  patriotic  than  just,  Mr.  Monday ;  everybody  al 
lows  that  the  American  of  the  eastern  states  speaks  the  best 
English  in  the  world,  and  I  think  either  of  these  gentlemen 
will  concede  that." 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  ^9 

"  Under  the  penalty  of  being  nobody,"  cried  Captain 
Truck  ;  "  for  my^own  part,  I  think,  if  a  man  wishes  to  hear 
the  language  in  perfection,  he  ought  to  pass  a  week  or  ten 
days  in  the  river.  I  must  say,  Mr.  Dodge,  I  object  to  many  of 
your  sounds,  particularly  that  of  inyon,  which  I  myself  heard 
you  call  onion,  no  later  than  yesterday." 

"  Mr.  Monday  is  a  little  peculiar  in  fancying  that  the  best 
English  is  to  be  met  with  in  Lancashire,"  observed  Sir  George 
Templemore ;  "  for  I  do  assure  you  that,  in  town,  we  have 
difficulty  in  understanding  gentlemen  from  your  part  of  the 
kingdom." 

This  was  a  hard  cut  from  one  in  whom  Mr.  Monday  ex- 
pected to  find  an  ally,  and  that  gentleman  was  driven  to  wash- 
ing down  the  discontent  it  excited,  in  punch. 

"  But  all  this  time  we  have  interrupted  the  convoi,  or  convoy, 
captain,"  said  Mr.  Sharp ;  "  and  Mr.  Dodge,  to  say  nothing  of 
the  mourners,  has  every  right  to  complain.  I  beg  that  gentle- 
man will  proceed  with  his  entertaining  extracts." 

Mr.  Dodge  hemmed,  sipped  a  little  more  liquor,  blew  his 
nose,  and  continued, — 

"  *  The  celebrated  cemetery  is,  indeed,  worthy  of  its  high 
reputation.  The  utmost  republican  simplicity  prevails  in  the 
interments,  ditches  being  dug  in  which  the  bodies  are  laid, 
side  by  side,  without  distinction  of  rank,  and  with  regard  only 
to  the  order  in  which  the  convoys  arrive.'  I  think  this  sen- 
tence, gentlemen,  will  have  great  success  in  America,  where 
the  idea  of  any  exclusiveness  is  quite  odious  to  the  majority." 

"  Well,  for  my  part,''  said  the  captain,  "  I  should  have  no 
particular  objection  to  being  excluded  from  such  a  grave  :  one 
would  be  afraid  of  catching  the  cholera  in  so  promiscuous  a 
company." 

Mr.  Dodge  turned  over  a  few  leaves,  and  gave  other  ex- 
tracts. 

"  '  The  last  six  hours  have  been  devoted  to  a  profound  in- 
vestigation  of  the  fine  arts.  My  first  visit  was  to  the  gullyteen  ; 
after  which  I  passed  an  instructive  hour  or  two  in  the  galleries 
of  the  Musy.' — " 

"  Ou,  done?" 

"  Le  Musee,  mademoiselle" 

" — *  Where  I  discovered  several  very  extraordinary  things, 
in  the  way  of  sculpture  and  painting.  I  was  particularly  struck 
with  the  manner  in  which  a  plate  was  portrayed  in  the  cele- 
brated marriage  of  Cana,  which  might  very  well  have  been 
taken  for  real  Delft,  and  there  was  one  finger  on  the  hand  of  a 


I7o  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

lady  that  seemed  actually  fitted  to  receive  and  to  retain  th& 
hymeneal  ring.'  " 

"  Did  you  inquire  if  she  were  engaged  ? — Mr.  Monday,  we 
will  drink  her  health." 

"  *  Saint  Michael  and  the  Dragon  is  a  shefdowvry? — " 

"  Un  quoi  ?  " 

"  Un  chef-a1  ceuvre,  mademoiselle. " 

" — '  The  manner  in  which  the  angel  holds  the  dragon  with 
his  feet,  looking  exactly  like  a  worm  trodden  on  by  the  foot  of 
a  child,  is  exquisitely  plaintive  and  interesting.  Indeed  these 
touches  of  nature  abound  in  the  works  of  the  old  masters,  and 
I  saw  several  fruit-pieces  that  I  could  have  eaten.  One  really 
gets  an  appetite  by  looking  at  many  things  here,  and  I  no 
longer  wonder  that  a  Raphael,  a  Titian,  a  Correggio,  a 
Guide-o.'— " 

"  Un  guoi?" 

"  Un  Guido,  mademoiselle" 

"  Or  a  Cooley." 

"  And  pray  who  may  he  be  ? "  asked  Mr.  Monday. 

"  A  young  genius  in  Dodgetown,  who  promises  one  day 
to  render  tha  name  of  an  American  illustrious.  He  has 
painted  a  new  sign  for  the  store,  that  in  its  way  is  quite  equal 
to  the  marriage  of  Cana.  '  I  have  stood  with  tears  over  the 
despair  of  a  Niobe,'  "  continuing  to  read,  "  '  and  witnessed  the 
contortions  of  the  snakes  in  the  Laocoon  with  a  convulsive 
eagerness  to  clutch  them,  that  has  made  me  fancy  I  could  hear 
them  hiss."  That  sentence,  I  think,  will  be  likely  to  be 
noticed  even  in  the  New-Old-New-Yorker,  one  of  the  very  best 
reviews  of  our  days,  gentlemen." 

"  Take  a  little  more  punch,  Mr.  Dodge,"  put  in  the  atten- 
tive captain  ;  "  this  grows  affecting,  and  needs  alleviation,  as 
Saunders  would  say.  Mr.  Monday,  you  will  get  a  bad  name 
for  being  too  sober,  if  you  never  empty  your  glass.  Proceed, 
in  the  name  of  Heaven  !  Mr.  Dodge." 

"  '  In  the  evening  I  went  to  the  Grand  Opery.' — " 

4  Ou,  done  ?  " 

<:  Au  grand  Hoppery,  mademoiselle"  replied  John  Effing* 
ham. 

" — 'To  the  Grand  Opery'"  resumed  Mr.  Dodge,  with 
emphasis,  his  eyes  beginning  to  glisten  by  this  time,  for  he 
had  often  applied  to  the  punch  for  inspiration,  "'where  I  lis- 
tened to  music  that  is  altogether  inferior  to  that  which  we 
enjoy  in  America,  especially  at  the  general  trainings,  and  on 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


171 


the  Sabbath.     The  want  of  science  was  conspicuous  ;  and  if 
this  be  music,  then  do  I  know  nothing  about  it !  " 

"  A  judicious  remark  !  "  exclaimed  the  captain. — "  Mr. 
Dodge  has  great  merit  as  a  writer,  for  he  loses  no  occasion  to 
illustrate  his  opinions  by  the  most  unanswerable  facts.  He  has 
acquired  a  taste  for  Zip  Coon  and  Long  Tail  Blue,  and  it  is  no 
wonder  he  feels  a  contempt  for  your  inferior  artists." 

"  *  As  for  the  dancing/  "-continued  the  editor  of  the  Active 
Inquirer,  "  '  it  is  my  decided  impression  that  nothing  can  be 
worse.  The  movement  was  more  suited  to  a  funeral  than  the 
ballroom,  and  I  affirm,  without  fear  of  contradiction,  that  there 
is  not  an  assembly  in  all  America  in  which  a  cotillion  would  not 
be  danced  in  one  half  the  time  that  one  was  danced  in  the  bally 
to-night.'  " 

"  Dans  le  quoi  ?  " 

"I  believe  I  have  not  given  the  real  Parisian  pronuncia- 
tion to  this  word,  which  the  French  call  bal-lay"  continued  the 
reader,  with  great  candor. 

"Belay,  or  make  all  fast,  as  we  say  on  shipboard.  Mr. 
Dodge,  as  master  of  this  vessel,  I  beg  to  return  you  the  united, 
or  as  Saunders  would  say,  the  condensed  thanks  of  the  passen- 
gers, for  this  information  ;  and  next  Saturday  we  look  for  a 
renewal  of  the  pleasure.  The  ladies  are  getting  to  be  sleepy, 
I  perceive,  and  as  Mr.  Monday  never  drinks  and  the  other 
gentlemen  have  finished  their  punch,  we  may  as  well  retire,  to 
get  ready  for  a  hard  day's  work  to-morrow." 

Captain  Truck  made  this  proposal,  because  he  saw  that  one  or 
two  of  the  party  were  plenum  punch,  and  that  Eva  and  her  com- 
panion were  becoming  aware  of  the  propriety  of  retiring.  It 
was  also  true  that  he  foresaw  the  necessity  of  rest  in  order  to 
be  ready  for  the  exertions  of  the  morning. 

After  the  party  had  broken  up,  which  it  did  very  contrary 
to  the  wishes  of  Messrs.  Dodge  and  Monday,  Mademoiselle 
Viefville  passed  an  hour  in  the  stateroom  of  Miss  Effingham, 
during  which  time  she  made  several  supererogatory  complaints 
of  the  manner  in  which  the  editor  of  the  Active  Inquirer  had 
viewed  things  in  Paris,  besides  asking  a  good  many  questions 
concerning  his  occupation  and  character. 

"  I  arn  not  quite  certain,  my  dear  mademoiselle,  that  I  can 
give  you  a  very  learned  description  of  the  animal  you  think  worthy 
of  all  these  questions,  but,  by  the  aid  of  Mr.  John  Efrmgham's 
information,  and  a  few  words  that  have  fallen  from  Mr.  Blunt, 
I  believe  it  ought  to  be  something  as  follows  : — America  once 
produced  a  very  distinguished  philosopher,  named  Franklin — " 


172 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


"  Comment,  ma  chere  !     Tout  le  monde  le  connait !  " 

"This  Monsieur  Franklin  commenced  life  as  a  printer; 
but  living  to  a  great  age,  and  rising  to  high  employments,  he 
became  a  philosopher  in  morals,  as  his  studies  had  made  him 
once  in  physics.  Now,  America  is  full  of  printers,  and  most  of 
them  fancy  themselves  Franklins,  until  time  and  failures  teacb 
them  discretion." 

"Mais  the  world  has  not  seen  but  un  seul  Franklin  ! " 

"  Nor  is  it  likely  to  see  another  very  soon.  In  America  the 
young  men  are  taught,  justly  enough,  that  by  merit  they  may 
rise  to  the  highest  situations ;  and,  always  according  to  Mr. 
John  Effingham,  too  many  of  them  fancy  that  because  they  are 
at  liberty  to  turn  any  high  qualities  they  may  happen  to  have 
to  account,  they  are  actually  fit  for  anything.  Even  he  allows 
this  peculiarity  of  the  country  does  much  good,  but  he  maintains 
that  it  also  does  much  harm,  by  causing  pretenders  to  start  up 
in  all  directions.  Of  this  class  he  describes  Mr.  Dodge  to  be. 
This  person,  instead  of  working  at  the  mechanical  part  of  a 
press,  to  which  he  was  educated,  has  the  ambition  to  control 
its  intellectual,  and  thus  edits  the  Active  Inquirer." 

"  It  must  be  a  very  useful  journal  !  " 

"  It  answers  his  purposes,  most  probably.  He  is  full  of 
provincial  ignorance,  and  provincial  prejudices,  you  perceive  ; 
and,  I  dare  say,  he  makes  his  paper  the  circulator  of  all  these,  in 
addition  to  the  personal  rancor,  envy,  and  uncharitableness, 
that  usually  distinguish  a  pretension  that  mistakes  itself  for  am- 
bition. My  cousin  Jack  affirms  that  America  is  filled  with 
such  as  he." 

"  And,  Monsieur  Effingham  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  my  dear  father  is  all  mildness  and  charity,  you  know, 
mademoiselle,  and  he  only  looks  at  the  bright  side  of  the  picture, 
for  he  maintains  that  a  great  deal  of  good  results  from  the  ac- 
tivity and  elasticity  of  such  a  state  of  things.  While  he  confesses 
to  a  great  deal  of  downright  ignorance  that  is  paraded  as  knowl- 
edge ;  to  much  narrow  intolerance  that  is  offensively  prominent 
in  the  disguise  of  principle  and  a  love  of  liberty ;  and  to 
vulgarity  and  personalities  that  wound  all  taste,  and  every  sen- 
timent of  right,  he  insists  on  it  that  the  main  result  is  good." 

"  In  such  a  case  there  is  need  of  an  umpire.  You  men- 
tioned the  opinion  of  Mr.  Blunt.  Comme  cejeune  homme park 
Jiien  Francais  \ " 

Eve  hesitated,  and  she  changed  color  slightly,  before  she 
answered. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  13,3 

"  I  am  not  certain  that  the  opinion  of  Mr.  Blunt  ought  to  be 
mentioned  in  opposition  to  those  of  my  father  and  cousin  Jack, 
on  such  a  subject,"  she  said.  "  He  is  very  young,  and  it  is 
now,  quite  questionable  whether  he  is  even  an  American  at  all." 

"  Tant  mieux,  ma  chere.  He  has  been  much  in  the  country, 
and  it  is  not  the  native  that  make  the  best  judge  when  the 
stranger  has  many  opportunities  of  seeing." 

"  On  this  principle,  mademoiselle,  you  are,  then,  to  give  up 
your  own  judgment  about  France,  on  all  those  points,  in  which 
I  have  the  misfortune  to  differ  from  you,"  said  Eve,  laughing. 

"  Pas  tout  a  fait"  returned  the  governess  goodhumoredly. 
"  Age  and  experience  must  pass  pour  quelque  chose.  Et  Mon- 
ster Blunt  ? " 

"  Monsieur  Blunt  leans  nearer  to  the  side  of  cousin  Jack,  I 
fear,  than  to  that  of  my  dear  father.  He  says  men  of  Mr. 
Dodge's  character,  propensities,  malignancy,  intolerance,  ignor- 
ance, vulgarity,  and  peculiar  vices  abound  in  and  about  the 
American  press.  He  even  insists  that  they  do  an  incalculable 
amount  of  harm,  by  .influencing  those  who  have  no  better 
sources  of  information ;  by  setting  up  low  jealousies  and  envy 
in  the  place  of  principles  and  the  right ;  by  substituting — I  use 
his  own  words,  mademoiselle,"  said  Eve,  blushing  with  the  con- 
sciousness of  the  fidelity  of  her  memory — "  by  substituting  un- 
instructed  provincial  notions  for  the  true  taste  and  liberality  ;  by 
confounding  the  real  principles  of  liberty  with  personal  envies, 
and  the  jealousies  of  station  ;  and  by  losing  sight  entirely  of 
their  duties  to  the  public,  in  the  effort  to  advance  their  own 
interests.  He  says  that  the  government  is  in  truth  a  press- 
ocracy,  and  a  press-ocracy,  too,  that  has  not  the  redeeming 
merit  of  either  principles,  tastes,  talents  or  knowledge." 

"  Ce  Monsieur  Blunt  has  been  very  explicit  and  suffisam- 
ment  eloquent"  returned  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  gravely ;  for 
the  prudent  governess  did  not  fail  to  observe  that  Eve  used 
language  so  very  different  from  that  which  was  habitual  to  her, 
as  to  make  her  suspect  she  quoted  literally.  For  the  first  time 
the  suspicion  was  painfully  awakened,  that  it  was  her  duty  to 
be  more  vigilant  in  relation  to  the  intercourse  between  her 
charge  and  the  two  agreeable  young  men  whom  accident  had 
given  them  as  fellow-passengers.  After  a  short  but  amusing 
pause,  she  again  adverted  to  the  subject  of  their  previous  con- 
versation. 

"  Ce  Monsieur  Dodge,  est  il  ridicule!" 

"  On  that  point  at  least,  my  dear  mademoiselle,  there  can 
be  no  mistake.  And  yet  cousin  Jack  insists  that  this  stuff  will 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

be  given  to  his  readers,  as  views  of  Europe  worthy  of  their  at- 
tention." 

"  Ce  conte  du  roi  ! — mats,  c*est  tr op  fort  /  " 

"  With  the  coat  laced  at  the  seams,  and  the  cocked  hat !  " 

"  Et  r honorable  Louis  Philippe  a'  Orleans  !  " 

"  Orleans,  mademoiselle ;  d'Orleans  would  be  anti-repub- 
ican." 

Then  the  two  ladies  sat  looking  at  each  other  a  few  mo- 
ments in  silence,  when  both,  although  of  a  proper  retenue  of 
manner  in  general,  burst  into  a  hearty  and  long-continued  fit  of 
laughter.  Indeed,  so  long  did  Eve,  in  the  buoyancy  of  her  young 
spirits,  and  her  keen  perception  of  the  ludicrous,  indulge  her- 
self, that  her  fair  hair  fell  about  her  rosy  cheeks,  and  her  bright 
eyes  fairly  danced  with  delight. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

And  there  he  went  ashore  without  delay, 
Having  no  customhouse  or  quarantine, — 
To  ask  him  awkward  questions  on  the  way 
About  the  time  and  place  where  he  had  been. 

BYRON. 

CAPTAIN  TRUCK  was  in  a  sound  sleep  as  soon  as  his  head 
touched  the  pillow.  With  the  exception  of  the  ladies,  the  others 
soon  followed  his  example  ;  and  as  the  people  were  excessively 
wearied,  and  the  night  was  so  tranquil,  ere  long  only  a  single 
pair  of  eyes  were  open  on  deck  :  those  of  the  man  at  the  wheel. 
The  wind  died  away,  and  even  this  worthy  was  not  innocent  of 
nodding  at  his  post. 

Under  such  circumstances,  it  will  occasion  no  great  surprise 
that  the  cabin  was  aroused  next  morning  with  the  sudden  and 
startling  information  that  the  land  was  close  aboard  the  ship, 
Every  one  hurried  on  deck,  where,  sure  enough,  the  dreaded 
coast  of  Africa  was  seen,  with  a  palpable  distinctness,  within 
two  miles  of  the  vessel.  It  presented  a  long  broken  line  of 
sandhills,  unrelieved  by  a  tree,  or  by  so  few  as  almost  to  merit 
this  description,  and  with  a  hazy  background  of  remote  moun 
tains  to  the  northeast.  The  margin  of  the  actual  coast  nearest 
to  the  ship  was  indented  with  bays ;  and  even  rocks  appeared 
in  places ;  but  the  general  character  of  the  scene  was  that  of  a 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  !75 

fierce  and  burning  sterility.  On  this  picture  of  desolation  all 
stood  gazing  in  awe  and  admiration  for  some  minutes,  as  the 
day  gradually  brightened,  until  a  cry  arose  from  forward,  of  "a 
ship !  " 

"Whereaway  ?  "  sternly  demanded  Captain  Truck  ;  for  the 
sudden  and  unexpected  appearance  of  this  dangerous  coast  had 
awakened  all  that  was  forbidding  and  severe  in  the  tempera- 
ment of  the  old  master ;  "  whereaway,  sir  ?  " 

"  On  the  larboard  quarter,  sir,  and  at  anchor."     . 

"  She  is  ashore  !  "  exclaimed  half-a-dozen  voices  at  the  same 
instant,  just  as  the  words  came  from  the  last  speaker.  The 
glass  soon  settled  this  important  point.  At  the  distance  of 
about  a  league  astern  of  them,  were,  indeed,  to  be  seen  the 
spars  of  a  ship,  with  the  hull  looming  on  the  sands,  in  a  way  to 
leave  no  doubt  of  her  being  a  wreck.  It  was  the  first  impres- 
sion of  all,  that  this,  at  last,  was  the  Foam  ;  but  Captain  Truck 
soor.  announced  the  contrary. 

"  It  is  a  Swede,  or  a  Dane,"  he  said,  "  by  his  rig  and  his 
model.  A  stout,  solid,  compact  sea-boat,  that  is  high  and  dry 
on  the  sands,  looking  as  if  he  had  been  built  there.  He  does 
not  appear  even  to  have  bilged,  and  most  of  his  sails,  and  all 
of  his  yards,  are  in  their  places.  Not  a  living  soul  is  to  be  seen 
about  her  !  Ha  !  there  are  signs  of  tents  made  of  sails  on 
shore,  and  broken  bales  of  goods !  Her  people  have  been 
seized  and  carried  into  the  desert,  as  usual,  and  this  is  a  fear- 
ful hint  that  we  must  keep  the  Montauk  off  the  bottom.  Turn- 
to  the  people,  Mr.  Leach,  and  get  up  your  sheets  that  we  may 
step  our  jury-masts  at  once  ;  the  smallest  breeze  on  the  land 
would  drive  us  ashore,  without  any  after-sail." 

While  the  mates  and  the  crew  set  about  completing  the  work 
they  had  prepared  the  previous  day,  Captain  Truck  and  his 
passengers  passed  the  time  in  ascertaining  all  they  could  con- 
cerning the  wreck,  and  the  reasons  of  their  being  themselves  in 
a  position  so  very  different  from  what  they  had  previously  be- 
lieved. 

As  respects  the  first,  little  more  could  be  ascertained ;  she 
lay  absolutely  high  and  dry  on  a  hard  sandy  beach,  where  she 
had  probably  been  bast  during  the  late  gale,  and  sufficient  signs 
were  made  out  by  the  captain,  to  prove  to  him  that  she  had 
been  partly  plundered.  More  than  this  could  not  be  discov- 
ered at  that  distance,  and  the  work  of  the  Montauk  was  too 
urgent  to  send  a  boat  manned  with  her  own  people  to  examine. 
Mr.  Blunt,  Mr.  Sharp,  Mr.  Monday,  and  the  servants  of  the  two 
former,  however,  volunteering  to  pull  the  cutter,  it  was  finally 


I76  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

decided  to  look  more  closely  into  the  facts,  Captain  Truck  him 
self  taking  charge  of  the  expedition. — While  the  latter  is  getting 
ready,  a  word  of  explanation  will  suffice  to  tell  the  reader  the 
reason  why  the  Montauk  had  fallen  so  much  to  leeward. 

The  ship  being  so  near  the  coast,  it  became  now  very  ob- 
vious she  was  driven  by  a  current  that  set  along  the  land,  but 
which,  it  was  probable,  had  set  towards  it  more  in  the  offing. 
The  imperceptible  drift  between  the  observation  of  the  pre- 
rious  day  and  the  discovery  of  the  coast,  had  sufficed  to  carry 
the  vessel  a  great  distance  ;  and  to  this  simple  cause,  coupled 
perhaps  with  some  neglect  in  the  steerage  during  the  past  night, 
was  her  present  situation  to  be  solely  attributed.  Just  at  this 
moment,  the  little  air  there  was  came  from  the  land,  and  by 
keeping  her  head  off  shore,  Captain  Truck  entertained  no  doubt 
of  his  being  able  to  escape  the  calamity  that  had  befallen  the 
other  ship  in  the  fury  of  the  gale.  A  wreck  is  always  a  matter  of 
so  much  interest  with  mariners,  therefore,  that  taking  all  these 
things  into  view,  he  had  come  to  the  determination  we  have 
mentioned,  of  examining  into  the  history  of  the  one  in  sight,  so 
far  as  circumstances  permitted. 

The  Montauk  carried  three  boats;  the  launch,  a  large, 
safe,  and  well-constructed  craft,  which  stood  in  the  usual  chucks 
between  the  foremast  and  mainmast:  a  jolly-boat,  and  a  cutter. 
It  was  next  to  impossible  to  get  the  first  into  the  water,  deprived 
as  the  ship  was  of  its  mainmast ;  but  the  other  hanging  at 
davits,  one  on  each  quarter,  were  easily  lowered.  The  packets 
seldom  carry  any  arms  beyond  a  light  gun  to  fire  signals 
with,  the  pistols  of  the  master,  and  perhaps  a  fowling-piece 
or  two.  Luckily  the  passengers  were  better  provided  :  all  the 
gentlemen  had  pistols,  Mr.  Monday  and  Mr.  Dodge  excepted,  if 
indeed  they  properly  belonged  to  this  category,  as  Captain  Truck 
would  say,  and  most  of  them  had  also  fowling-pieces.  Although 
a  careful  examination  of  the  coast  with  the  glasses  offered  PO 
signs  of  the  presence  of  any  danger  from  enemies,  these  arms 
were  carefully  collected,  loaded,  and  deposited  in  the  boats, 
in  order  to  be  prepared  for  the  worst.  Provisions  and  water 
were  also  provided  and  the  party  were  about  to  proceed. 

Captain  Truck  and  one  or  two  of  the  adventurers  were  still 
on  the  deck,  when  Eve,  with  that  strange  love  of  excitement 
and  adventure  that  often  visits  the  most  delicate  spirits,  ex- 
pressed  an  idle  regret  that  she  could  not  make  one  in  the  ex- 
pedition. 

"  There  is  something  so  strange  and  wild  in   landing  on 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


'77 


an  African  desert,"  she  said  ;  "  and  I  think  a  near  view  of 
the  wreck  would  repay  us,  mademoiselle,  for  the  hazard," 

The  young  men  hesitated  between  their  desire  to  have 
such  a  companion,  and  their  doubts  of  the  prudence  of  the 
step :  but  Captain  Truck  declared  there  could  be  no  risk,  and 
Mr.  Effingham  consenting,  the  whole  plan  was  altered  so  as  to 
includes,  the  ladies,  for  there  was  so  much  pleasure  in  varying 
the  monotonyofa  calm,  and  escaping  the  confinement  of  ship, 
that  everybody  entered  into  the  new  arrangement  with  zeal 
and  spirit. 

A  single  whip  was  rigged  on  the  fore-yard,  a  chair  was 
slung,  and  in  ten  minutes  both  ladies  were  floating  on  the 
ocean  in  the  cutter.  This  boat  pulled  six  oars,  which  were 
manned  by  the  servants  of  the  two  Messrs.  Effinghams,  Mr. 
Blunt,  and  Mr.  Sharp,  together  with  the  two  latter  gentlemen 
in  person.  Mr.  Effingham  steered.  Captain  Truck  had  the 
jolly-boat,  of  which  he  pulled  an  oar  himself,  aided  by  Saunders, 
Mr.  Monday,  and  Sir  George  Templemore  ;  the  mates  and  the 
regular  crew  being  actively  engaged  in  rigging  their  jury-mast. 
Mr.  Dodge  declined  beclined  being  of  the  party,  feeding  him- 
self with  the  hope  that  the  present  would  be  a  favorable  occa- 
sion to  peep  into  the  staterooms,  to  run  his  eye  over  forgotten 
letters  and  papers,  and  otherwise  to  increase  the  general  stock 
of  information  of  the  editor  of  the  Active  Inquirer. 

"  Look  to  your  chains,  and  see  all  clear  for  a  run  of  the  an- 
chors, Mr.  Leach,  should  you  set  within  a  mile  of  the  shore," 
called  out  the  captain,  as  they  pulled  off  from  the  vessel's  side. 
"  the  ship  is  drifting  along  the  land,  but  the  wind  you  have 
will  hardly  do  more  than  meet  the  send  of  the  sea,  which  is  on 
shore  :  should  anything  go  wrong,  show  an  ensign  at  the  head 
of  the  jury-stick  forward." 

The  mate  waved  his  hand,  and  the  adventurers  passed  with- 
out the  sound  of  the  voice.  It  was  a  strange  sensation  to  most 
of  those  in  the  boats,  to  find  themselves  in  their  present  situa- 
tion. Eve  and  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  in  particular,  could 
scarcely  credit  their  senses,  when  they  found  the  eggshells 
that  held  them  heaving  and  setting  like  bubbles  on  those  long 
sluggish  swells,  which  had  seemed  of  so  little  consequence 
while  in  the  ship,  but  which  now  resembled  the  heavy  res- 
pirations of  a  leviathan.  The  boats,  indeed,  though  always 
gliding  onward,  impelled  bv  the  oars,  appeared  at  moments  to 
be  sent  helplessly  back  and  forth  like  playthings  of  the  mighty 
deep,  and  it  was  some  minutes  before  either  obtained  a  suffi- 
cient sense  of  security  to  enjoy  her  situation,  As  they  receded 


XjS  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

fast  from  the  Montauk,  too,  their  situation  seemed  still  more 
critical ;  and  with  all  her  sex's  love  of  excitement,  Eve  heartily 
repented  of  her  undertaking  before  they  had  gone  a  mile. 
The  gentlemen,  however,  were  all  in  good  spirits,  and  as  the 
boats  kept  near  each  other,  Captain  Truck  enlivening  their 
way  with  his  peculiar  wit,  and  Mr.  Effingham,  who  was  influ- 
enced by  a  motive  of  humanity  in  consenting  to  come,  being 
earnest  and  interested,  Eve  soon  began  to  entertain  other 
ideas. 

As  they  drew  near  the  end  of  their  little  expedition,  en- 
tirely new  feelings  got  the  mastery  of  the  whole  party.  The 
solitary  and  gloomy  grandeur  of  the  coasts,  the  sublime  sterility, 
— for  even  naked  sands  may  become  sublime  by  their  vast- 
ness, — the  heavy  moanings  of  the  ocean  on  the  beach,  and  the 
entire  spectacle  of  the  solitude,  blended  as  it  was  with  the 
associations  of  Africa,  time,  and  the  changes  of  history,  united 
to  produce  sensations  of  a  pleasing  melancholy.  The  spectacle 
of  the  ship,  bringing  with  it  the  images  of  European  civilization, 
as  it  lay  helpless  and  deserted  on  the  sands,  too,  heightened 
all. 

This  vessel,  beyond  a  question,  had  been  driven  up  on  a 
sea  during  the  late  gale,  at  a  point  where  the  water  was  of 
sufficient  depth  to  float  her,  until  within  a  few  yards  of  the  very 
spot  where  she  now  lay  ;  Captain  Truck  giving  the  following 
probable  history  of  the  affair  : 

"  On  all  sandy  coasts,"  he  said,  "  the  return  waves  that 
are  cast  on  the  beach  form  a  bar,  by  washing  back  with  them 
a  portion  of  the  particles.  This  bar  is  usually  within  thirty  or 
forty  fathoms  of  the  shore,  and  there  is  frequently  sufficient 
water  within  it  to  float  a  ship.  As  this  bar,  however  prevents 
the  return  of  all  the  water,  on  what  is  called  the  under-tow, 
narrow  channels  make  from  point  to  point,  through  which  this 
excess  of  the  element  escapes.  These  channels  are  known 
by  the  appearance  of  the  water  over  them,  the  seas  breaking 
less  at  those  particular  places  than  in  the  spots  where  the 
bottom  lies  nearer  to  the  surface,  and  all  experienced  mariners 
are  aware  of  the  fact.  No  doubt,  the  unfortunate  master  of 
this  ship,  finding  himself  reduced  to  the  necessity  of  running 
ashore  to  save  the  lives  of  his  crew,  has  chosen  such  a  place, 
and  has  consequently  forced  his  vessel  up  to  a  spot  where  she 
has  remained  dry  as  soon  as  the  sea  fell.  So  worthy  a  fellow 
deserved  a  better  fate  ;  for  this  wreck  is  not  three  days  old, 
and  yet  no  signs  are  to  be  seen  of  any  who  were  in  that  stout 
ship." 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  179 

These  remarks  were  made  as  the  crew  of  the  two  boats  lay 
on  their  oars,  at  a  short  distance  without  the  line  on  the  water, 
where  the  breaking  of  the  sea  pointed  out  the  position  of  the 
bar.  The  channel,  also,  was  plainly  visible  directly  astern  of 
the  ship,  the  sea  merely  rising  and  falling  in  it  without  comb- 
ing. A  short  distance  to  the  southward,  a  few  bold  black 
rocks  thrust  themselves  forward,  and  formed  a  sort  of  bay,  in 
which  it  was  practicable  to  land  without  risk  ;  for  they  had  come 
on  the  coast  in  a  region  where  the  monotony  of  the  sands,  as 
it  appeared  when  close  in,  was  little  relieved  by  the  presence 
of  anything  else. 

"  If  you  will  keep  the  cutter  just  without  the  breakers,  Mr. 
Effingham,"  Captain  Truck,  continued,  after  standing  up  awhile 
and  examining  the  shore,  "  I  will  pull  into  the  channel,  and 
land  in  yonder  bay.  If  you  feel  disposed  to  follow,  you  may 
do  so  by  giving  the  tiller  to  Mr.  Blunt,  on  receiving  a  signal  to 
that  effect  from  me.  Be  steady,  gentlemen,  at  your  oars,  and 
look  well  to  the  arms  on  landing,  for  we  are  in  a  knavish  part 
of  the  world.  Should  any  of  the  monkeys  or  ouran-outan^s 
claim  kindred  with  Mr.  Saunders,  we  may  find  it  no  easy  mattei 
to  persuade  them  to  leave  us  the  pleasure  of  his  society." 

The  captain  made  a  sign,  and  the  jolly-boat  entered  the 
channel.  Inclining  south,  it  was  seen  rising  and  falling  just 
within  the  breakers,  and  then  it  was  hid  by  the  rocks.  In 
another  minute,  Mr.  Truck,  followed  by  all  but  Mr.  Monday, 
who  stood  sentinel  at  the  boat,  was  on  the  rocks,  making  his 
way  towards  the  wreck.  On  reaching  the  latter,  he  ascended 
swiftly  even  to  the  main  cross-trees.  Here  a  long  examination 
of  the  plain,  beyond  the  bank  that  hid  it  from  the  view  of  all 
beneath,  succeeded,  and  then  the  signal  to  come  on  was  made 
to  those  who  were  still  in  the  boat. 

"  Shall  we  venture  ?  "  cried  Paul  Blunt,  soliciting  an  assent 
by  the  very  manner  in  which  he  put  the  question. 

"  What  say  you,  dear  father  ?  " 

"  I  hope  we  may  not  yet  be  too  late  to  succor  some  Chris- 
tian in  distress,  my  child.  Take  the  tiller,  Mr.  Blunt,  and  in 
Heaven's  good  name,  and  for  humanity's  sake,  let  us  pro- 
ceed ? " 

The  boat  advanced  Paul  Blunt  standing  erect  to  steer  ;  his 
ardor  to  proceed  corrected  by  apprehensions  on  account  of 
her  precious  freight.  There  was  an  instant  when  the  ladies 
trembled,  for  it  seemed  as  if  the  light  boat  was  about  to  be 
cast  upon  the  shore,  like  the  froth  of  the  sea  that  shot  past 
them  ;  but  the  steady  hand  of  him  who  steered  averted  the  dan- 


!8o  '  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

ger,  and  in  another  minute  they  were  floating  at  the  side  of  the 
jolly-boat.  The  ladies  got  ashore  without  much  difficulty,  and 
stood  on  the  summit  of  the  rocks. 

"  Nous  void  done  en  Afrique"  exclaimed  Mademoiselle 
Viefville,  with  that  sensation  of  singularity  that  comes  over  all 
when  they  first  find  themselves  in  situations  of  extraordinary 
novelty. 

"  The  wreck — the  wreck,"  murmured  Eve ;  "  let  us  go  to 
the  wreck.  There  may  be  yet  a  hope  of  saving  some  wretched 
sufferer." 

Toward  the  wreck  they  all  proceeded,  after  leaving  two  of 
the  servants  to  relieve  Mr.  Monday  on  his  watch. 

It  was  an  impressive  thing  to  stand  at  the  side  of  a  ship  on 
the  sands  of  Africa,  a  scene  in  which  the  desolation  of  an  aban- 
doned vessel  was  heightened  by  the  desolation  of  a  desert. 
The  position  of  the  vessel,  which  stood  nearly  erect,  imbedded 
in  the  sands,  rendered  it  less  difficult  than  might  be  supposed 
for  the  ladies  to  ascend  to,  and  to  walk  her  decks,  a  rude  stag- 
ing having  been  made  already  to  facilitate  the  passage.  Here 
the  scene  became  thrice  exciting,  for  it  was  the  very  type  of  a 
hastily  deserted  and  cherished  dwelling. 

Before  Eve  and  Mademoiselle  Viefville  gained  the  deck, 
the  other  party  had  ascertained  that  no  living  soul  remained. 
The  trunks,  chests,  furniture,  and  other  appliances  of  the  cabin 
had  been  rummaged,  and  many  boxes  had  been  raised  from 
the  hold,  and  plundered,  a  part  of  their  contents  still  lying 
scattered  on  the  decks.  The  ship,  however,  had  been  lightly 
freighted,  and  the  bulk  of  her  cargo,  which  was  salt,  was 
apparently  untouched.  A  Danish  ensign  was  found  bent  to  the 
halyards,  a  proof  that  Captain  Truck's  original  conjecture  con- 
cerning the  character  of  the  vessel  was  accurate.  Her  name, 
too,  was  ascertained  to  be  the  Carrier,  as  translated  into  English 
and  she  belonged  to  Copenhagen.  More  than  this  it  was  not 
easy  to  ascertain.  No  papers  were  found,  and  her  cargo,  or  as 
much  of  it  as  remained,  was  so  mixed,  and  miscellaneous,  as 
Saunders  called  it,  that  no  plausible  guess  could  be  given  as  to 
the  port  where  it  had  been  taken  in,  if  indeed  it  had  all  been 
received  on  board  at  the  same  place. 

Several  of  the  light  sails  had  evidently  been  carried  off,  but 
all  the  heavy  canvas  was  left  on  the  yards  which  remained  in 
their  places.  The  vessel  was  large,  exceedingly  strong,  as  was 
proved  by  the  fact  that  she  had  not  bilged  in  beaching,  and  ap- 
parently well  found.  Nothing  was  wanting  to  launch  her  into 
the  ocean  but  machinery  and  force,  and  a  crew  to  sail  her, 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  181 

when  she  might  have  proceeded  on  her  voyage  as  if  nothing 
unusual  had  occurred.  But  such  a  restoration  was  hopeless, 
and  this  admirable  machine,  like  a  man  cut  off  in  his  youth  and 
vigor,  had  been  cast  upon  the  shores  of  this  inhospitable  region 
to  moulder  where  it  lay,  unless  broken  up  for  wood  and  iron 
by  the  wanderers  of  the  desert. 

There  was  no  object  more  likely  to  awaken  melancholy 
ideas  in  a  mind  resembling  that  of  Captain  Truck  than  a 
spectacle  of  this  nature.  A  fine  ship,  complete  in  nearly  all 
her  parts,  virtually  uninjured,  and  yet  beyond  the  chance  of 
further  usefulness,  in  his  eyes  was  a  picture  of  the  most  cruel 
loss.  He  cared  less  for  the  money  it  had  cost  than  for  the 
qualities  and  properties  that  were  thus  destroyed. 

He  examined  the  bottom,  which  he  pronounced  capital  for 
stowing,  and  excellent  as  that  of  a  sea  boat  ;  he  admired  the 
fastenings ;  applied  his  knife  to  try  the  quality  of  the  wood, 
and  pronounced  the  Norway  pine  of  the  spars  to  be  almost 
equal  to  anything  that  could  be  found  in  our  own  southern 
woods.  The  rigging,  too  he  regarded  as  one  loves  to  linger 
over  the  regretted  qualities  of  a  deceased  friend. 

The  tracks  of  camels  and  horses  were  abundant  on  the 
sands  around  the  ship,  and  especially  at  the  bottom  of  the  rude 
staging  by  which  the  party  had  ascended,  and  which  had  evident- 
ly been  hastily  made  in  order  to  carry  articles  from  the  vessel 
to  the  backs  of  the  animals  that  were  to  bear  them  into  the 
desert.  The  footprints  of  men  were  also  to  be  seen,  and  there 
was  a  startling  and  mournful  certainty  in  distinguishing  the 
marks  of  shoes,  as  well  as  those  of  the  naked  foot. 

Judging  from  all  these  signs,  Captain  Truck  was  of  opinion 
the  wreck  must  have  taken  place  but  two  or  three  days  before, 
and  that  the  plunderers  had  not  left  the  spot  many  hours. 

"  They  probably  went  off  with  what  they  could  carry  at  sun- 
set last  evening,  and  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  before  many 
days,  they,  or  others  in  their  places,  will  be  back  again.  God 
protect  the  poor  fellows  who  have  fallen  into  this  miserable 
bondage  ?  What  an  occasion  would  there  now  be  to  rescue 
one  of  them,  should  he  happen  to  be  hid  near  this  spot ! " 

The  idea  seized  the  whole  party  at  once,  and  all  eagerly 
turned  to  examine  the  high  bank,  which  rose  nearly  to  the  sum- 
mit of  the  masts,  in  the  hope  of  discovering  some  concealed 
fugitive.  The  gentlemen  went  below  again,  and  Mr.  Sharp  and 
Mr.  Blunt  called  out  in  German,  and  English,  and  French,  to 
invite  any  one  who  might  be  secreted  to  come  forth.  No  sound 
answered  these  friendly  calls.  Again  Captain  Truck  went  aloft 


l82  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

to  look  into  the  interior,  but  he  beheld  nothing  more  than  the 
broad  and  unpeopled  desert. 

A  place  where  the  camels  had  descended  to  the  beach  was 
at  no  great  distance,  and  thither  most  of  the  party  proceeded, 
mounting  to  the  level  of  the  plain  beyond.  In  this  little  ex- 
pedition, Paul  Blunt  led  the  advance,  and  as  he  rose  over  the 
brow  of  the  bank,  he  cocked  both  barrels  of  his  fowling-piece, 
uncertain  what  might  be  encountered.  They  found,  however,  a 
silent  waste,  almost  without  vegetation,  and  nearly  as  trackless 
as  the  ocean  that  lay  behind  them.  At  the  distance  of  a  hun- 
dred rods,  an  object  was  just  discernible,  lying  on  the  plain 
half-buried  in  sand,  and  thither  the  young  men  expressed  a  wish 
to  go,  first  calling  to  those  in  the  ship  to  send  a  man  aloft  to 
give  the  alarm,  in  the  event  of  any  party  of  the  Mussulmans 
being  seen.  Mr.  Effingham,  too,  on  being  told  their  intention, 
had  the  precaution  to  cause  Eve  and  Mademoiselle  Viefville  to 
get  into  the  cutter,  which  he  manned,  and  caused  to  pull  over 
the  bar,  where  she  lay  waiting  the  issue. 

A  camel's  path,  of  which  the  tracks  were  nearly  obliter- 
ated by  the  sands,  led  to  the  object ;  and  after  toiling  along  it, 
the  adventurers  soon  reached  the  desired  spot.  It  proved  to 
be  the  body  of  a  man  who  had  died  by  violence.  His  dress 
and  person  denoted  that  of  a  passenger  rather  than  that  of  a 
seaman,  and  he  had  evidently  been  dead  but  a  very  few  hours, 
probably  not  twelve.  The  cut  of  a  sabre  had  cleft  his  skull. 
Agreeing  not  to  acquaint  the  ladies  with  this  horrible  discovery, 
the  body  was  hastily  covered  with  sand,  the  pockets  of  the 
dead  man  having  been  first  examined  ;  for,  contrary  to  usage, 
his  person  had  not  been  stripped.  A  letter  was  found,  written 
by  a  wife  to  her  husband,  and  nothing  more.  It  was  in  German, 
and  its  expressions  and  contents,  though  simple,  were  endear- 
ing and  natural.  It  spoke  of  the  traveller's  return  ;  for  she  who 
wrote  it  little  thought  of  the  miserable  fate  that  awaited  her  be- 
loved in  this  remote  desert. 

As  nothing  else  was  visible,  the  party  returned  hastily  to 
che  beach,  where  they  found  that  Captain  Truck  had  ended  his 
investigation,  and  was  impatient  to  return.  In  the  interest  of 
the  scene  the  Montauk  had  disappeared  behind  a  headland,  to- 
wards which  she  had  been  drifting  when  they  left  her.  Her 
absence  created  a  general  sense  of  loneliness,  and  the  whole 
party  hastened  into  the  jolly-boat,  as  if  fearful  of  being  left. 
When  without  the  bar  again,  the  cutter  took  in  her  proper  crew> 
and  the  boats  pulled  away,  leaving  the  Dane  standing  on  the 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

beach  in  his  solitary  desolation — a  monument  of  his  own  dis- 
aster. 

As  they  got  further  from  the  land  the  Montauk  came  in 
sight  again,  and  Captain  Truck  announced  the  agreeable  in- 
telligence that  the  jury  mainmast  was  up,  and  that  the  ship  had  an 
after-sail  set,  diminutive  and  defective  as  it  might  be.  Instead 
of  heading  to  the  southward,  however,  as  heretofore,  Mr.  Leach 
was  apparently  endeavoring  to  get  back  again  to  the  north- 
ward of  the  headland  that  had  shut  in  the  ship,  or  was  trying  to 
retrace  his  steps.  Mr.  Truck  rightly  judged  that  this  was 
proof  his  mate  disliked  the  appearance  of  the  coast  astern  of 
him,  and  that  he  was  anxious  to  get  an  offing.  The  captain  in 
consequence  urged  his  men  to  row,  and  in  little  more  than  an 
hour  the  whole  party  were  on  the  deck  of  the  Montauk  again, 
and  the  boats  were  hanging  at  the  davits. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

I  boarded  the  king's  ship  ;  now  on  the  beak, 

Now  in  the  waist,  the  deck,  in  every  cabin, 
I  flam'd  amazement. 

Tempest. 

IF  Captain  Truck  distrusted  the  situation  of  his  own  ship 
when  he  saw  that  the  mate  had  changed  her  course,  he  liked  it 
still  less  after  he  was  on  board,  and  had  an  opportunity  to  form 
a  more  correct  judgment.  The  current  had  set  the  vessel  not 
only  to  the  southward,  but  inshore,  and  the  send  of  the  ground- 
swell  was  gradually,  but  inevitably,  heaving  her  in  towards  the 
land.  At  this  point  the  coast  was  more  broken  than  at  the  spot 
where  the  Dane  had  been  wrecked,  some  signs  of  trees  appear- 
ing, and  rocks  running  off  in  irregular  reefs  into  the  sea.  More 
to  the  south,  these  rocks  were  seen  without  the  ship,  while 
directly  astern  they  were  not  half  a  mile  distant.  Still  the 
wind  was  favorable,  though  light  and  baffling,  and  Mr.  Leach 
had  got  up  every  stitch  of  canvas  that  circumstances  would  at 
all  allow ;  the  lead,  too,  had  been  tried,  and  the  bottom  was 
found  to  be  a  hard  sand  mixed  with  rocks,  and  the  depth  of  the 
water  such  as  to  admit  of  anchoring.  It  was  a  sign  that 
Captain  Truck  did  not  absolutely  despair  after  ascertaining  ail 
these  facts,  that  he  caused  Mr.  Saunders  to  be  summoned ;  for 


!84  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

as  yet,  none  of  those  who  had  been  in  the  boats  had  break- 
fasted. 

"  Step  this  way,  Mr.  Steward,"  said  the  captain  ;  "  and 
report  the  state  of  the  coppers.  You  were  rummaging,  as  usual, 
among  the  lockers  of  yonder  unhappy  Dane,  and  I  desire  to 
know  what  discoveries  you  have  made  !  You  will  please  to  re- 
collect, that  on  all  public  expeditions  of  this  nature,  there  must 
be  no  peculation  or  private  journal  kept.  Did  you  see  any 
stock-fish  ? " 

"  Sir,  I  should  deem  this  ship  disgraced  by  the  admission 
into  her  pantry  of  such  an  article,  sir.  We  have  tongues  and 
sounds  in  plenty,  Captain  Truck,  and  no  gentleman  that  has 
such  diet,  need  ambition  a  stock-fish  !  " 

"  I  am  not  quite  of  your  way  of  thinking ;  but  the  earth  is 
not  made  of  stock-fish.  Did  you  happen  to  fall  in  with  any 
butter?" 

"  Some,  sir,  that  is  scarcely  fit  to  slush  a  mast  with,  and  I 
do  think,  one  of  the  most  atrocious  cheeses,  sir,  it  was  ever  my 
bad  fortune  to  meet  with.  I  do  not  wonder  the  Africans  left 
the  wreck." 

"  You  followed  their  example,  of  course,  Mr.  Saunders,  and 
left  the  cheese." 

"  I  followed  my  own  judgment,  sir,  for  I  would  not  stay  in 
a  ship  with  such  a  cheese,  Captain  Truck,  sir,  even  to  have  the 
honor  of  serving  under  so  great  a  commander  as  yourself.  I 
think  it  no  wonder  that  vessel  was  wrecked !  Even  the  sharks 
would  abandon  her.  The  very  thoughts  of  her  impurities,  sir, 
make  me  feel  unsettled  in  the  stomach." 

The  captain  nodded  his  head  in  approbation  of  this  senti- 
ment, called  for  a  coal,  and  then  ordered  breakfast.  The  meal 
was  silent,  thoughtful,  and  even  sad ;  every  one  was  thinking  of 
the  poor  Danes  and  their  sad  fate,  while  they  who  had  been  on 
the  plain  had  the  additional  subject  of  the  murdered  man  for 
their  contemplation. 

"  Is  it  possible  to  do  nothing  to  redeem  these  poor  people, 
father,  from  captivity  ?  "  Eve  at  length  demanded. 

"  I  have  been  thinking  of  this,  my  child ;  but  I  see  no  other 
method  than  to  acquaint  their  government  of  their  situation." 

"  Might  we  not  contribute  something  from  our  own  means 
to  that  effect  ?  Money,  I  fancy,  is  the  chief  thing  necessary." 

The  gentlemen  looked  at  each  other  in  approbation,  though 
a  reluctance  to  be  the  first  to  speak  kept  most  of  them  silent. 

"  If  a  hundred  pounds,  Miss  Erringham,  will  be  useful," 
Sir  George  Templemore  said,  after  the  pause  had  continued  an 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  185 

awkward  minute,  laying  a  bank  note  of  that  amount  on  the 
table,  "  and  you  will  honor  us  by  becoming  the  keeper  of  the 
redemption  money,  I  have  great  pleasure  in  making  the  offer." 

This  was  handsomely  said,  and  as  Captain  Truck  after- 
wards declared,  handsomely  done  too,  though  it  was  a  little 
abrupt,  and  caused  Eve  to  hesitate  and  redden. 

"  I  shall  accept  your  gift,  sir,"  she  said ;  "  and  with  your 
permission  will  transfer  it  to  Mr.  Effingham,  who  will  better 
know  what  use  to  put  it  to,  in  order  to  effect  our  benevolent 
purpose.  I  think  I  can  answer  for  as  much  more  from  him- 
self." 

"  You  may,  with  certainty,  my  dear — and  twice  as  much, 
if  necessary.  John,  this  is  a  proper  occasion  for  your  in- 
terference." 

"  Put  me  down  at  what  you  please,"  said  John  Effingham, 
whose  charities  in  a  pecuniary  sense  were  as  unlimited,  as  in 
feeling  they  were  apparently  restrained.  "  One  hundred  or  one 
thousand,  to  rescue  that  poor  crew  ! " 

"  I  believe,  sir,  we  must  all  follow  so  good  an  example," 
Mr.  Sharp  observed ;  "  and  I  sincerely  hope  that  this  scheme 
will  not  prove  useless.  I  think  it  may  be  effected  by  means  of 
some  of  the  public  agents  at  Mogadore." 

Mr.  Dodge  raised  many  objections,  for  it  really  exceeded 
his  means  to  give  so  largely,  and  his  character -was  formed  in 
a  school  too  envious  and  jealous  to  confess  an  inferiority  on  a 
point  even  as  worthless  as  that  of  money.  Indeed,  he  had  so 
long  been  accustomed  to  maintain  that  "  one  man  was  as  good 
as  another,"  in  opposition  to  his  senses,  that,  like  most  of  those 
who  belong  to  this  impracticable  school,  he  had  tacitly  admitted 
in  his  own  mind,  the  general  and  vulgar  ascendency  of  mere 
wealth  ;  and,  quite  as  a  matter  of  course,  he  was  averse  to  con- 
fessing his  own  inferiority  on  a  point  that  he  had  made  to  be 
all  in  all,  while  loudest  in  declaiming  against  any  inferiority 
whatever.  He  walked  out  of  the  cabin,  therefore,  with  strong 
heart-burnings  and  jealousies,  because  others  had  presumed  to 
give  that  which  it  was  not  really  in  his  power  to  bestow. 

On  the  other  hand,  both  Mademoiselle  Viefville  and  Mr. 
Monday  manifested  the  superiority  of  the  opinions  in  which 
they  had  been  trained.  The  first  quietly  handed  a  Napoleon 
to  Mr.  Effingham,  who  took  it  with  as  much  attention  and 
politeness  as  he  received  any  of  the  larger  contributions  ;  while 
the  latter  produced  a  five-pound  note,  with  a  hearty  good  will 
that  redeemed  the  sin  of  many  a  glass  of  punch  in  the  eyes  of 
his  companions. 


X86  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

Eve  did  not  dare  to  look  towards  Paul  Blunt,  while  this 
collection  was  making ;  but  she  felt  regret  that  he  did  not  join 
in  it.  He  was  silent  and  thoughtful,  and  even  seemed  pained, 
and  she  wondered  if  it  were  possible  that  one,  who  certainly 
lived  in  a  style  to  prove  that  his  income  was  large,  could  be  so 
thoughtless  as  to  have  deprived  himself  of  the  means  of  doing 
that  which  he  so  evidently  desired  to  do.  But  most  of  the 
company  was  too  well-bred  to  permit  the  matter  to  become 
the  subject  of  conversation,  and  they  soon  rose  from  table  in  a 
body.  The  mind  of  Eve,  however,  was  greatly  relieved  when 
her  father  told  her  that  the  young  man  had  put  a  hundred 
sovereigns  in  gold  into  his  hands  as  soon  as  possible,  and  that 
he  had  seconded  this  offering  with  another,  of  embarking  for 
Mogadore  in  person,  should  they  get  into  the  Cape  de  Verdes, 
or  the  Canaries,  with  a  view  of  carrying  out  the  charitable  plan 
with  the  least  delay. 

"  He  is  a  noble-hearted  young  man,"  said  the  pleased 
father,  as  he  communicated  this  fact  to  his  daughter  and  cousin  ; 
"  and  I  shall  not  object  to  the  plan." 

"  If  he  offer  to  quit  this  ship  one  minute  sooner  than  is 
necessary,  he  does,  indeed,  deserve  a  statue  of  gold,"  said 
John  Effingham  ;  "for  it  has  all  that  can  attract  a  young  man 
like  him,  and  all  too  that  can  awaken  his  jealousy." 

"  Cousin  Jack  !  "  exclaimed  Eve  reproachfully,  quite  thrown 
off  her  guard  by  the  abruptness  and  plainness  of  this  language. 

The  quiet  smile  of  Mr.  Effingham  proved  that  he  under- 
stood both,  but  he  made  no  remark.  Eve  instantly  recovered 
her  spirits,  and  angry  at  herself  for  the  girlish  exclamation 
that  had  escaped  her,  she  turned  on  her  assailant.  "  I  do  not 
know  that  I  ought  to  be  seen  in  an  aside  with  Mr.  John 
Effingham,"  she  said,  "  even  when  it  is  sanctioned  with  the 
presence  of  my  own  father." 

"  And  may  I  ask  why  so  much  sudden  reserve,  my  offended 
beauty  ?  " 

"  Merely  that  the  report  is  already  active,  concerning  the 
delicate  relation  in  which  we  stand  towards  each  other." 

John  Effingham  looked  surprised,  but  he  suppressed  his 
curiosity  from  a  long  habit  of  affecting  an  indifference  he  did 
not  always  feel.  The  father  was  less  dignified,  for  he  quietly 
demanded  an  explanation. 

"  It  would  seem,"  returned  Eve,  assuming  a  solemnity 
suited  to  a  matter  of  interest,  "  that  our  secret  is  discovered. 
While  we  were  indulging  our  curiosity  about  this  unfortunate 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.          .  jg; 

ship,  Mr.  Dodge  was  gratifying  the  laudable   industry  of  the 
Active  Inquirer,  by  prying  into  our  staterooms." 

"  This  meanness  is  impossible  ! "  exclaimed  Mr.  Effingham. 

"  Nay,"  said  John,  "  no  meanness  is  impossible  fo  a  dema 
gogue, — a  pretender  to  things  of  which  he  has  even  no  just 
conception, — a  man  who  lives  to  envy  and  traduce  ;  in  a  word. 
a  quasi  gentleman.  Let  us  hear  what  Eve  has  to  say." 

"  My  information  is  from  Ann  Sidley,  who  saw  him  in  the 
act.  Now  the  kind  letter  you  wrote  my  father,  cousin  Jack, 
just  before  we  left  London,  and  which  you  wrote  because  you 
would  not  trust  that  honest  tongue  of  yours  to  speak  the  feel- 
ings of  that  honest  heart,  is  the  subject  of  my  daily  study  ;  not 
on  account  of  its  promises,  you  will  believe  me,  but  on  account 
of  the  strong  affection  it  displays  to  a  girl  who  is  not  worthy  of 
one  half  you  feel  and  do  for  her." 

"  Pshaw !  " 

"  Well,  let  it  then  be  pshaw  !  I  had  read  that  letter  this 
very  morning,  and  carelessly  left  it  on  my  table.  This  letter 
Mr.  Dodge,  in  his  undying  desire  to  lay  everything  before  the 
public,  as  becomes  his  high  vocation,  and  as  in  duty  bound, 
has  read  ;  and  misconstruing  some  of  the  phrases,  as  will  some- 
times happen  to  a  zealous  circulator  of  news,  he  has  drawn  the 
conclusion  that  I  am  to  be  made  a  happy  woman  as  soon  as  we 
reach  America,  by  being  converted  from  Miss  Eve  Effingham 
into  Mrs.  John  Effingham." 

"  Impossible  !  No  man  can  be  such  a  fool,  or  quite  so 
great  a  miscreant !  " 

"  I  should  rather  think,  my  child,"  added  the  milder  father, 
"  that  injustice  has  been  done  Mr.  Dodge.  No  person,  in  the 
least  approximating  to  the  station  of  a  gentleman,  could  even 
think  of  an  act  so  base  as  this  you  mention." 

"  Oh  !  if  this  be  all  your  objection  to  the  tale,"  observed 
the  cousin,  "  I  am  ready  to  swear  to  its  truth.  But  Eve  has 
caught  a  little  of  Captain  Truck's  spirit  of  mystifying,  and  is 
determined  to  make  a  character  by  a  bold  stroke  in  the  begin- 
ning. She  is  clever,  and  in  time  may  rise  to  be  a  quiz." 

"  Thank  you  for  the  compliment,  cousin  Jack,  which,  how- 
ever, I  am  forced  to  disclaim,  as  I  never  was  more  serious  in 
my  life.  That  the  letter  was  read,  Nanny,  who  is  truth  itself, 
affirms  she  saw.  That  Mr.  Dodge  has  since  been  industriously 
circulating  the  report  of  my  great  good  fortune,  she  has  heard 
from  the  mate,  who  had  it  from  the  highest  source  of  informa- 
tion  direct,  and  that  such  a  man  would  be  likely  to  come  to 


j88  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

such  a  conclusion,  you  have  only  to  recall  the  terms  of  the  let- 
ter yourself,  to  believe." 

•'  There  is  nothing  in  my  letter  to  justify  any  notion  so 
silly." 

"  An  Active  Inquirer  might  make  discoveries  you  little 
dream  of,  dear  cousin  Jack.  You  speak  of  its  being  time  to 
cease  roving,  of  settling  yourself  at  last,  of  never  parting,  and, 
prodigal  as  you  are,  of  making  Eve  the  future  mistress  of  youi 
fortune.  Now  to  all  this,  recreant,  confess,  or  I  shall  never 
again  put  faith  in  man." 

John  Effingham  made  no  answer,  but  the  father  warmly  ex- 
pressed his  indignation,  that  any  man  of  the  smallest  preten- 
sions to  be  admitted  among  gentlemen,  should  be  guilty  of  an 
act  so  base. 

"  We  can  hardly  tolerate  his  presence,  John,  and  it  is  al- 
most a  matter  of  conscience  to  send  him  to  Coventry." 

"  If  you  entertain  such  notions  of  decorum,  your  wisest  way, 
Edward,  will  -be  to  return  to  the  place  whence  you  have  come  ; 
for,  trust  me,  you  will  find  scores  of  such  gentlemen  where  you 
are  going !  " 

"  I  shall  not  allow  you  to  persuade  me  I  know  my  own 
country  so  little.  Conduct  like  this  will  stamp  a  man  with 
disgrace  in  America  as  well  as  elsewhere." 

"  Conduct  like  this  would,  but  it  will  no  longer.  The  pell- 
mell  that  rages  has  brought  honorable  men  into  a  sad  minority, 
and  even  Mr.  Dodge  will  tell  you  the  majority  must  rule.  Were 
he  to  publish  my  letter,  a  large  portion  of  his  readers  would 
fancy  he  was  merely  asserting  the  liberty  of  the  press.  Heavens 
save  us!  You  have  been  dreaming  abroad,  Ned  Effingham, 
while  your  country  has  retrograded,  in  all  that  is  respectable 
and  good,  a  century  in  a  dozen  years  ! ': 

As  this  was  the  usual  language  of  John  Effingham,  neither 
of  his  listeners  thought  much  of  it,  though  Mr.  Effingham  more 
decidedly  expressed  an  intention  to  cut  off  even  the  slight  com- 
munication with  the  offender,  he  had  permitted  himself  to  keep 
up,  since  they  had  been  on  board. 

"  Think  better  of  it,  dear  father,"  said  Eve  ;  •'  for  such  a 
man  is  scarcely  worthy  of  even  yonr  resentment.  He  is  too 
much  your  inferior  in  principles,  manners,  character,  station, 
and  everything  else,  to  render  him  of  so  much  account ;  and 
then,  were  we  to  clear  up  this  masquerade  into  which  the 
chances  of  a  ship  have  thrown  us,  we  might  have  our  scruples 
concerning  others,  as  well  as  concerning  this  wolf  in  sheep'* 
clothing." 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


189 


"  Say  rather  an  ass,  shaved  and  painted  to  resemble  a  zebra," 
muttered  John.  "  The  fellow  has  no  property  as  respectable 
as  the  basest  virtue  of  a  wolf." 

"  He  has  at  least  rapacity." 

"  And  can  howl  in  a  pack.  This  much,  then,  I  will  concede 
to  you  ;  but  I  agree  with  Eve,  we  must  either  punish  him  affirm- 
atively, by  pulling  his  ears,  or  treat  him  with  contempt,  which 
is  always  negative  or  silent.  I  wish  he  had  entered  the  state- 
room of  that  fine  young  fellow,  Paul  Blunt,  who  is  of  an  age 
and  a  spirit  to  give  him  a  lesson  that  might  make  a  paragraph 
for  his  Active  Inquirer,  if  not  a  scissors'  extract  of  himself." 

Eve  knew  that  the  offender  had  been  there  too,  but  she  had 
too  much  prudence  to  betray  him. 

"  This  will  only  so  much  the  more  oblige  'him,"  she  said, 
laughingly  ;  "for  Mr.  Blunt,  in  speaking  of  the  editor  of  the 
\ctive  Inquirer,  said  that  he  had  the  failing  to  believe  that 
this  earth,  and  all  it  contained,  was  created  merely  to  furnish 
materials  for  newspaper  paragraphs." 

The  gentlemen  laughed  with  the  amused  Eve,  and  Mr. 
Effingham  remarked,  that  "  there  did  seem  to  be  men  so  per- 
fectly selfish,  so  much  devoted  to  their  own  interests^  and  so 
little  sensible  of  the  rights  and  feelings  of  others,  as  to  mani- 
fest a  desire  to  render  the  press  superior  to  all  other  power  ; 
"  Not,"  he  concluded,  "  in  the  way  of  argument,  or  as  an  agent 
of  reason,  but  as  a  master,  coarse,  corrupt,  tyrannical  and  vile  ; 
the  instrument  of  selfishness,  instead  of  the  right,  and  when 
not  employed  as  the  promoter  of  personal  interests,  to  be  em- 
ployed as  the  tool  of  personal  passions." 

"  Your  father  will  become  a  convert  to  my  opinions,  Miss 
Effingham,"  said  John,  "  and  he  will  not  be  home  a  twelve- 
month before  he  will  make  the  discovery  that  the  government 
is  a  press-ocracy,  and  its  ministers,  self-chosen  and  usurpers, 
composed  of  those  who  have  the  least  at  stake,  even  as  to  char- 
acter." 

Mr.  Effingham  shook  his  head  in  dissent,  but  the  conversa- 
tion changed  in  consequence  of  a  stir  in  the  ship.  The  air  from 
the  land  had  freshened,  and  even  the  heavy  canvas  on  which 
the  Montauk  was  now  compelled  principally  to  rely,  had  been 
asleep,  as  mariners  term  it,  or  had  blown  out  from  the  mast, 
where  it  stood  inflated  and  steady,  a  proof  at  sea,  where  the 
water  is  always  in  motion,  that  the  breeze  is  getting  to  be  fresh. 
Aided  by  this  power,  the  ship  had  overcome  the  united  action 
of  the  heavy  ground-swell  and  of  the  current,  and  was  stealing 
out  from  under  the  land,  when  the  air  murmured  for  an  instant, 


jgo  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

as  if  about  to  blow  still  fresher,  and  then  all  the  sails  flapped. 
The  wind  had  passed  away  like  a  bird,  and  a  dark  line  to  sea- 
ward, denoted  the  approach  of  the  breeze  from  the  ocean.  The 
stir  in  the  vessel  was  occasioned  by  the  preparations  to  meet 
this  change. 

The  new  wind  brought  little  with  it  beyond  the  general 
danger  of  blowing  on  shore.  The  breeze  was  light,  and  not 
more  than  sufficient  to  force  the  vessel  through  the  water,  in 
her  present  condition,  a  mile  and  a  half  in  the  hour,  and  this 
too  in  a  line  nearly  parallel  with  the  coast.  Captain  Truck 
saw  therefore  at  a  glance,  that  he  should  be  compelled  to 
anchor.  Previously,  however,  to  doing  this,  he  had  a  long  talk 
with  his  mates,  and  a  boat  was  lowered. 

The  lead  was  cast,  and  the  bottom  was  found  to  be  still 
good,  though  a  hard  sand,  which  is  not  the  best  holding  ground. 

"  A  heavy  sea  would  cause  the  ship  to  drag,"  Captain 
Truck  remarked,  "  should  it  come  on  to  blow,  and  the  lines  of 
dark  rocks  astern  of  them. would  make  chips  of  the  Pennsylva- 
nian  in  an  hour,  were  that  great  ship  to  lie  on  it." 

He  entered  the  boat,  and  pulled  along  the  reefs  to  examine 
an  inlet  that  Mr.  Leach  reported  to  have  been  seen,  before  he 
got  the  ship's  head  to  the  northward.  Could  an  entrance  be 
found  at  this  point,  the  vessel  might  possibly  be  carried  within 
the  reef,  and  the  favorite  scheme  of  the  captain's  could  be  put 
in  force,  one  to  which  he  now  attached  the  highest  importance. 
A  mile  brought  the  boat  up  to  the  inlet,  where  Mr.  Truck  found 
the  following  appearances  :  The  general  formation  of  the  coast 
in  sight  was  that  of  a  slight  curvature,  within  which  the  ship 
had  so  far  drifted  as  to  be  materially  inside  a  line  drawn  from 
headland  to  headland.  There  was,  consequently,  little  hope  of 
urging  a  vessel,  crippled  like  the  Montauk,  against  wind,  sea 
and  current,  out  again  into  the  ocean.  For  about  a  league 
abreast  of  the  ship  the  coast  was  rocky,  though  low,  the  rocks 
running  off  from  the  shore  quite  a  mile  in  places,  and  every- 
where fully  half  that  distance.  The  formation  was  irregular,  but 
it  had  the  general  character  of  a  reef,  the  position  of  which  was 
marked  by  breakers,  as  well  as  by  the  black  heads  of  rocks  that 
here  and  there  showed  themselves  above  the  water.  The  inlet 
was  narrow,  crooked,  and  so  far  environed  by  rocks  as  to  render 
it  questionable  whether  there  was  a  passage  at  all,  though  the 
smoothness  of  the  water  had  raised  hopes  to  that  effect  in  Mr 
Leach. 

As  soon  as  Captain  Truck  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  this  pas 
sage,  he  felt  so  much  encouraged  by  the  appearance  of  things 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  tv)i 

that  he  gave  the  concerted  signal  for  the  ship  to  veer  round  and 
to  stand  to  the  southward.  This  was  losing  ground  in  the  way 
of  offing,  but  tack  the  Montauk  could  not  with  so  little  wind, 
and  the  captain  saw  by  the  drift  she  had  made  since  he  left  her 
that  promptitude  was  necessary.  The  ship  might  anchor  off 
the  inlet,  as  well  as  anywhere  else,  if  reduced  to  anchoring  out 
side  at  all,  and  then  there  was  always  the  chance  of  entering, 

As  soon  as  the  ship's  head  was  again  to  the  southward,  and 
Captain  Truck  felt  certain  that  she  was  lying  along  the  reef  at 
a  reasonably  safe  distance,  and  in  as  good  a  direction  as  he 
could  hope  for,  he  commenced  his  examination.  Like  a  dis 
creet  seaman  he  pulled  off  from  the  rocks  to  a  suitable  dis 
tance,  for  should  an  obstacle  occur  outside,  he  well  knew  any 
depth  of  water  further  in  would  be  useless.  The  day  was  so 
fine,  and  in  the  absence  of  rivers,  the  ocean  so  limpid  in  that 
low  latitude,  that  it  was  easy  to  see  the  bottom  at  a  consider- 
able depth.  But  to  this  sense,  of  course,  the  captain  did  not 
trust,  for  he  kept  the  lead  going  constantly,  although  all  eyes 
were  also  employed  in  searching  for  rocks. 

The  first  cast  of  the  lead  was  in  five  fathoms,  and  these 
soundings  were  held  nearly  up  to  the  inlet,  where  the  lead 
struck  a  rock  in  three  fathoms  and  a  half.  At  this  point,  then, 
a  more  careful  examination  was  made,  but  three  and  a  half  was 
the  shallowest  cast.  As  the  Montauk  drew  nearly  a  fathom  less 
than  this,  the  cautious  old  master  proceeded  closer  in.  Directly 
in  the  mouth  of  the  inlet  was  a  large  flat  rock,  that  rose  nearly 
to  the  surface  of  the  sea,  and  which,  when  the  tide  was  low,  was 
probably  bare.  This  rock  Captain  Truck  at  first  believed 
would  defeat  his  hopes  of  success,  which  by  this  time  were 
strong ;  but  a  closer  examination  showed  him  that  on  one  side 
of  it  was  a  narrow  passage,  just  wide  enough  to  admit  a  ship 

From  this  spot  the  channel  became  crooked,  but  it  was  suf- 
ficiently marked  by  the  ripple  on  the  reef  ;  and  after  a  careful 
investigation,  he  found  it  was  possible  to  carry  three  fathoms 
quite  within  the  reef,  where  a  large  space  existed  that  was 
gradually  filling  tip  with  sand,  but  which  was  nearly  all  covered 
with  water  when  the  tide  was  in,  as  was  now  the  case,  and  which 
had  channels,  as  usual,  between  the  banks.  Following  one  of 
these  channels  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  he  found  a  basin  of  four 
fathoms  of  water,  large  enough  to  take  a  ship  in,  and,  fortu- 
nately, it  was  in  close  proximity  to  a  portion  of  the  reef  that  was 
always  bare,  when  a  heavy  sea  was  not  beating  over  it.  Here  he 
dropped  a  buoy,  for  he  had  come  provided  with  several  frag- 
ments of  spars  for  this  purpose  ;  and,  on  his  return,  the  channel 


192 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


was  similarly  marked  off,  at  all  the  critical  points.  On  the  flat 
rock,  in  the  inlet,  one  of  the  men  was  left  standing  up  to  his 
waist  in  the  water,  it  being  certain  that  the  tide  was  falling. 

The  boat  now  returned  to  the  srfip,  which  it  met  at  the  dis- 
tance of  half  a  mile  from  the  inlet.  The  current  setting  south- 
wardly, her  progress  had  been  more  rapid  than  when  heading 
north,  and  her  drift  had  been  less  towards  the  land.  Still 
there  was  so  little  wind,  so  steady  a  ground-swell,  and  it  was 
possible  to  carry  so  little  after-sail,  that  great  doubts  were  en- 
tertained of  being  able  to  weather  the  rocks  sufficiently  to  turn 
into  the  inlet.  Twenty  times  in  the  next  half  hour  was  the  order 
to  let  go  the  anchor,  on  the  point  of  being  given,  as  the  wind 
baffled,  and  as  often  was  it  countermanded,  to  take  advantage  of 
its  reviving.  These  were  feverish  moments,  for  the  ship  was  now 
so  near  the  reef  as  to  render  her  situation  very  insecure  in  the 
event  of  the  wind's  rising,  or  of  a  sea's  getting  up,  the  sand  of 
the  bottom  being  too  hard  to  make  good  holding-ground.  Still, 
as  there  was  a  possibility,  in  the  present  state  of  the  weather, 
of  kedging  the  ship  off  a  mile  into  the  offing,  if  necessary,  Cap- 
tain Truck  stood  on  with  a  boldness  he  might  not  other- 
wise have  felt.  The  anchor  hung  suspended  by  a  single  turn 
of  the  stopper,  ready  to  drop  at  a  signal,  and  Mr.  Truck  stood 
between  the  knight-heads,  watching  the  slow  progress  of  the 
vessel,  and  accurately  noticing  every  foot  of  leeward  set  she 
made,  as  compared  with  the  rocks. 

All  this  time  the  poor  fellow  stood  in  the  water,  await- 
ing the  arrival  of  his  friends,  who  in  their  turn,  were  anx- 
iously watching  his  features,  as  they  gradually  grew  more  dis- 
tinct. 

•'  I  see  his  eyes,"  cried  the  captain  cheerily  ;  "  take  a  drag 
at  the  bowlines,  and  let  her  head  up  as  much  as  she  will,  Mr. 
Leach,  and  never  mind  those  sham  topsails.  Take  them  in  at 
once,  sir  ;  they  do  us,  now,  more  harm  than  good." 

The  clewline  blocks  rattled,  and  the  top-gallant  sails  which 
were  made  to  do  the  duty  of  top-sails,  but  which  would  hardly 
spread  to  the  lower  yards,  so  as  to  set  on  a  wind,  came  rapidly 
in.  Five  minutes  of  intense  doubt  followed,  when  the  captain 
gave  the  animating  order  to — 

"  Man  the  main-clew  garnets,  boys,  and  stand  by  to  make 
a  run  of  it  !  " 

This  was  understood  to  be  a  sign  that  the  ship  was  far 
enough  to  windward,  and  the  command  to  "  in  mainsail,"  which 
soon  succeeded,  was  received  with  a  shout. 

"  Hard  up  with  the  helm,  and  stand  by  to  lay  the  fore-yard 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


'93 


square,"  cried  Captain  Truck,  rubbing  his  hands.  "  Look  that 
both  bowers  are  clear  for  a  run  ;  and  you,  Toast,  bring  me  the 
brightest  coal  in  the  galley." 

The  movements  of  the  Montauk  were  necessarily  slow ;  but 
she  obeyed  her  helm,  and  fell  off  until  her  bows  pointed  in  to- 
wards the  sailor  in  the  water.  This  fine  fellow,  the  moment 
he  saw  the  ship  approaching,  waded  to  the  verge  of  the  rock, 
where  it  went  off  perpendicularly  to  the  bottom,  and  waved 
to  them  to  come  on  without  fear, 

"  Come  within  ten  feet  of  me,"  he  shouted.  "  There  is 
nothing  to  spare  on  the  other  side." 

As  the  captain  was  prepared  for  this,  the  ship  was  steered 
accordingly,  and  as  she  hove  slowly  past  on  the  rising  and  fall- 
ing water,  a  rope  was  thrown  to  the  man,  who  was  hauled  on 
board. 

"  Port ! "  cried  the  captain,  as  soon  as  the  rock  was  passed  ; 
"  port  your  helm,  sir,  and  stand  for  the  first  buoy." 

In  this  manner  the  Montauk  drove  slowly  but  steadily  on, 
until  she  had  reached  the  basin,  where  one  anchor  was  let  go 
almost  as  soon  as  she  entered.  The  chain  was  paid  out  until 
the  vessel  was  forced  over  to  some  distance,  and  then  the  other 
bower  was  dropped.  The  fore-sail  was  hauled  up  and  handed, 
and  chain  was  given  the  ship,  which  was  pronounced  to  be  se- 
curely moored. 

"  Now,"  cried  the  captain,  all  his  anxiety  ceasing  with  the 
responsibility,  "  I  expect  to  be  made  a  member  of  the  New 
York  Philosophical  Society  at  least,  which  is  learned  company 
for  a  man  who  has  never  been  at  college,  forydiscovering  a  port 
on  the  coast  of  Africa,  which  harbor,  ladies  and  gentlemen, 
without  too  much  vanity,  I  hope  to  be  permitted  to  call  Port 
Truck.  If  Mr.  Dodge,  however,  should  think  this  too  anti- 
republican,  we  will  compromise  the  matter  by  calling  it  Port 
Truck  and  Dodge  ;  or  the  town  that  no  doubt  will  sooner  or 
later  arise  on  its  banks,  may  be  called  Dodgeborough,  and  I 
will  keep  the  harbor  to  myself." 

"  Should  Mr.  Dodge  consent  to  this  arrangement,  he  will 
render  himself  liable  to  the  charge  of  aristocracy,"  said  Mr. 
Sharp  ;  for  as  all  felt  relieved  by  finding  themselves  in  a  place 
of  security,  so  all  felt  disposed  to  join  in  the  pleasantry.  "  I 
dare  say  his  modesty  would  prevent  his  consenting  to  th« 
plan." 

"  Why,  gentlemen,"  returned!  tn«  subject  of  these  remarks, 
"  I  do  not  know  that  we  are  to  refuse  honors  that  are  fairly 
imposed  on  us  by  the  popular  voice ;  and  the  practice  of  nam- 


I94  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

ing  towns  and  counties  after  distinguished  citizens,  is  by  no 
means  uncommon  with  us.  A  few  of  my  own  neighbors  have 
been  disposed  to  honor  me  in  this  way  already,  and  my  paper 
is  issued  from  a  hamlet  that  certainly  does  bear  my  own  un- 
worthy name.  So  you  perceive  there  will  be  no  novelty  in  the 
appellation." 

"  I  would  have  made  oath  to  it,"  cried  the  captain,  "  from 
your  well-established  humility.  Is  the  place  as  large  as  Lon- 
don ? " 

"  It  can  boast  of  little  more  than  my  own  office,  a  tavern,  a 
store,  and  a  blacksmith's  shop,  captain,  as  yet ;  but  Rome  was 
not  built  in  a  day." 

"  Your  neighbors,  sir,  must  be  people  of  extraordinary 
discernment ;  but  the  name  ! " 

"  That  is  not  absolutely  decided.  At  first  it  was  called 
Dodgetown,  but  this  did  not  last  long,  being  thought  vulgar 
and  commonplace.  Six  or  eight  weeks  afterwards,  we — "  - 

"  We,  Mr.  Dodge  !  " 

"  I  mean  the  people,  sir, — I  am  so  much  accustomed  to 
connect  myself  with  the  people,  that  whatever  they  do,  I  think 
I  had  a  hand  in." 

"  And  very  properly,  sir,"  observed  John  Effingham,  "  as 
probably  without  you,  there  would  have  been  no  people  at  all." 

"  What  may  be  the  population  of  Dodgetown,  sir  ?  "  asked 
the  persevering  captain,  on  this  hint. 

"  At  the  census  of  January,  it  was  seventeen ;  but  by  the 
census  of  March,  there  were  eighteen.  I  have  made  a  calcula- 
tion that  shows,  if  we  go  on  at  this  rate,  or  by  arithmetical 
progression,  it  will  be  a  hundred  in  about  ten  years  which  will 
be  a  very  respectable  population  for  a  country  place.  I  beg 
pardon,  sir,  the  people  six  or  eight  weeks  afterwards,  altered 
the  name  to  Dodgeborough  ;  but  a  new  family  coming  in  that 
summer,  a  party  was  got  up  to  change  it  to  Dodge-ville,  a  name 
that  was  immensely  popular,  as  ville  means  city  in  Latin ;  but 
it  must  be  owned  the  people  like  change,  or  rotation  in  names, 
as  well  as  in  office,  and  they  called  the  place  Butterfield  Hol- 
low, for  a  whole  month,  after  the  new  inhabitant,  whose  name 
is  Butterfield.  He  moved  away  in  the  fall ;  and  so,  after  try- 
ing Belindy,  (Anglice  Belinda,)  Nineveh,  Grand  Cairo,  and 
Pumpkin  Valley,  they  made  me  the  offer  to  restore  the  ancient 
name,  provided  some  addendum  more  noble  and  proper  could 
be  found  than  town,  or  ville,  or  borough ; .  it  is  not  yet  deter- 
mined what  it  shall  be,  but  I  believe  we  shall  finally  settle 
down  in  Dodgeople,  or  Dodgeopolis." 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  195 

"  For  the  season  ;  and  a  very  good  name  it  will  prove  fcr  a 
short  cruise,  I  make  no  question.  The  Butterfield  Hollow  was 
a  little  like  rotation  in  office,  in  truth,  sir." 

"  I  didn't  like  it,  captain,  so  I  gave  Squire  Butterfield  to 
understand,  privately ;  for  as  he  had  a  majority  with  him,  I 
didn't  approve  of  speaking  too  strongly  on  the  subject.  As 
soon  as  I  got  him  out  of  the  tavern,  however,  the  current  set 
the  other  way." 

"  You  fairly  uncorked  him  !  " 

"  That  I  did,  and  no  one  ever  heard  of  him,  or  of  his  hollow, 
after  his  retreat.  There  are  a  few  discontented  and  arrogant 
innovators,  who  affect  to  call  the  place  by  its  old  name  of  Mor- 
ton ;  but  these  are  the  mere  vassals  of  a  man  who  once  owned 
the  patent,  and  who  has  now  been  dead  these  forty  years.  We 
are  not  the  people  to  keep  his  old  musty  name,  or  to  honor  dry 
bones." 

"  Served  him  right,  sir,  and  like  men  of  spirit !  If  he  wants 
a  place  called  after  himself,  let  him  live,  like  other  people.  A 
dead  man  has  no  occasion  for  a  name,  and  there  should  be  a 
law  passed,  that  when  a  man  slips  his  cables,  he  should  be- 
queath his  name  to  some  honest  fellow  who  has  a  worse  one. 
It  might  be  well  to  compel  all  great  men  in  particular,  to  leave 
their  renown  to  those  who  cannot  get  any  for  themselves." 

"  I  will  venture  to  suggest  an  improvement  on  the  name,  if 
Mr.  Dodge  will  permit  me,"  said  Mr.  Sharp,  who  had  been  an 
amused  listener  to  the  short  dialogne.  •*  Dodgeople  is  a  little 
short,  and  may  be  offensive  by  its  brusquerie,  By  inserting  a 
single  letter,  it  will  become  Dodge-people  ;  or,  there  is  the 
alternative  of  Dodge-adrianople,  which  will  be  a  truly  sonorous 
and  republican  title.  Adrian  was  an  emperor,  and  even  Mr. 
Dodge  might  not  disdain  the  conjunction." 

By  this  time,  the  editor  of  the  Active  Inquirer  began  to  be 
extremely  elevated — for  this  was  assailing  him  on  his  weakest 
side — and  he  laughed  and  rubbed  his  hands,  as  if  he  thought 
the  joke  particularly  pleasant.  This  person  had  also  a 
peculiarity  of  judgment  that  was  singularly  in  opposition  to  al] 
his  open  professions,  a  peculiarity,  however,  that  belongs  rathei 
to  his  class  than  to  the  individual  member  of  it.  Ultra  as  a 
democrat  and  an  American,  Mr.  Dodge  had  a  sneaking  predi- 
lection in  favor  of  foreign  opinions.  Although  practice  had 
made  him  intimately  acquainted  with  all  the  frauds,  deceptions, 
and  vileness  of  the  ordinary  arts  of  paragraph-making,  he  never 
failed  to  believe  religiously  in  the  veracity,  judgment,  good 
faith,  honesty  and  talents  of  anything  that  was  imported  in  the 


196  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

form  of  types.  He  had  been  weekly,  for  years,  accusing  his 
nearest  brother  of  the  craft,  of  lying,  and  he  could  not  be 
altogether  ignorant  of  his  own  propensity  in  the  same  way  ; 
but,  notwithstanding  all  this  experience  in  the  secrets  of  the 
trade,  whatever  reached  him  from  a  European  journal,  he  im- 
plicitly swallowed  whole.  One,  who  knew  little  of  the  man, 
might  have  supposed  he  feigned  credulity  to  answer  his  own 
purposes  ;  but  this  would  be  doing  injustice  to  his  faith,  which 
was  perfect,  being  based  on  that  provincial  admiration,  and 
provincial  ignorance,  that  caused  the  countryman,  who  went  to 
London  for  the  first  time,  to  express  astonishment  at  find- 
ing the  king  a  man.  As  was  due  to  his  -colonial  origin,  his 
secret  awe  and  reverence  for  an  Englishman  was  exactly  in  pro- 
portion to  his  protestation  of  love  for  the  people,  and  his 
deference  -for  rank  was  graduated  on  a  scale  suited  to  the  heart- 
burning and  jealousies  he  entertained  for  all  whom  he  felt  to 
be  his  superiors.  Indeed,  one  was  the  cause  of  the  other  ; 
for  they  who  really  are  indifferent  to  their  own  social  position, 
are  usually  equally  indifferent  to  that  of  others,  so  long  as 
they  are  not  made  to  feel  the  difference  by  direct  assumptions 
of  superiority. 

When  Mr.  Sharp,  whom  even  M.  Dodge  had  discovered  to 
be  a  gentleman, — and  an  English  gentleman  of  course, — entered 
into  the  trifling  of  the  moment,  therefore,  so  far  from  detect- 
ing the  mystification,  the  latter  was  disposed  to  believe  himself 
a  subject  of  interest  with  this  person,  against  whose  exclusive- 
ness  and  haughty  reserve,  notwithstanding,  he  had  been  mak- 
ing side-hits  ever  since  the  ship  had  sailed.  But  the  avidity 
with  which  the  Americans  of  Mr.  Dodge's  temperament  are 
apt  to  swallow  the  crumbs  of  flattery  that  fall  from  the  English- 
man's table,  is  matter  of  history,  and  the  editor  himself  was 
never  so  happy  as  when  he  could  lay  hold  of  a  paragraph  to 
republish,  in  which  a  few  words  of  comfort  were  doled  out  by 
the  condescending  mother  to  the  never-dying  faith  of  the 
daughter.  So  far,  therefore,  from  taking  umbrage  at  what  had 
been  said,  he  continued  the  subject  long  after  the  captain  had 
gone  to  his  duty,  and  with  so  much  perseverance  that  Paul 
Blunt,  as  soon  as  Mr.  Sharp  escaped,  took  an  occasion  to 
compliment  that  gentleman  on  his  growing  intimacy  with  the 
refined  and  single-minded  champion  of  the  people.  The  other 
admitted  his  indiscretion  ;  and  if  the  affair  had  no  other  con- 
sequences, it  afforded  these  two  fine  young  men  a  moment's 
merriment,  at  a  time  when  anxiety  had  been  fast  getting  the 
ascendency  over  their  more  cheerful  feelings.  When  they 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  197 

endeavored  to  make  Miss  Effinghan  share  in  the  amusement, 
however,  that  young  lady  heard  them  with  gravity  ;  for  the 
meanness  of  the  act  discovered  by  Nanny  Sidley,  had  indisposed 
her  to  treat  the  subject  of  their  comments  with  the  familiarity 
of  even  ridicule.  Perceiving  this,  through  unable  to  account 
for  it,  the  gentlemen  changed  the  discourse,  and  soon  be- 
came sufficiently  grave  by  contemplating"  their  own  condi- 
tion. 

The  situation  of  the  Montauk  was  now  certainly  one  to  ex- 
cite uneasiness  in  those  who  were  little  acquainted  with  the  sea, 
as  well  as  in  those  who  were.  It  was  very  much  like  that  for 
which  Miss  Effingham's  nurse  had  pined,  having  many  rocks 
and  sands  in  sight,  with  the  land  at  no  great  distance.  In  order 
that  the  reader  may  understand  it  more  clearly,  we  shall  de- 
scribe it  with  greater  minuteness. 

To  the  westward  of  the  ship  lay  the  ocean,  broad,  smooth, 
glittering,  but,  heaving  and  setting,  with  its  eternal  breathings, 
which  always  resemble  the  respiration  of  some  huge  monster. 
Between  the  vessel  and  this  waste  of  water,  and  within  three 
hundred  feet  of  the  first,  stretched  an  irregular  line  of  ripple, 
dotted  here  and  there  with  the  heads  of  low  naked  rocks,  mark- 
ing the  presence  and  direction  of  the  reef. 

This  was  all  that  would  interpose  between  the  basin  and 
the  raging  billows,  should  another  storm  occur ;  but  Captain 
Truck  thought  this  would  suffice  so  far  to  break  the  waves  as 
to  render  the  anchorage  sufficiently  secure.  Astern  of  the  ship, 
however,  a  rounded  ridge  of  sand  began  to  appear  as  the  tide 
fell,  within  forty  fathoms  of  the  vessel,  and  as  the  bottom  was 
hard,  and  difficult  to  get  an  anchor  into  it,  there  was  the  risk  of 
dragging  on  this  bank.  We  say  that  the  bottom  was  hard,  for 
the  reader  should  know  that  it  is  not  the  weight  of  the  anchor 
that  secures  the  ship,  but  the  hold  its  pointed  fluke  and  broad 
palm  get  of  the  ground.  The  coast  itself  was  distant  less  than 
a  mile,  and  the  entire  basin  within  the  reef  was  fast  presenting 
spits  of  sand,  as  the  water  fell  on  the  ebb.  Still  there  were 
many  channels,  and  it  would  have  been  possible,  for  one  who 
knew  their  windings,  to  have  sailed  a  ship  several  leagues  among 
them,  without  passing  the  inlet ;  these  channels  forming  a  sort 
of  intricate  network,  in  every  direction  from  the  vessel. 

When  Captain  Truck  had  coolly  studied  all  the  peculiarities 
of  his  position,  he  set  about  the  duty  of  securing  his  ship,  in 
good  earnest.  The  two  light  boats  were  brought  under  the 
bows,  and  the  stream  anchor  was  lowered,  and  fastened  to  a 
spar  that  lay  across  both.  This  anchor  was  carried  to  the 


!98  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

bank  astern,  and,  by  dint  of  sheer  strength,  it  was  laid  over  its 
summit  with  a  fluke  buried  to  the  shank  in  the  hard  sand.  By 
means  of  a  hawser,  and  a  purchase  applied  to  its  end,  the  men 
on  the  banks  next  roused  the  chain  out,  and  shackled  it  to  the 
ring.  The  bight  was  hove-in,  and  the  ship  secured  astern,  so 
as  to  prevent  a  shift  of  wind,  off  the  land,  from  forcing  her  on 
the  reef.  As  no  sea' could  come  from  this  quarter,  the  single 
anchor  and  chain  were  deemed  sufficient  for  this  purpose. 
As  soon  as  the  boats  were  at  liberty,  and  before  the  chain  had 
been  got  ashore,  two  kedges  were  carried  to  the  reef,  and  laid 
among  the  rocks,  in  such  a  way  that  their  flukes  and  stocks 
equally  got  hold  of  the  projections.  To  these  kedges  lighter 
chains  were  secured  ;  and  when  all  the  bights  were  hove-in,  to 
as  equal  a  strain  as  possible,  Captain  Truck  pronounced  his 
ship  in  readiness  to  ride  out  any  gale  that  would  be  likely  to 
blow.  So  far  as  the  winds  and  waves  might  affect  her,  the 
Montauk  was,  in  truth,  reasonably  safe  ;  for  on  the  side  where 
danger  was  most  to  be  apprehended,  she  had  two  bowers  down, 
and  four  parts  of  smaller  chain  were  attached  to  the  two  kedges. 
Nor  had  Captain  Truck  fallen  into  the  common  error  of  sup- 
posing he  had  so  much  additional  strength  in  his  fastenings,  by 
simply  running  the  chains  through  the  rings,  but  he  had  caused 
each  to  be  separately  fastened,  both  in-board  and  to  the  kedges, 
by  which  means  each  length  of  the  chain  formed  a  distinct  and 
independent  fastening  of  itself.  .  . 

So  absolute  is  the  sovereignty  of  a  ship,  that  no  one  had 
presumed  to  question  the  master  as  to  his  motives  for  all  this 
extraordinary  precaution,  though  it  was  the  common  impression 
that  he  intended  to  remain  where  they  were  until  the  wind  be- 
came favorable,  or  at  least,  until  all  danger  of  being  thrown 
upon  the  coast,  from  the  current  and  the  ground-swell,  should 
have  ceased.  Paul  Blunt  observed,  that  he  fancied  it  was  the 
intention  to  take  advantage  of  the  smooth  water  within  the  reef, 
to  get  up  a  better  and  a  more  efficient  set  of  jury-masts.  But 
Captain  Truck  soon  removed  all  doubts  by  letting  the  truth  be 
known.  While  on  board  the  Danish  wreck,  he  had  critically 
examined  her  spars,  sails,  and  rigging,  and,  though  adapted  for 
a  ship  two  hundred  tons  smaller  than  the  Montauk,  he  was  of 
opinion  they  might  be  fitted  to  the  latter  vessel,  and  made  to 
answer  all  the  necessary  purposes  for  crossing  the  ocean,  pro- 
vided the  Mussulmans  and  the  weather  would  permit  the 
transfer. 

"  We  have  smooth  water  and  light  airs,"  he. said,  when  con- 
cluding his  explanation,  "and  the  current  sets  southwardly 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  I99 

along  this  coast ;  by  means  of  all  our  force,  hard  working,  a 
kind  Providence,  and  our  own  enterprise,  I  hope  yet  to  see  the 
Montauk  enter  the  port  of  New  York,  with  royals  set,  and  ready 
to  carry  sail  on  a  wind.  The  seaman  who  cannot  rig  his  ship 
with  sticks  and  ropes  and  blocks  enough,  might  as  well  stay 
ashore,  Mr.  Dodge,  and  publish  an  hebdomadal.  And  so.  my 
dear  young  lady,  by  looking  along  the  land,  the  day  after  to- 
morrow, in  the  northern  board  here,  you  may  expect  to  see  a 
raft  booming  down  upon  you  that  will  cheer  your  heart,  and 
once  more  raise  the  hope  of  a  Christmas  dinner  in  New  York, 
in  all  lovers  of  good  fare." 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Here,  in  the  sands, 
Thee  I'll  rake  up— 

Lear 

His  mind  made  up,  his  intentions  announced,  and  his  ship 
in  readiness,  Captain  Truck  gave  his  orders  to  proceed  with 
promptitude  and  clearness.  The  ladies  remaining  behind,  he 
observed  that  the  two  Messrs.  Effingham,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
would  stay  with  them  as  protectors,  though  little  could  harm 
them  where  they  were. 

"  I  propose  to  leave  the  ship  in  the  care  of  Mr.  Blunt,"  he 
said,  "for  I  perceive  something  about  that  gentleman  which  de- 
notes a  nautical  instinct.  If  Mr.  Sharp  choose  to  remain  also, 
your  society  will  be  the  more  agreeable,  and  in  exchange,  gen- 
tlemen, I  ask  the  favor  of  the  strong  arms  of  all  your  ser- 
vants. Mr.  Monday  is  my  man  in  fair  or  foul,  and  so,  I  flatter 
myself,  will  be  Sir  George  Templemore  ;  and  as  for  Mr.  Dodge, 
if  he  stay  behind,  why  the  Active  Inquirer  will  miss  a  notable 

Paragraph,  for  there  shall  be  no  historian  to  the  expedition, 
ut  one  of  my  own  appointing.     Mr.  Saunders  shall  have  the 
honor  of  cooking  for  you  in  the  meanwhile,  and  I  propose  tak- 
ing every  one  else  to  the  Dane." 

As  no  serious  objections  could  be  made  to  this  arrangement, 
within  an  hour  of  the  time  when  the  ship  was  fastened,  the  cut- 
ter, and  jolly-boat  departed,  it  being  the  intention  of  Captain 
Truck  to  reach  the  wreck  that  evening,  in  season  to  have  his 


ioo  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

sheers  ready  to  raise  by  daylight  in  the  morning  ;  for  he  hoped 
to  be  back  again  in  the  course  of  the  succeeding  day.  No  time 
was  to  be  lost,  he  knew,  the  return  of  the  Arabs  being  hourly 
expected,  and  the  tranquillity  of  the  open  sea  being  at  all  times 
a  matter  of  the  greatest  uncertainty.  With  the  declared  view  of 
making  quick  work,  and  with  the  secret  apprehension  of  a 
struggle  with  the  owners  of  the  country,  the  captain  took  with 
him  every  officer  and  man  on  the  ship  that  could  possibly  be 
spared,  and  as  many  of  the  passengers  as  he  thought  might  be 
useful.  As  numbers  might  be  important  in  the  way  of  intimi- 
dation, he  cared  almost  as  much  for  appearances  as  for  any- 
thing else,  or  certainly  he  would  not  have  deemed  the  presence 
of  Mr.  Dodge  of  any  great  moment  ;  for  to  own  the  truth,  he 
expected  the  editor  of  the  Active  Inquirer  would  prove  the 
quality  implied  by  the  first  word  of  the  title  of  his  journal,  as 
much  in  any  other  way  as  in  fighting. 

Neither  provisions  nor  water,  beyond  what  might  be  nec- 
essary in  pulling  to  the  wreck,  nor  ropes,  nor  blocks,  nor  any- 
thing but  arms  and  ammunition,  were  taken  in  the  boats  ;  for 
the  examination  of  the  morning  had  shown  the  captain,  that, 
notwithstanding  so  much  had  been  plundered,  a  sufficiency  still 
remained  in  the  stranded  vessel.  Indeed,  the  fact  that  so 
much  had  been  left  was  one  of  his  reasons  for  hastening  off 
himself,  as  he  deemed  it  certain  that  they  who  had  taken  away 
what  was  gone,  would  soon  return  for  the  remainder.  The 
fowling-pieces  and  pistols,  with  all  the  powder  and  ball  in  the 
ship,  were  taken  :  a  light  gun  that  was  on  board,  for  the  pur- 
pose <Jf  awaking  sleepy  pilots,  being  left  loaded,  with  the  inten- 
tion of  serving  for  a  signal  of  alarm,  should  any  material 
change  occur  in  the  situation  of  the  ship. 

The  party  included  thirty  men,  and  as  most  had  firearms 
of  one  sort  or  another,  they  pulled  out  of  the  inlet  with  spirit 
and  great  confidence  in  their  eventual  success.  The  boats 
were  crowded,  it  is  true,  but  there  was  room  to  row,  and  the 
launch  had  been  left  in  its  place  on  deck,  because  it  was  known 
that  two  boats  were  to  be  found  in  the  wreck,  one  of  which 
was  large  :  in  short,  as  Captain  Truck  had  meditated  this  ex- 
pedient from  the  moment  he  ascertained  the  situation  of  the 
Dane,  he  now  set  about  carrying  it  into  effect  with  method  and 
discrimination.  We  shall  first  accompany  him  on  his  way, 
leaving  the  small  party  in  the  Montauk  for  our  future  attention 
in  another  chapter. 

The  distance  between  the  two  vessels  was  about  four  leagues, 
and  a  headland  intervening,  those  in  the  boats  in  less  than  an 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  201 

hour  lost  sight  of  their  own  ship,  as  she  lay  shorn  of  her  pride 
anchored  within  the  reef.  At  almost  the  same  moment,  the 
wreck  came  into  view,  and  Captain  Truck  applied  his  glass 
with  great  interest,  in  order  to  ascertain  the  state  of  things  in 
that  direction.  All  was  tranquil — no  signs  of  any  one  having 
visited  the  spot  since  morning  being  visible.  This  intelligence 
was  given  to  the  people,  who  pulled  at  their  oars  the  more 
willingly  under  the  stimulus  of  probable  success,  driving  the 
boats  ahead  with  increasing  velocity. 

The  sun  was  still  some  distance  above  the  horizon,  when 
the  cutter  and  jolly-boat  rowed  through  the  narrow  channel 
astern  of  the  wreck,  .and  brought  up,  as  before,  by  the  side  of 
the  rocks.  Leaping  ashore,  Captain  Truck  led  the  way  to  the 
vessel,  and,  in  five  minutes,  he  was  seen  in  the  forward  cross- 
trees,  examining  the  plain  with  his  glass.  All  was  as  solitary 
and  deserted  as  when  before  seen,  and  the  order  was  immedi- 
ately given  to  commence  operations  without  delay. 

A  gang  of  the  best  seamen  got  on  the  spare  topmast  and 
lower-yard  of  the  Dane,  and  set  about  fitting  a  pair  of  sheers, 
a  job  that  would  be  likely  to  occupy  them  several  hours.  Mr. 
Leach  led  a  party  up  forward,  and  the  second  mate  went  up 
with  another  further  aft,  each  proceeding  to  send  down  its  re- 
spective top-gallant-mast,  top-sail-yard,  and  top-mast ;  while 
Captain  Truck,  from  the  deck,  superintended  the  same  work 
on  the  mizen-mast.  As  the  men  worked  with  spirit,  and  a 
strong  party  remained  below  to  give  the  drags,  and  to  come 
up  the  lanyards,  spar  come  down  after  spar  with  rapidity,  and 
just  as  the  sun  dipped  into  the  ocean  to  the  westward,  every- 
thing but  the  lower-masts  was  lying  on  the  sands,  alongside  of 
the  ship ;  nothing  having  been  permitted  to  touch  the  decks  in 
descending.  Previously,  however,  to  sending  down  the  lower: 
yards,  the  launch  had  been  lifted  from  its  bed  and  landed  also 
by  the  side  of  the  vessel. 

All  hands  were  how  mustered  on  the  sands,  and  the  boat 
was  launched,  an  operation  of  some  delicacy,  as  heavy  rollers 
were  occasionally  coming  in.  As  soon  as  it  floated,  his  power- 
ful auxiliary  was  swept  up  to  the  rocks,  and  then  the  men  began 
to  load  it  with  the  standing  rigging  and  the  sails,  the  latter 
having  been  unbent,  as  fast  as  each  spar  came  down.  Two 
kedges  were  found,  and  a  hawser  was  bent  to  one,  when  the 
launch  was  carried  outside  of  the  bar  and  anchored.  Lines 
being  brought  in,  the  yards  were  hauled  out  to  the  same  place, 
and  strongly  lashed  together  for  the  night.  A  great  deal  of 
running  rigging,  many  blocks,  and  divers  other  small  articles, 


202  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

were  put  into  the  boat  of  the  Montauk,  and  the  jolly-boat  of 
the  wreck,  which  was  still  hanging  at  her  stern,  was  also  lowered 
and  got  into  the  water.  With  these  acquisitions,  the  party  had 
now  four  boats,  one  of  which  was  heavy  and  capable  of  carry- 
ing a  considerable  freight. 

By  this  time  it  was  so  late  and  so  dark,  that  Captain  Truck 
determined  to  suspend  his  labors  until  morning.  In  the  course 
of  a  few  hours  of  active  toil,  he  had  secured  all  the  yards,  the 
sails,  the  standing  and  running  rigging,  the  boats,  and  many  of 
the  minor  articles  of  the  Dane  ;  and  nothing  of  essential  im- 
portance remained,  but  the  three  lower  masts.  These,  it  is 
true,  were  all  in  all  to  him,  for  without  them  he  would  be  but 
little  better  off  than  he  was  before,  since  his  own  ship  had  spare 
canvas  and  spare  yards  enough  to  make  a  respectable  show 
above  the  foundation.  This  foundation,  however,  was  the 
great  requisite,  and  his  principal  motive  in  taking  the  other 
things,  was  to  have  a  better  fit  than  could  be  obtained  by  using 
spars  and  sails  that  were  not  intended  to  go  together. 

At  eight  o'clock,  the  people  got  their  suppers,  and  prepared 
to  turn  in  for  the  night.  Some  conversation  passed  between 
Captain  Truck  and  his  mates,  concerning  the  manner  of  dis- 
posing of  the  men  while  they  slept,  which  resulted  in  the  for- 
mer's keeping  a  well-armed  party  of  ten  with  him  in  the  ship, 
while  the  remainder  were  put  in  the  boats,  all  of  which  were 
fastened  to  the  launch,  as  she  lay  anchored  off  the  bar.  Here 
they  made  beds  of  the  sails,  and,  setting  a  watch,  the  greater 
portion  of  both  gangs  were  soon  as  quietly  asleep  as  if  lying  in 
their  own  berths  on  board  the  Montauk.  Not  so  with  Captain 
Truck  and  his  mates.  They  walked  the  deck  of  the  Dane  fully 
an  hour  after  the  men  were  silent,  and  for  some  time  after  Mr. 
Monday  had  finished  the  bottle  of  wine  he  had  taken  the  pre- 
caution to  bring  with  him  from  the  packet,  and  had  bestowed 
his  person  among  some  old  sails  in  the  cabin.  The  night  was 
a  bright  starlight,  but  the  moon  was  not  to  be  expected  until 
near  morning.  The  wind  came  off  the  sands  of  the  interior  in 
hot  puffs,  but  so  lightly  as  to  sound,  that  it  breathed  past  them 
like  the  sighings  of  the  desert. 

"  It  is  lucky,  Mr.  Leach,"  said  the  Captain,  continuing  the 
discourse  he  had  been  holding  with  his  mate  in  a  low  voice, 
under  the  sense  of  the  insecurity  of  their  situation ;  "  it  is  lucky, 
Mr.  Leach,  that  we  got  out  the  stream  anchor  astern,  else  we 
should  have  had  the  ship  rubbing  her  copper  against  the  cor- 
ners of  the  rocks.  This  air  seems  light,  but  under  all  her  can- 


HOMEWARD   BOUND.  203 

vas,  the  Montauk  would  soon  flap  her  way  out  from  this  coast, 
if  all  were  ready." 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir,  if  all  were  ready ! "  repeated  Mr.  Leach,  as  if 
he  knew  how  much  honest  labor  was  to  be  expended  before 
that  happy  moment  could  arrive. 

"  If  all  were  ready.  I  think  we  may  be  able  to  whip  these 
three  sticks  out  of  this  fellow  by  breakfast-time  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  then  a  couple  of  hours  will  answer  for  the  raft ;  after 
which,  a  pull  of  six  or  eight  more  will  take  us  back  to  our  own 
craft." 

"  If  all  goes  well,  it  may  be  done,  sir." 

"  Well  or  ill,  it  must  be  done.  We  are  not  in  a  situation  to 
play  at  jack-straws  !  " 

"  I  hope  it  may  be  done,  sir." 

"  Mr.  Leach  !  " 

"Captain  Truck!" 

"  We  are  in  a  d le  category,  sir,  if  the  truth  must  be 

spoken." 

"  That  is  a  word  I  am  not  much  acquainted  with,  but  we 
have  an  awkward  berth  of  it  here,  if  that  be  what  you  mean !  " 

A  long  pause,  during  which  these  two  seamen,  one  of  whom 
was  old,  the  other  young,  paced  the  deck  diligently. 

".Mr.  Leach  !  " 

"  Captain  Truck  !  " 

"  Do  you  ever  pray  ?  " 

"  I  have  done  such  a  thing  in  my  time,  sir ;  but,  since  I 
have  sailed  with  you,  I  have  been  taught  to  work  first  and  pray 
afterwards  ;  and  when  the  difficulty  has  been  gotten  over  by 
the  work,  the  prayers  have  commonly  seemed  surplusage." 

"  You  should  take  to  your  thanksgivings.  I  think  youi 
grandfather  was  a  parson,  Leach." 

"  Yes,  he  was,  sir,  and  I  have  been  told  your  father  followed 
the  same  trade." 

"  You  have  been  told  the  truth,  Mr.  Leach.  My  father  was 
as  meek,  and  pious,  and  humble  a  Christian  as  ever  thumped  a 
pulpit.  A  poor  man,  and,  if  truth  must  be  spoken,  a  poor 
preacher  too  ;  but  a  zealous  one,  and  thoroughly  devout.  1 
ran  away  from  him  at  twelve,  and  never  passed  a  week  at  a 
time  under  his  roof  afterwards.  He  could  not  do  much  for 
me,  for  he  had  little  education  and  no  money,  and,  I  believe, 
carried  on  the  business  pretty  much  by  faith.  He  was  a  good 
man,  Leach,  nothwithstanding  there  might  be  a  little  of  a  take- 
in  for  such  a  person  to  set  up  as  a  teacher ;  and,  as  for  my 


204  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

mother,  if  there  ever  was  a  pure  spirit  on  earth  it  was  in  hei 
body ! " 

"  Ay,  that  is  the  way  commonly  with  the  mothers,  sir." 

"She  taught  me  to  pray,"  added  the  captain,  speaking  a 
little  thick,  "but  since  I've  been  in  this  London  line,  to  own 
the  truth,  I  find  but  little  time  for  anything  but  hard  work, 
until,  for  want  of  practice,  praying  has  got  to  be  among  the 
hardest  things  I  can  turn  my  hand  to." 

"  That  is  the  way  with  all  of  us  ;  it  is  my  opinion,  Captain 
Truck,  these  London  and  Liverpool  liners  will  have  a  good 
many  lost  souls  to  answer  for." 

"Ay,  ay,  if  we  could  put  it  on  them,  it  would  do  well 
enough ;  but  my  honest  old  father  always  maintained,  that 
every  man  must  stand  in  the  gap  left  by  his  own  sins  ;  though 
he  did  assert,  also  that  we  were  all  fore-ordained  to  shape  our 
courses  starboard  or  port,  even  before  we  were  launched." 

"  That  doctrine  makes  an  easy  tide's-way  of  life  ;  for  I  see 
no  great  use  in  a  man's  carrying  sail  and  jamming  himself  up 
in  the  wind,  to  claw  off  immoralities,  when  he  knows  he  is  to 
fetch  up  upon  them  after  all  his  pains." 

"  I  have  worked  all  sorts  of  traverses  to  get  hold  of  this 
matter,  and  never  could  make  anything  of  it.  It  is  harder  than 
logarithms.  If  my  father  had  been  the  only  one  to  teach  it,  I 
should  have  thought  less  about  it,  for  he  was  no  scholar,  and 
might  have  been  paying  it  out  just  in  the  way  of  business  ;  but 
then  my  mother  believed  it,  body  and  soul,  and  she  was  too 
good  a  woman  to  stick  long  to  a  course  that  had  not  truth  to 
back  it." 

"  Why  not  believe  it  heartily,  sir,  and  let  the  wheel  fly  ? 
One  gets  to  the  end  of  the  v'y'ge  on  this  tack  as  well  as  on  an- 
other." 

"  There  is  no  great  difficulty  in  working  up  to  or  even 
through  the  passage  of  death,  Leach,  but  the  great  point  is  to 
know  the  port  we  are  to  moor  in  finally.  My  mother  taught  me 
to  pray,  and  when  I  was  ten  I  had  underrun  all  the  Command- 
ments, knew  the  Lord's  Creed  and  the  Apostles'  Prayer,  and 
had  made  a  handsome  slant  into  the  Catechism  ;  bat,  dear  me, 
dear  me,  it  has  all  oozed  out  of  me,  like  the  warmth  from  a 
Greenlander." 

"  Folks  were  better  educated  in  your  time,  Captain  Truck, 
than  they  are  nowadays,  by  all  I  can  learn." 

"  No  doubt  of  that  in  the  world.  In  my  time  yonkers  were 
taught  respect  for  their  betters,  and  forage,  and  their  Catechism, 
and  piety,  and  the  Apostles'  Prayer,  and  all  those  sort  of  things. 


HOMEWARD   BOUND. 


205 


But  America  has  fallen  astern  sadly  in  manners  within  the  last 
fifty  years.  I  do  not  flatter  myself  with  being  as  good  as  I  was 
when  under  my  excellent  dear  mother's  command,  but  there  are 
worse  men  in  the  world,  and  out  of  Newgate,  too,  than  John 
Truck.  Now,  in  the  way  of  vices,  Leach,  I  never  swear." 

"  Not  you  sir;  and  Mr.  Monday  never  drinks." 

As  the  protestation  of  sobriety  on  the  part  of  their  passen- 
ger had  got  to  be  a  joke  with  the  officers' and  men  of  the  ship,x 
Captain  Truck  had  no  difficulty  in  understanding  his  mate,  and 
though  nettled  at  a  retort  that  was  like  usurping  his  own  right 
to  the  exclusive  quizzing  of  the  vessel,  he  was  in  a  mood  much 
too  sentimental  and  reflecting  to  be  angry.  After  a  moment's 
pause,  he  resumed  the  dialogue,  as  if  nothing  had  been  said  to 
disturb  its  harmony. 

"  No,  I  never  swear ;  or,  if  I  do,  it  is  in  a  small  gentlemanly 
way,  and  with  none  of  your  foul-mouthed  oaths,  such  as  are 
used  by  the  horse- jockeys  that  formerly  sailed  out  of  the  river." 

"  Were  they  hard  swearers  ?  " 

"  Is  a  nor'wester  a  hard  wind  ?  Those  fellows,  after  they 
have  been  choked  off  and  jammed  by  the  religion  ashore  for  a 
month  or  two,  would  break  out  like  a  hurricane  when  they  had 
made  an  offing,  and  were  once  fairly  out  of  hearing  of  the  par- 
sons and  deacons.  It  is  said  that  old  Joe  Bunk  began  an  oath 
on  the  bar  that  he  did  not  get  to  the  end  of  until  his  brig  was 
off  Montauk.  I  have  my  doubts,  Leach,  if  anything  be  gained 
by  screwing  down  religion  and  morals,  like  a  cotton  bale,  as  is 
practised  in  arid  about  the  river  !  " 

"  A  good  many  begin  to  be  of  the  same  way  of  thinking  ; 
for  when  our  people  do  break  out,  it  is  like  the  small-pox  !  " 

"  I  am  an  advocate  for  education ;  nor  do  I  think  I  was 
taught  in  my  own  case  more  than  was  reasonable.  I  think  even 
a  prayer  is  of  more  use  to  a  ship-master  than  Latin,  and  I  often 
have,  even  now,  recourse  to  one,  though  it  may  not  be  exactly 
in  Scripture  language.  I  seldom  want  a  wind  without  praying 
for  it,  mentally,  as  it  might  be  ;  and  as  for  the  rheum atis',  I  am 
always  praying  to  be  rid  of  it,  when  I'm  not  cursing  it  starboard 
and  larboard.  Has  it  never  struck  you  that  the  world  is  less 
moral  since  steamboats  were  introduced  than  formerly  ?  " 

"The  boats  date  from  before  my  birth  sir." 

"  Very  true — you  are  but  a  boy.  Mankind  appear  to  be 
hurried,  and  no  one  likes  to  stop  to  pray,  or  to  foot  up  his  sins, 
as  used  to  be  the  case.  Life  is  like  a  passage  at  sea.  We  feel 
our  way  cautiously  until  off  soundings  on  our  own  coast,  and 
then  we  have  an  easy  time  of  it  in  the  deep  water ;  but  when 


206  HOMEWARD  BOUNb. 

we  get  near  the  shoals  again,  we  take  out  the  lead,  and  mind  a 
little  how  we  steer.  It  is  the  going  off  and  coming  on  the 
coast,  that  gives  us  all  the  trouble." 

"  You  had  some  object  in  view,  Captain  Truck,  when  you 
asked  me  if  I  ever  prayed  !  " 

"  Certain.  If  I  were  to  set  to  work  to  pray  myself  just  now, 
.it  would  be  for  smooth  water  to-morrow,  that  we  may  have  a 
good  time  in  towing  the  raft  to  the  ship — hist !  Leach,  did  you 
hear  nothing  ?  " 

u  There  was  a  sound  different  from  what  is  common  in  the 
air  from  the  land  !  It  is  probably  some  savage  beast,  for  Africa 
is  full  of  them." 

"  I  think  we  might  manage  a  lion  from  this  fortress.  Un- 
less the  fellow  found  the  stage,  he  could  hardly  board  us ;  and 
a  plank  or  two  thrown  from  that,  would  make  a  draw-bridge  of 
it  at  once.  Look  yonder  !  there  is  something  moving  on  the 
bank  or  my  eyes  are  two  jewel-blocks." 

Mr.  Leach  looked  in  the  required  direction,  and  he,  too, 
fancied  he  saw  something  in  motion  on  the  margin  of  the  bank. 
At  the  point  where  the  wreck  lay,  the  beach  was  far  from  wide, 
and  her  flying  jib-boom,  which  was  still  out,  projected  so  near 
the  low  acclivity,  where  the  coast  rose  to  the  level  of  the  desert,  as 
to  come  within  ten  feet  of  the  bushes  by  which  the  latter  was 
fringed.  Although  the  spar  had  drooped  a  little  in  consequence 
of  having  lost  the  support  of  the  stays,  its  end  was  still  suffi- 
ciently high  to  rise  above  the  leaves,  and  to  permit  one  seated 
on  it  to  overlook  the  plain,  as  well  as  the  starlight  would  allow. 
Believing  the  duty  to  be  important,  Captain  Truck,  first  giving 
orders  to  Mr  Leach,  as  to  the  mode  of  alarming  the  men, 
should  it  become  necessary,  went  cautiously  out  on  the  bow- 
sprit, and  thence  to  the  foot  ropes,  to  the  further  extremity  of 
the  booms.  As  this  was  done  with  the  steadiness  of  a  seaman, 
and  with  the  utmost  care  to  prevent  discovery,  he  was  soon 
stretched  on  the  spar,  balancing  his  body  by  his  legs  beneath, 
and  casting  eager  glances  about,  though  prevented  by  the  ob- 
scurity from  seeing  either  far  or  very  distinctly. 

After  lying  in  this  position  a  minute,  Captain  Truck  dis- 
covered an  object  on  the  plains,  at  the  distance  of  a  hundred 
yards  from  the  bushes,  that  was  evidently  in  motion.  He 
was  now  all  watchfulness,  for,  had  he  not  seen  the  proofs  that 
the  Arabs  or  Moors  had  already  been  at  the  wreck,  he  knew 
that  parties  of  them  were  constantly  hovering  along  the  coast, 
especially  after  every  heavy  gale  that  blew  from  the  westward 
in  hope  of  booty.  As  all  his  own  people  were  asleep,  the  mates 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  207 

excepted,  and  the  boats  could  just  be  discovered  by  himself, 
who  knew  their  position,  he  was  in  hopes  that,  should  any  of 
the  barbarians  be  near,  the  presence  of  his  own  party  could 
hardly  be  known.  It  is  true,  the  alteration  in  the  appearance 
of  the  wreck,  by  the  removal  of  the  spars,  must  strike  any  one 
who  had  seen  it  before ;  but  this  change  might  have  been  made 
by  another  party  of  marauders,  or  those  who  had  now  come,  if 
any  there  were,  might  see  the  vessel  for  the  first  time. 

While  such  thoughts  were  rapidly  glancing  through  his 
mind,  the  reader  will  readily  imagine  that  the  worthy  master 
was  not  altogether  at  his  ease.  Still  he  was  cool,  and,  as  he 
was  resolved  to  fight  his  way  off,  even  against  an  army,  he 
clung  to  the  spar  with  a  species  of  physical  resolution  that 
would  have  done  credit  to  a  tiger.  The  object  on  the  plain 
moved  once  more,  and  the  clouds  opening  beyond,  he  plainly 
made  out  the  head  and  neck  of  a  dromedary.  There  was  but 
one,  however  ;  nor  could  the  most  scrupulous  examination  show 
him  a  human  being.  After  remaining  a  quarter  of  an  hour  on 
the  boom,  during  all  which  time  the  only  sounds  that  were 
heard  were  the  sighings  of  the  night-air,  and  the  sullen  and 
steady  wash  of  the  surf,  Captain  Truck  came  on  deck  again, 
where  he  found  his  mate  waiting  his  report  with  intense  anxiety. 
The  former  was  fully  aware  of  the  importance  of  his  discovery, 
but,  being  a  cool  man,  he  had  not  magnified  the  danger  to 
himself. 

"  The  Moors  are  down  on  the  coast,"  he  said,  in  an  under- 
tone ;  "  but  I  do  not  think  there  can  be  more  than  two  or  three 
of  them  at  the  most ;  probably  spies  or  scouts  ;  and,  could  we 
seize  them,  we  may  gain  a  few  hours  on  their  comrades,  which 
will  be  all  we  want ;  after  which  they  shall  be  welcome  to  the 
salt  and  the  other  dunnage  of  the  poor  Dane.  Leach,  are  you 
the  man  to  stand  by  me  in  this  affair  ?  " 

"  Have  I  ever  failed  you,  Captain  Truck,  that  you  put  the 
question  ? " 

"  That  you  have  never,  my  fine  fellow  ;  give  me  a  squeeze 
of  your  honest  hand,  and  let  there  be  a  pledge  of  life  or  death 
in  it. 

The  mate  met  the  iron  grasp  of  his  commander,  and  each 
knew  that  he  received  an  assurance  on  which  he  might  rely. 

"  Shall  I  awake  the  men,  Sir  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Leach. 

"  Not  one  of  them.  Every  hour  of  sleep  the  people  get  will 
be  a  lower  mast  saved.  These  sticks  that  still  remain  are  our 
foundation,  and  even  one  of  them  is  of  more  account  to  us  just 
now,  than  a  fleet  of  ships  would  be  at  another  time.  Take 


208  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

your  arms  and  follow  me ;  but  first  we  will  give  a  hint  to  the 
second  mate  of  what  we  are  about." 

This  officer  was  asleep  on  the  deck,  for  he  had  been  so  much 
wearied  with  his  great  exertions  that  afternoon  as  to  catch  a 
little  rest  as  the  sweetest  of  all  gifts.  It  had  been  the  intention 
of  Captain  Truck  to  dismiss  him  to  the  boats,  but,  observing  him 
to  be  overcome  with  drowsiness,  he  had  permitted  him  to  catch 
a  nap  where  he  lay.  The  lookout,  too,  was  slumbering  under 
the  same  indulgence  ;  but  both  were  now  awakened,  and  made 
acquainted  with  the  state  of  things  on  shore. 

';  Keep  your  eyes  open,  but  keep  a  dead  silence,"  concluded 
Captain  Truck  ;  "  for  it  is  my  wish  to  deceive  these  scouts,  and 
to  keep  them  ignorant  of  our  presence.  When  I  cry  out 
'  Alarm  ! '  you  will  muster  all  hands,  and  clear  away  for  a  brush, 
but  not  before.  God  bless  you,  my  lads  !  mind  and  keep  your 
eyes  open.  Leach,  I  am  ready." 

The  captain  and  his  companion  cautiously  descended  to  the 
sands,  and  passing  astern  of  the  ship,  they  first  took  their  way 
to  the  jolly-boat,  which  lay  at  the  rocks  in  readiness  to  carry 
off  the  two  officers  to  the  launch.  Here  they  found  the  two 
men  in  charge  so  soundly  asleep,  that  nothing  would  have  been 
easier  than  to  bind  them  without  giving  the  alarm.  After  a 
little  hesitation,  it  was  determined  to  let  them  dream  away  their 
sorrows,  and  to  proceed  to  the  spot  where  the  bank  was  as- 
cended. 

At  this  place  it  became  necessary  to  use  the  greatest  pre- 
caution, for  it  was  literally  entering  the  enemy's  country.  The 
steepness  of  the  short  ascent  requiring  them  to  mount  nearly 
on  their  hands  and  feet,  this  part  of  their  progress  was  made 
without  much  hazard,  and  the  two  adventurers  stood  on  the 
plain,  sheltered  by  some  bushes. 

"  Yonder  is  the  camel,"  whispered  the  captain  :  "  you  see 
his  crooked  neck,  with  the  head  tossing  at  moments.  The  fel- 
low is  not  fifty  yards  from  the  body  of  the  poor  German  !  Now 
let  us  follow  along  this  line  of  bushes,  and  keep  a  sharp  look- 
out for  the  rider." 

They  proceeded  in  the  manner  mentioned,  until  they  came 
to  a  point  where  the  bushes  ceased,  and  there  was  an  opening 
that  overlooked  the  beach  quite  near  the  wreck. 

"  Do  you  see  the  boats,  Leach,  hereaway,  in  a  line  with  the 
starboard  davit  of  the  Dane  ?  They  look  like  dark  spots  on  the 
water,  and  an  ignorant  Arab  might  be  excused  for  taking  them 
for  rocks." 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


209 


"  Except  that  they  rise  and  fall  with  the  rollers  ;  he  must  be 
doubly  a  Turk  who  could  make  such  a  blunder !  " 

"  Your  wanderers  of  the  desert  are  not  so  particular.     The  , 
wreck  has  certainly  undergone  some  changes  since  yesterday, 
and  I  should  not  wonder  if  even  a  Mussulman  found  them  out 
but — -" 

The  gripe  of  Mr.  Leach,  whose  fingers  almost  entered  the 
flesh  of  his  arm,  and  a  hand  pointed  towards  the  bushes  on  the 
other  side  of  the  opening,  silenced  the  captain's  whisper.  A 
human  form  was -seen  standing  on  the  fringe  of  the  bank,  directly 
opposite  the  jib-boom.  It  was  swaddled  in  a  sort  of  cloak,  and 
the  long  musket  that  was  borne  in  a  hollow  of  an  arm,  was  just 
discernible,  diverging  from  the  line  of  the  figure.  The  Arab, 
for  such  it  could  only  be,  was  evidently  gazing  on  the  wreck, 
and  presently  he  ventured  out  more  boldly,  and  stood  on  the 
spot  that  was  clear  of  bushes.  The  deathlike  stillness  on  the 
beach  deceived  him,  and  he  advanced  with  less  caution  towards 
the  spot  where  the  two  officers  were  in  ambush,  still  keeping 
his  own  eye  on  the  ship.  A  few  steps  brought  him  within  reach 
of  Captain  Truck,  who  drew  back  his  arm  until  the  elbow 
reached  his  own  hip,  when  he  darted  it  forward,  and  dealt  the 
incautious  barbarian  a  severe  blow  between  the  eyes.  The  Arab 
fell  like  a  slaughtered  ox,  and  before  his  senses  were  fairly  re- 
covered, he  was  bound  hands  and  feet,  and  rolled  over  the  bank 
down  upon  the  beach,  with  little  ceremony,  his  firearms  remain- 
ing with  his  captors. 

"That  lad  is  in  a  category,"  whispered  the  captain  ;  "  it  now 
remains  to  be  seen  if  there  is  another." 

A  long  search  was  not  rewarded  with  success,  and  it  was 
determined  to  lead  the  camel  down  the  path,  with  a  view  to 
prevent  his  being  seen  by  any  wanderer  in  the  morning. 

"If  we  get  the  lower  masts  out  betimes,"  continued  the 
captain,  "  these  land  pirates  will  have  no  beacons  in  sight  to 
steer  by,  and,  in  a  country  in  which  one  grain  of  sand  is  so 
much  like  another,  they  might  hunt  a  week  before  they  made  a 
happy  landfall." 

The  approach  of  the  two  towards  the  camel  was  made  with 
less  caution  than  usual,  the  success  of  their  enterprise  throwing 
them  off  their  guard,  and  exciting  their  spirits.  They  believed, 
in  short,  that  their  captive  was  either  a  solitary  wanderer,  or 
that  he  had  been  sent  ahead  as  a  scout,  by  some  party  that 
would  be  likely  to  follow  in  the  morning. 

"  We  must  be  up  and  at  work  before  the  sun,  Mr.  Leach," 
said  the  captain,  speaking  clearly,  but  in  a  low  tone,  as  they 


2IO  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

approached  the  camel.  The  head  of  the  animal  was  tossed ; 
then  it  seemed  to  snuff  the  air,  and  it  gave  a  shriek.  In  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye  an  Arab  sprang  from  the  sand,  on  which 
he  had  been  sleeping,  and  was  on  the  creature's  back.  He 
was  seen  to  look  around  him,  and  before  the  startled  mariners 
had  time  to  decide  on  their  course,  the  beast,  which  was  a 
dromedary  trained  to  speed,  was  out  of  sight  in  the  darkness. 
Captain  Truck  had  thrown  forward  his  fowling-piece,  but  he 
did  not  fire. 

"We  have  no  right  to  shoot  the  fellow,"  he.  said,  "  and  our 
hope  is  now  in  the  distance  he  will  have  to  ride  to  join  his 
comrades.  If  we  have  got  a  chief,  as  I  suspect,  we  will  make 
a  hostage  of  him,  and  turn  him  to  as  much  account  as  he  can 
possibly  turn  one  of  his  own  camels.  Depend  on  it  we  shall 
see  no  more  of  them  for  several  hours,  and  we  will  seize  the 
opportunity  to  get  a  little,  sleep.  A  man  must  have  his  watch 
below,  or  he  gets  to  be  as  dull  and  as  obstinate  as  a  top-maul." 

The  captain  having  made  up  his  mind  to  this  plan  was  not 
slow  in  putting  it  in  execution.  Returning  to  the  beach  they 
liberated  the  legs  of  their  prisoner,  whom  they  found  lying  like 
a  log  on  the  sands,  and  made  him  mount  the  staging  to  the 
deck  of  the  ship.  Leading  the  way  into  the  cabin,  Mr.  Truck 
examined  the  fellow  by  a  light,  turning  him  round  and  com- 
menting on  his  points  very  much  as  he  might  have  done  had 
the  captive  been  any  other  animal  of  the  desert. 

The  Arab  was  a  swarthy,  sinewy  man  of  forty,  with  all  his  fibres 
indurated  and  worked  down  to  the  whip-cord  meagreness  and 
rigidity  of  a  racer,  his  frame  presenting  a  perfect  picture  of  the 
sort  of  being  one  would  fancy  suited  to  the  exhausting  motion 
of  a  dromedary,  and  to  the  fare  of  a  desert.  He  carried  a 
formidable  knife,  in  addition  to  the  long  musket  of  which  he 
had  been  deprived,  and  his  principal  garment  was  the  coarse 
mantle  of  camel's  hair,  that  served  equally  for  cap,  coat  and 
robe.  His  wild  dark  eyes  gleamed,  as  Captain  Truck  passed 
the  lamp  before  his  face,  and  it  was  sufficiently  apparent  that 
he  fancied  a  very  serious  misfortune  had  befallen  him.  As  any 
verbal  communication  was  out  of  the  question,  some  abortive 
attempts  were  essayed  by  the  two  mariners  to  make  themselves 
understood  by  signs,  which,  like  some  men's  reasoning,  pro- 
duced results  exactly  contrary  to  what  had  been  expected. 

"  Perhaps  the  poor  fellow  fancies  we  mean  to  eat  him} 
Leach,"  observed  the  captain,  after  trying  his  skill  in  panto- 
mime for  some  time  without  success  ;  "  and  he  has  some  grounds 
for  the  idea,  as  he  was  felled  like  an  ox  that  is  bound  to  the 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  21 1 

kitchen.  Try  and  let  the  miserable  wretch  understand,  at  least, 
that  we  are  not  cannibals." 

Hereupon  the  mate  commenced  an  expressive  pantomime, 
which  described,  with  sufficient  clearness,  the  process  of  skin- 
ning,  cutting  up,  cooking,  and  eating  the  carcass  of  the  Arab, 
with  the  humane  intention  of  throwing  a  negative  over  the 
whole  proceeding,  by  a  strong  sign  of  dissent  at  the  close  ;  but 
there  are  no  proper  substitutes  for  the  little  monosyllables  of 
"yes"  and  "no,1*  and  the  meaning  of  the  interpreter  got  to 
be  so  confounded  that  the  captain  himself  was  mystified. 

«D — n  it,  Leach,"  he  interrupted,  "the  man  fancies  that 
he  is  not  good  eating,  you  make  so  many  wry  and  out-of-the- 
way  contortions.  A  sign  is  a  jury-mast  for  the  tongue,  and 
every  seaman  ought  to  know  how  to  practise  them,  in  case  he 
should  be  wrecked  on  a  savage  and  unknown  coast.  Old  Joe 
Bunk  had  a  dictionary  of  them,  and  in  calm  weather  he  used 
to  go  among  his  horses  and  horned  cattle,  and  talk  with  them 
by  the  hour.  He  made  a  diagram  of  the  language,  and  had  a1 
taught  to  all  us  younkers  who  were  exposed  to  the  accidents  of 
the  sea.  Now,  I  will  try  my  hand  on  this  Arab,  for  I  could 
never  go  to  sleep  while  the  honest  black  imagined  we  intended 
to  breakfast  on  him." 

The  captain  now  recommenced  his  own  explanations  in  the 
language  of  nature.  He  too  described  the  process  of  cooking 
and  eating  the  prisoner — for  this  he  admitted  was  indispensable 
by  way  of  preface — and  then,  to  show  his  horror  of  such  an 
act,  he  gave  a  very  good  representation  of  a  process  he  had 
often  witnessed  among  his  seasick  passengers,  by  way  of  show- 
ing his  loathing  of  cannibalism  in  general,  and  of  eating  this 
Arab  in  particular.  By  this  time  the  man  was  thoroughly  alarmed, 
and  by  way  of  commentary  on  the  captain's  eloquence,  he 
began  to  utter  wailings  in  his  own  language,  and  groans  that 
were  not  to  be  mistaken.  To  own  the  truth,  Mr.  Truck  was  a 
good  deal  mortified  with  this  failure,  which,  like  all  other  un- 
successful persons,  he  was  ready  to  ascribe  to  anybody  but 
himself. 

"  I  begin  to  think,  Mr.  Leach,"  he  said,  "  that  this  fellow 
is  too  stupid  for  a  spy  or  a  scout,  and  that,  after  all,  he 
is  no  more  than  a  driveler  who  has  strayed  from  his  tribe, 
from  a  want  of  sense  to  keep  the  road  in  a  desert.  A  man  of 
the  smallest  information  must  have  understood  me,  and  yet 
you  perceive  by  his  lamentations  and  outcries  that  he  knows 
no  more  what  I  said  than  if  he  were  in  another  parallel  of  lati- 
tude. The  chap  has  quite  mistaken  my  character ;  for  if  I 


212  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

really  did  intend  to  make  a  beast  of  myself,  and  devour  my 
species,  no  one  of  the  smallest  knowledge  of  human  nature 
would  think  I'd  begin  on  a  nigger !  What  is  your  opinion  of 
the  man's  mistake,  Mr.  Leach  ?  " 

"  It  is  very  plain,  sir,  that  he  supposes  you  mean  to  broil 
him,  and  then  to  eat  so  much  of  his  steaks,  that  you  will  be 
compelled  to  heave  up  like  a  marine  two  hours  out ;  and,  if  I 
must  say  the  truth,  I  think  most  people  would  have  inferred 
the  same  thing  from  your  signs,  which  are  as  plainly  cannibal 
as  anything  of  the  sort  I  ever  witnessed." 

"And  what  the  devil  did  he  make  of  yours,  Mastei 
Cookery-Book  ? "  cried  the  captain  with  some  heat.  "  Did 
he  fancy  you  meant  to  mortify  the  flesh  with  a  fortnight's  fast  ? 
No,  no,  sir ;  you  are  a  very  respectable  first  officer,  but  are  no 
more  acquainted  with  Joe  Bunk's  principles  of  signs,  than  this 
editor  here  knows  of  truth  and  propriety.  It  is  your  blunder- 
ing manner  of  soliloquizing  that  has  set  the  lad  on  a  wrong 
traverse.  He  has  just  grafted  your  own  idea  on  my  communi- 
cation, and  has  got  himself  into  a  category  that  a  book  itself 
would  not  reason  him  out  of,  until  his  fright  is  passed.  Logic 
is  thrown  away  on  all  '  skeary  animals,'  said  old  Joe  Bunk. 
Hearkee,  Leach,  I've  a  mind  to  set  the  rascal  adrift,  condemn- 
ing the  gun  and  the  knife  for  the  benefit  of  the  captors.  I 
think  I  should  sleep  better  for  the  certainty  that  he  was  trudg- 
ing along  the  sand,  satisfied  he  was  not  to  be  barbecued  in  the 
morning." 

"  There  is  no  use  in  detaining  him,  sir,  for  his  messmate, 
who  went  off  on  the  dromedary,  will  sail  a  hundred  feet  to  his 
one,  and  if  an  alarm  is  really  to  be  given  to  their  party,  it  will 
not  come  from  this  chap.  He  will  be  unarmed,  and  by  taking 
away  his  pouch  we  shall  get  some  ammunition  for  this  gun  of 
his,  which  will  throw  a  shot  as  far  as  Queen  Anne's  pocket- 
piece.  For  my  part,  sir,  I  think  there  is  no  great  use  in  keep- 
ing him,  for  I  do  not  think  he  would  understand  us,  if  he  stayed 
a  month,  and  went  to  school  the  whole  time." 

"  You  are  quite  right,  and  as  long  as  he  is  among  us,  we 
shall  be  liable  to  unpleasant  misconceptions ;  so  cut  his  lash- 
ings, and  set  him  adrift,  and  be  d d  to  him." 

The  mate,  who  by  this  time  was  drowsy,  did  as  desired, 
and  in  a  moment  the  Arab  was  at  liberty.  At  first  the  poor 
creature  did  not  know  what  to  make  of  his  freedom,  but  a 
smart  application,  a  posteriori,  from  the  foot  of  Captain  Truck, 
whose  humanity  was  of  the  rough  quality  of  the  seas,  soon  set 
him  in  motion  up  the  cabin-ladder,  When  the  two  mariner* 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


2*3 


reached  the  deck,  their  prisoner  was  already  leaping  down  the 
staging,  and  in  another  minute  his  active  form  was  obscurely 
seen  clambering  up  the  bank,  on  gaining  which  he  plunged  into 
the  desert,  and  was  seen  no  more. 

None  but  men  indurated  in  their  feelings  by  long  exposure 
would  be  likely  to  sleep  under  the  circumstances  in  which 
these  two  seamen  were  placed,  but  they  were  both  too  cool, 
and  too  much  accustomed  to  arouse  themselves  on  sudden 
alarms,  to  lose  the  precious  moments  in  womanish  apprehen- 
sions, when  they  knew  that  all  their  physical  energies  would  be 
needed  on  the  morrow,  whether  the  Arabs  arrived  or  not. 
They  accordingly  regulated  the  look-outs,  gave  strong  admoni- 
tions of  caution  to  be  passed  from  one  to  another,  and  then 
the  captain  stretched  himself  in  the  berth  of  the  poor  Dane 
who  was  now  a  captive  in  the  desert,  while  Mr.  Leach  got  into 
the  jolly-boat,  and  was  pulled  off  to  the  launch.  Both  were 
sound  asleep  in  less  than  five  minutes  after  their  heads  touched 
their  temporary  pillows. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Ay,  he  does  well  enough,  if  he  be  disposed, 
And  so  do  I  too ;  he  does  it  with  a  better  grace,  but 
I  do  it  more  natural. 

Twelfth  Night. 

THE  sleep  of  the  weary  is  sweet.  Of  all  the  party  that  lay 
thus  buried  in  sleep,  on  the  verge  of  the  Great  Desert,  exposed 
at  any  moment  to  an  assault  from  its  ruthless  and  predatory 
•occupants,  but  one  bethought  him  of  the  danger ;  though  he 
was,  in  truth,  so  little  exposed  as  to  have  rendered  it  of  less 
moment  to  himself  than  to  most  of  the  others,  had  he  not  been 
the  possessor  of  a  fancy  that  served  oftener  to  lead  him  astray 
than  for  any  purposes  that  were  useful  or  pleasing.  This  per 
son  was  in  one  of  the  boats,  and  as  they  lay  at  a  reasonable 
distance  from  the  land,  and  the  barbarians  would  not  probably 
have  known  how  to  use  any  craft  had  they  even  possessed  one, 
he  was  consequently  safe  from  everything  but  a  discharge  from 
their  long  muskets.  But  this  remote  risk  sufficed  to  keep  him 
awake,  it  being  very  different  things  to  foster  malice,  circulate 
gossip,  write  scurrilous  paragraphs,  and  cant  about  the  people, 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

and  to  face  a  volley  of  firearms.  For  the  one  employment, 
nature,  tradition,  education,  and  habit,  had  expressly  fitted  Mr. 
Dodge  ;  while  for  the  other,  he  had  not  the  smallest  vocation. 
Although  Mr.  Leach,  in  setting  his  lookouts  on  board  the 
boats,  had  entirely  overlooked  the  editor  of  the  Active  Inquirer, 
never  before  had  that  vigilant  person's  inquiries  been  more 
active  than  they  were  throughout  the  whole  of  that  long  night, 
and  twenty  times  would  he  have  aroused  the  party  on  false 
alarms,  but  for  the  cool  indifference  of  the  phlegmatic  seamen, 
to  whom  the  duty  more  properly  belonged.  These  brave  fellows 
knew  too  well  the  precious  qualities  of  sleep  to  allow  that  of 
their  shipmates  to  be  causelessly  disturbed  by  the  nervous  ap- 
prehensions of  one  who  carried  with  him  an  everlasting  stimu- 
lant to  fear  in  the  consciousness  of  demerit.  The  night  passed 
away  undisturbed,  therefore,  nor  •  was  the  order  of  the  regular 
watch  broken  until  the  lookouts  in  the  wreck,  agreeably  to 
their  orders,  awoke  Captain  Truck  and  his  mates. 

It  was  now  precisely  at  the  moment  when  the  first,  and 
as  it  might  be  the  fugitive,  rays  of  the  sun  glide  into  the  atmos- 
phere, and,  to  use  a  quaint  expression,  "  dilute  its  darkness." 
One  no  longer  saw  by  starlight,  or  by  moonlight,  though  a  little 
of  both  were  still  left ;  but  objects,  though  indistinct  and  dusky, 
had  their  true  outlines,  while  every  moment  rendered  their  sur- 
faces more  obvious. 

When  Captain  Truck  appeared  on  deck,  his  first  glance 
was  at  the  ocean ;  for,  were  its  tranquillity  seriously  disturbed, 
it  would  be  a  deathblow  to  all  his  hopes.  Fortunately,  in  this 
particular,  there  was  no  change. 

"  The  winds  seem  to  have  put  themselves  out  of  breath  in 
the  last  gale,  Mr.  Leach,"  he  said,  "  and  we  are  likely  to  get 
the  spars  round  as  quietly  as  if  they  were  so  many  saw-logs 
floated  in  a  mill-pond.  Even  the  ground-swell  has  lessened, 
and  the  breakers  on  the  bar  look  like  the  ripple  of  a  wash-tub. 
Turn  the  people  up,  sir,  and  let  us  have  a  drag  at  these  sticks 
before  breakfast  or  we  may  have  to  broil  an  Arab  yet." 

Mr.  Leach  hailed  the  boats,  and  ordered  them  to  send  their 
gang  of  laborers  on  shore.  He  then  gave  the  accustomed  raps 
on  the  deck,  and  called  "  all  hands  "  in  the  ship.  In  a  minute 
the  men  began  to  appear,  yawning  and  stretching  their  arms — for 
no  one  had  thrown  aside  his  clothes — most  of  them  launching 
their  sea-jokes  right  and  left,  with  as  much  indifference  as  if  they 
lay  quietly  in  the  port  to  which  they  were  bound.  After  some 
eight  or  ten  minutes  to  shake  themselves,  and  to  get  "aired," 
as  Mr.  Leach  expressed  it,  the  whole  party  was  again  mustered 


HOMEWARD  BOUND, 


2IS 


on  the  deck  of  the  Dane,  with  the  exception  of  a  hand  or  two 
in  the  launch,  and  Mr.  Dodge.  The  latter  had  assumed  the 
office  of  sentinel  over  the  jolly-boat,  which,  as  usual,  lay  at  the 
rocks,  to  carry  such  articles  off  as  might  be  wanted. 

"  Send  a  hand  up  into  the  foretop,  Mr.  Leach,"  said  the 
captain,  gaping  like  a  greyhound  ;  "  a  fellow  with  sharp  eyes  ; 
none  of  your  chaps  who  read  with  their  noses  down  in  the 
cloudy  weather  of  an  almanac ;  and  let  him  take  a  look  at  the 
desert,  in  search  of  Arabs." 

Although  the  lower  rigging  was  down  and  safe  in  the  launch, 
a  girt-line,  or  as  Captain  Truck  in  the  true  Doric  of  his  profes- 
sion pronounced  it,  a  "£#7z/-line,"  was  rove  at  each  mast,  and  a 
man  was  accordingly  hauled  up  forward  as  soon  as  possible. 
As  it  was  still  too  dusky  to  distinguish  far  with  accuracy,  the 
captain  hailed  him,  and  bade  him  stay  where  he  was  until 
ordered  down,  and  to  keep  a  sharp  loolc-out. 

"  We  had  a  visit  from  one  chap  in  the  night,"  he  added, 
"  and  as  he  was  a  hungry-looking  rascal,  he  is  a  greater  fool 
than  I  think  him,  or  he  will  be  back  before  long,  after  some  of 
the  beef  and  stock-fish  of  the  wreck.  Keep  a  bright  look-out." 

The  men,  though  accustomed  to  their  commander's  manner, 
looked  at  each  other  more  seriously,  glanced  around  at  their 
arms,  and  then  the  information  produced  precisely  the  effect 
that  had  been  intended,  that  of  inducing  them  to  apply  to  their 
work  with  threefold  vigor. 

"  Let  the  boys  chew  upon  that,  instead  of  their  tobacco," 
observed  the  captain  to  Mr.  Leach,  as  he  hunted  for  a  good 
coal  in  the  galley  to  light  his  cigar  with.  "  I'll  warrant  you  the 
sheers  go  up  none  the  slower  for  the  information,  desperate 
philosophers  as  some  of  these  gentry  are  !  " 

This  prognostic  was  true  enough,  for  instead  of  gaping  and 
stretching  themselves  about  the  deck,  as  had  been  the  case  with 
most  of  them  a  minute  before,  the  men  now  commenced  their 
duty  in  good  earnest,  calling  to  each  other  to  come  to  the  falls 
and  the  capstan-bars,  and  to  stand  by  the  heels  of  the  sheers. 

"  Heave  away !  "  cried  the  mate,  smiling  to  see  how  quick 
the  captain's  hint  had  been  taken ;  "  heave  round  with  a  will, 
men,  and  let  us  set  these  legs  on  end,  that  they  may  walk." 

As  the  order  was  obeyed  to  the  letter,  the  day  had  not  fairly 
opened  when  the  sheers  were  in  their  places  and  secured. 
Every  man  was  all  activity,  and  as  their  work  was  directed  by 
those  whose  knowledge  was  never  at  fault,  a  landsman  would 
have  been  surprised  at  the  readiness  with  which  the  crew  next 
raised  a  spar  as  heavy  as  the  mainmast,  and  had  it  suspended, 


2I6  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

top  and  all,  in  the  air,  high  enough  to  be  borne  over  the  side- 
The  lowering  was  a  trifling  affair,  and  the  massive  stick  was 
soon  lying  at  its  length  on  the  sands.  Captain  Truck  well 
knew  the  great  importance  of  this  particular  spar,  for  he  might 
make  out  with  the  part  of  the  foremast  that  remained  in  the 
packet,  whereas,  without  this  mast  he  could  not  possibly  rig 
anything  of  much  available  use  aft.  He  called  out  to  the  men, 
therefore,  as  he  sprang  upon  the  staging,  to  follow  him  and  to 
launch  the  spar  into  the  water  before  they  breakfasted. 

"  Let  us  make  sure  of  this  fellow,  men,"  he  added,  "  for  it  is 
our  mainstay.  With  this  stick  fairly  in  our  raft,  we  may  yet 
make  a  passage  ;  no  one  must  think  of  his  teeth  till  it  is  out  of 
all  risk.  This  stick  we  must  have,  if  we  make  war  on  the  Em- 
peror of  Morocco  for  its  possession." 

The  people  knew  the  necessity  for  exertion,  and  they 
worked  accordingly.  The  top  was  knocked  off,  and  carried 
down  to  the  water ;  the  spar  was  then  cut  round,  and  rolled 
after  it,  not  without  trouble,  however,  as  the  trestle  trees  were 
left  on ;  but  the  descent  of  the  sands  favored  the  labor.  When 
on  the  margin  of  the  sea,  by  the  aid  of  hand-spikes,  the  head 
was  got  afloat,  or  so  nearly  so,  as  to  require  but  little  force  to 
move  it,  when  a  line  from  the  boats  was  fastened  to  the  outer 
end,  and  the  top  was  secured  alongside. 

"Now,  clap  your  hand-spikes  under  it,  boys,  and  heave 
away ! "  cried  the  captain.  "  Heave  together  and  keep  the 
stick  straight — heave,  and  his  head  is  afloat !  Haul,  haul 
away  in  the  boat ! — heave  all  at  once,  and  as  if  you  were  giants  ! 
— you  gained  three  feet  that  tug,  my  hearties — try  him  again, 
gentlemen,  as  you  are — and  move  together,  like  girls  in  a 
cotillion — away  with  it !  What  the  devil  are  you  staring  at,  in 
the  fore-top  there  ?  Have  you  nothing  better  to  do  than  to 
amuse  yourself  in  seeing  us  heave  our  insides  out  ? " 

The  intense  interest  attached  to  the  securing  of  this  spar 
had  extended  to  the  look-out  in  the  top,  and  instead  of  keeping 
his  eye  on  the  desert,  as  ordered,  he  was  looking  down  at  the 
party  on  the  beach,  and  betraying  his  sympathy  in  their  efforts 
by  bending  his  body,  and  appearing  to  heave  in  common  with 
his  messmates.  Admonished  of  his  neglect  by  this  sharp 
rebuke,  he  turned  round  quickty  towards  the  desert,  and  gave 
the  fearful  alarm  of  "  The  Arabs  !  " 

Every  man  ceased  his  work,  and  the  whole  were  on  the 
point  of  rushing  in  a  body  towards  their  arms,  when  the  greatel 
steadiness  of  Captain  Truck  prevented  it.' 

"  Whereaway  ?  "  he  demanded  sternly. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


217 


"  On  the  most  distant  hillock  of  sand,  maybe  a  mile  and  a 
half  inland." 

"  How  do  they  head  ?  " 

"  Dead  down  upon  us,  sir." 

"  How  do  they  travel  ?  " 

"  They  have  camels,  and  horses :  all  are  mounted,  sir." 

"  What  is  their  number  ?  " 

The  man  paused  as  if  to  count,  and  then  he  called  out, — 

"  They  are  strong-handed,  sir ;  quite  a  hundred  I  think. 
They  have  brought  up,  sir,  and  seem  to  be  sounding  about  them 
for  an  anchorage." 

Captain  Truck  hesitated,  and  he  looked  wistfully  at  the 
mast. 

"  Boys  !  "  said  he,  shaking  his  hand  over  the  bit  of  massive 
wood,  with  energy,  "  this  spar  is  of  more  importance  to  us  than 
our  mother's  milk  in  infancy.  It  is  our  victuals  and  drink,  life 
and  hopes.  Let  us  swear  we  will  have  it  in  spite  of  a  thousand 
Arabs.  Stoop  to  your  handspikes,  and  heave  at  the  word — 
heave  as  if  you  had  a  world  to  move, — heave,  men,  heave  !  " 

The  people  obeyed,  and  the  mast  advanced  more  than  half 
the  necessary  distance  into  the  water.  But  the  man  now  called 
out  that  the  Arabs  were  advancing  swiftly  towards  the  ship. 

"One  more  effort,  men,"  said  Captain  Truck,  reddening  in 
the  face  with  anxiety,  and  throwing  down  his  hat  to  set  the  ex- 
ample in  person, — "  heave  !  " 

The  men  hove,  and  the  spar  floated. 

"  Now  to  your  arms,  boys,  and  you,  sir,  in  the  top,  keep 
yourself  hid  behind  the  head  of  the  mast.  We  must  be  ready 
to  show  these'  gentry  we  are  not  afraid  of  them."  A  sign  of 
the  hand  told  the  men  in  the  launch  to  haul  away,  and  the  all- 
important  spar  floated  slowly  across  the  bar,  to  join  the  raft. 

The  men  now  hurrieci  up  to  the  ship,  a  post  that  Captain 
Truck  declared  he  could  maintain  against  a  whole  tribe,  while 
Mr.  Dodge  began  incontinently  to  scull  the  jolly-boat,  in  the 
best  manner  he  could  off  to  the  launch.  All  remonstrance  was 
useless,  as  he  had  got  as  far  as  the  bar  before  he  was  perceived. 
Both  Sir  George  Templemore  and  Mr.  Monday  loudly  de- 
nounced him  for  deserting  the  party  on  the  shore  in  this  scanda- 
lous manner,  but  quite  without  effect.  Mr.  Dodge's  skill,  unfortu- 
nacely  for  his  success,  did  not  quite  equal  his  zeal ;  and  finding, 
when  he  got  on  the  bar,  that  he  was  unable  to  keep  the  boat's 
head  to  the  sea,  or  indeed  to  manage  it  at  all,  he  fairly  jumped 
into  the  water  and  swam  lustily  towards  the  launch.  As  he 
was  expert  at  this  exercise,  he  arrived  safely,  cursing  in  his 


2i8  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

heart  all  travelling,  the  desert,  the  Arabs,  and  mankind  in  gen- 
eral, wishing  himself  quietly  back  in  Dodgeopolis  again,  among 
his  beloved  people.  The  boat  drove  upon  the  sands,  of  course, 
and  was  eventually  taken  care  of  by  two  of  the  Montauk's 
crew. 

As  soon  as  Captain  Truck  found  himself  on  the  deck  of  the 
Dane,  the  arms  was  distributed  among  the  people.  It  was 
clearly  his  policy  not  to  commence  the  war,  for  he  had  nothing, 
in  an  affirmative  sense,  to  gain  by  it,  though,  without  making 
any  professions,  his  mind  was  fully  made  up  not  to  be  taken 
alive,  as  long  as  there  was  a  possibility  of  averting  such  a  dis- 
aster. The  man  aloft  gave  constant  notice  of  the  movements 
of  the  Arabs,  and  he  soon  announced  that  they  had  halted  at  a 
pistol's  shot  from  the  bank,  where  they  were  securing  their 
camels,  and  that  his  first  estimate  of  their  force  was  true. 

In  the  mean  time,  Captain  Truck  was  far  from  satisfied 
with  his  position.  The  bank  was  higher  than  the  deck  of  the 
ship,  and  so  near  it  as  to  render  the  bulwarks  of  little  use,  had 
those  of  the  Dane  been  of  any  available  thickness,  which  they 
were  not.  Then,  the  position  of  the  ship,  lying  a  little  on  one 
side,  with  her  bows  towards  the  land,  exposed  her  to  being 
swept  by  raking  fire  ;  a  cunning  enemy  having  it  in  his  power, 
by  making  a  cover  of  the  bank,  to  pick  off  his  men,  with  little 
or  no  exposure  to  himself.  The  odds  were  too  great  to  sally 
upon  the  plain,  and  although  the  rocks  offered  a  tolerable 
cover  towards  the  land,  they  had  none  towards  the  ship.  Di- 
vide his  force  he  dared  not  do, — and  by  abandoning  the  ship 
he  would  allow  the  Arabs  to  seize  her,  thus  commanding  the 
other  position,  besides  the  remainder  of  the  stores,  which  he 
was  desirous  of  securing. 

Men  think  fast  in  trying  circumstances,  and  _  although  the 
captain  was  in  a  situation  so  perfectly  novel, 'his  practical 
knowledge  and  great  coolness  rendered  him  an  invaluable  com- 
mander to  those  under  his  orders. 

"  I  do  not  know,  gentlemen,"  he  said,  addressing  his  pas- 
sengers and  mates,  "  that  Vattel  has  laid  down  any  rule  to 
govern  this  case.  These  Arabs,  no  doubt,  are  the  lawful 
owners  of  the  country,  in  one  sense  ;  but  it  is  a  desert — and  a 
desert,  like  a  sea,  is  common  property  for  the  time  being,  to 
all  who  find  themselves  in  it.  There  are  no  wreck-masters  in 
Africa,  and  probably  no  law  concerning  wrecks,  but  the  law  of 
the  strongest.  We  have  been  driven  in  here,  moreover,  by 
stress  of  weather — and  this  is  a  category  on  which  Vattel  has 
been  very  explicit.  We  have  a  right  to  the  hospitality  of  these 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  219 

Arabs,  and  if  it  be  not  freely  accorded,  d n  me,  gentlemen, 

but  I  feel  disposed  to  take  just  as  much  of  it  as  I  find  I  shall 
have  occasion  for  !  Mr.  Monday,  I  should  like  to  hear  youi 
sentiments  on  this  subject." 

"  Why,  sir,"  returned  Mr.  Monday,  "  I  have  the  greatest 
confidence  in  your  knowledge,  Captain  Truck,  and  am  equally 
ready  for  peace  or  war,  although  my  calling  is  for  the  first.  I 
should  try  negotiation  to  begin  with  sir,  if  it  be  practicable,  and 
you  will  allow  me  to  express  an  opinion  ;  after  which  I  would 
offer  war." 

"  I  am  quite  of  the  same  mind,  sir ;  but  in  what  way  are  we 
to  negotiate  with  a  people  we  cannot  make  understand  a  word 
we  say  ?  It  is  true,  if  they  were  versed  in  the  science  of  signs, 
one  might  do  something  with  them  ;  but  I  have  reason  to 
know  that  they  are  as  stupid  as  boobies  on  all  such  subjects. 
We  shall  get  ourselves  into  a  category  at  the  first  protocol,  as 
the  writers  say." 

Now,  Mr.  Monday  thought  there  was  a  language  that  any 
man  might  understand,  and  he  was  strongly  disposed  to  profit 
by  it.  In  rummaging  the  wreck,  he  had  discovered  a  case  of 
liquor,  besides  a  cask  of  Hollands,  and  he  thought  an  offering 
of  these  might  have  the  effect  td  put  the  Arabs  in  good  humor 
at  least. 

"  I  have  known  men,  who,  treated  with  dry,  in  matters  of 
trade,  were  as  obstinate  as  mules,  become  reasonable  and  pli- 
able, sir,  over  a  bottle,"  he  said,  after  explaining  where  the 
liquor  was  to  be  found ;  "  and  I  think,  if  we  offer  the  Arabs 
this,  after  they  have  been  in  possession  a  short  time,  we  shall 
find  them  better  disposed  towards  us.  If  it  should  not  prove 
so,  I  confess,  for  one,  I  should  feel  less  reluctance  in  shooting 
them  than  before." 

"  I  have  somewhere  heard  that  the  Mussulmans  never 
drink,"  observed  Sir  George  ;  "  in  which  case  we  shall  find  our 
offering  despised.  Then  there  is  the  difficulty  of  a  first  pos- 
session ;  for,  if  these  people  are  the  same  as  those  that  were 
here  before,  they  may  not  thank  us  for  giving  them  so  small  a 
part  of  that,  of  which  they  may  lay  claim  to  all.  I'm  very  sure, 
were  any  one  to  offer  me  my  patent  pistols,  as  a  motive  for 
letting  him  carry  away  my  patent  razors,  or  the  East  India 
dressing-case,  or  anything  else  I  own,  I  should  not  feel  par- 
ticularly obliged  to  him." 

"  Capitally  put,  Sir  George,  and  I  should  be  quite  of  your 
way  of  thinking,  if  I  did  not  believe  these  Arabs  might  really 


,20  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

be  mollified  by  a  little  drink.'    If  I  had  a  proper  ambassado. 
to  send  with  the  offering,  I  would  resort  to  the  plan  at  once." 

Mr,  Monday,  after  a  moment's  hesitation,  spiritedly  offered 
to  be  one  of  two,  to  go  to  the  Arabs,  with  the  proposal,  for  he 
had  sufficient  penetration  to  perceive  that  there  was  little 
danger  of  his  being  seized,  while  an  armed  party  of  so  much 
strength  remained  to  be  overcome — and  he  had  sufficient 
nerve  to  encounter 'the  risk.  All  he  asked  was  a  companion, 
and  Captain  Truck  was  so  much  struck  with  the  spirit  of  the 
volunteer,  that  he  made  up  his  mind  to  accompany  him  him- 
self. To  this  plan,  however,  both  the  mates  and  all  the  crew, 
stoutly  but  respectfully  objecte'd.  They  felt  his  importance 
too  much  to  consent  to  this  exposure,  and  neither  of  the  mates 
even,  would  be  allowed  to  go  on  an  expedition  of  so  much 
hazard,  without  a  sufficient  motive.  They  might  fight,  if  they 
pleased,  but  they  should  not  run  into  the  mouth  of  the  lion 
unarmed  and  unresisting. 

"  It  is  of  no  moment,"  said  Mr.  Monday ;  "  I  could  have 
liked  a  gentleman  for  my  companion  ;  but  no  one  of  the  brave 
fellows  will  have  any  objection  to  passing  an  hour  in  company 
with  an  Arab  Sheik  over  a  bottle.  What  say  you  my  lads,  will 
any  one  of  you  volunteer  ?  " 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir !  "  cried  a  dozen  in  a  breath. 

"  This  will  never  do,"  interrupted  the  captain ;  "  I  have 
need  of  the  men,  for  my  heart  is  still  set  on  these  two  sticks 
that  remain,  and  we  have  a  head-sea  and  a  stiff  breeze  to 
struggle  with  in  getting  back  to  the  ship.  By  George,  I  have 
it !  What  do  you  say  to  Mr.  Dodge  for  a  companion,  Mr. 
Monday  ?  He  is  used  to  committees,  and  likes  the  service  : 
and  then  he  has  need  of  some  stimulant,  after  the  ducking  he 
has  received.  Mr.  Leach,  take  a  couple  of  hands,  and  go  off 
in  the  jolly-boat  and  bring  Mr.  Dodge  on  shore.  My  compli 
ments  to  him,  and  tell  him  he  has  been  unanimously  chosen 
to  a  most  honorable  and  lucrative — ay,  and  a  popular  employ- 
ment." 

As  this  was  an  order,  the  mate  did  not  scruple  about  obey- 
ing it.  He  was  soon  afloat,  and  on  his  way  towards  the 
launch.  Captain  Truck  now  hailed  the  top,  and  inquired  what 
the  Arabs  were  about.  The  answer  was  satisfactory,  as  they 
were  still  busy  with  their  camels  and  in  pitching  their  tents. 
This  did  not  look  much  like  an  immediate  war,  and  bidding  th? 
man  aloft  to  give  timely  notice  of  their  approach,  Mr.  Truck 
fancied  he  might  still  have  time  to  shift  his  sheers,  and  to  whip 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  221 

out  the  hiizzen-mast,  and  he  accordingly  set  about  it  without 
further  delay. 

As  every  one  worked,  as  it  might  be  for  life,  in  fifteen 
minutes  this  light  spar  was  suspended  in  the  falls.  In  ten 
more  its  heel  was  clear  of  the  bulwarks,  and  it  was  lowered  on 
the  sands  almost  by  the  rim.  To  knock  off  the  top  and  roll  it 
down  to  the  water  took  but  a  few  minutes  longer,  and  then  the 
people  were  called  to  their  breakfast  ;  the  sentinel  aloft  re- 
porting that  the  Arabs  were  employed  in  the  same  manner,  and 
in  milking  their  camels.  This  was  a  fortunate  relief,  and 
everybody  ate  in  peace,  and  in  the  full  assurance  that  those 
whom  they  so  much  distrusted  were  equally  engaged  in  the 
same  pacific  manner. 

Neither  the  Arabs  nor  the  seamen,  however,  lost  any  un- 
necessary time  at  the  meal.  The  former  were  soon  reported 
to  be  coming  and  going  in  parties  of  fifteen  or  twenty,  arriving 
and  departing  in  an  eastern  direction.  Occasionally  a  single 
runner  went  or  came  alone,  on  a  fleet  dromedary,  as  if  com- 
munications were  held  with  other  bodies  which  lay  deeper  in 
the  desert.  All  this  intelligence  rendered  Captain  Truck  very 
uneasy,  and  he  thought  it  time  seriously  to  take  some  decided 
measures  to  bring  this  matter  to  an  issue.  Still,  as  time  gained 
was  all  in  his  favor  if  improved,  he  first  ordered  the  men  to 
begin  to  shift  the  sheers  forward,  in  hopes  of  being  yet  able  to 
carry  off  the  foremast ;  a  spar  that  would  be  exceedingly  useful, 
as  it  would  save  the  necessity  of  fishing  a  new  head  to  the  one 
which  still  stood  in  the  packet.  He  then  went  aside  with  his 
two  ambassadors,  with  a  view  to  give  his  instructions. 

Mr.  Dodge  had  no  sooner  found  himself  safe  in  the  launch 
than  he  felt  his  courage  revive,  and  with  his  courage,  his  in- 
genuity, self-love  and  assurance.  While  in  the  water,  a  meeker 
man  there  was  not  on  earth  ;  he  had  even  some  doubts  as  to 
the  truth  of  all  his  favorite  notions  of  liberty  and  equality,  for 
men  think  fast  in  danger,  and  there  was  an  instant  when  he 
might  have  been  easily  persuaded  to  acknowledge  himself  a 
demagogue  and  a  hypocrite  in  his  ordinary  practices  ;  one 
whose  chief  motive  was  self,  and  whose  besetting  passions  were 
envy,  distrust  and  malice  ;  or,  in  other  words,  very  much  the 
creature  he  was.  Shame  came  next,  and  he  eagerly  sought  an 
excuse  for  the  want  of  manliness  he  had  betrayed  ;  but  passing 
over  the  language  he  had  held  in  the  launch,  and  the  means 
Mr.  Leach  found  to  persuade  him  to  land  again,  we  shall  give 
his  apology  in  his  own  words,  as  he  now  somewhat  hurriedly 
delivered  it  to  Captain  Truck,  in  his  own  person. 


222  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  I  must  have  misunderstood  your  arrangement,  captain,"  .he 
said  ;  "  for  somehow,  though  how  I  do  not  exactly  know — but 
somehow  the  alarm  of  the  Arabs  was  no  sooner  given  than  I 
felt  as  if  I  ought  to  be  in  the  launch  to  be  at  my  post ;  but  I 
suppose  it  was  because  I  knew  that  the  sails  and  spars  that 
brought  us  here  are  mostly  there,  and  that  this  was  the  spot  to 
be  most  resolutely  defended.  I  do  think,  if  they  had  waded 
off  to  us,  I  should  have  fought  like  a  tiger !  " 

"  No  doubt  you  would,  my  dear  sir,  and  like  a  wild  cat  too ! 
We  all  make  mistakes  in  judgment,  in  war,  and  in  politics,  and 
no  fact  is  better  known  than  that  the  best  soldiers  in  the  end 
are  they  who  give  a  little  ground  at  the  first  attack.  But  Mr. 
Leach  has  explained  to  you  the  plan  of  Mr.  Monday,  and  I  rely 
on  your  spirit  and  zeal,  which  there  is  now  an  excellent 
opportunity  to  prove,  as  before  it  was  only  demonstrated." 

"  If  it  were  only  an  opportunity  of  meeting  the  Arabs  sword 
in  hand,  captain." 

"  Pooh  !  pooh !  my  dear  friend,  take  two  swords  if  you 
choose.  One  who  is  full  of  fight  can  never  get  the  battle  on 
his'  own  terms.  Fill  the  Arabs  with  the  schnaps  of  the  poor 
Dane,  and  if  they  should  make  the  smallest  symptom  of  moving 
down  towards  us,  I  rely  on  you  to  give  the  alarm,  in  order  that 
we  may  be  ready  for  them.  Trust  to  us  for  the  overture  of  the 
piece,  as  I  trust  to  you  for  the  overtures  of  peace." 

"  In  what  way  can  we  possible  do  this,  Mr.  Monday  ?  How 
can  we  give  the  alarm  in  season  ? " 

"  Why,"  interposed  the  unmoved  captain,  "  you  may  just 
shoot  the  sheik,  and  that  will  be  killing  two  birds  with  one 
stone ;  you  will  take  your  pistols,  of  course,  and  blaze  away 
upon  them,  starboard  and  larboard  ;  rely  on  it,  we  shall  hear 
you." 

"  Of  that  I  make  no  doubt,  but  I  rather  distrust  the  pru- 
dence of  the  step.  That  is,  I  declare,  Mr.  Monday,  it  looks 
awfully  like  tempting  Providence  !  I  begin  to  have  con- 
scientious scruples.  I  hope  you  are  quite  certain,  captain,  there 
is  nothing  in  all  this  against  the  laws  of  Africa  ?  Good  moral 
and  religious  influences  are  not  to  be  overlooked.  My  mind  is 
quite  exercised  in  the  premises  ! " 

"  You  are  much  too  conscientious  for  a  diplomatic  man," 
said  Mr.  Truck,  between  the  puffs  at  a  fresh  cigar.  "  You  need 
not  shoot  any  of  the  women,  and  what  more  does  a  man  want  ? 
Come,  no  more  words,  but  to  the  duty  heartily.  Every  one  ex- 
pects it  of  you,  since  no  one  can  do  it  half  so  well ;  and  if  you 
ever  get  back  to.  Dodgeopolis,  there  will  be  matter  for  a  para- 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  223 

graph  every  day  of  the  year  for  the  next  six  months.  If  any 
thing  serious  happen  to  you,  trust  to  me  to  do  your  memory 
justice." 

"  Captain,  captain,  this  trifling  with  the  future  is  blasphem- 
ous !  Men  seldom  talk  of  death  with  impunity,  and  it  really 
hurts  my  feelings  to  touch  on  such  awful  subjects  so  lightly.  I 
will  go,  for  I  do  not  well  see  how  the  matter  is  to  be  helped , 
but  let  us  go  amicably,  and  with  such  presents  as  will  secure  a 
good  reception  and  a  safe  return." 

"  Mr.  Monday  takes  the  liquor-case  of  the  Dane,  and  you 
are  welcome  to  anything  that  is  left,  but  the  foremast.  That 
I  shall  fight  for,  even  if  lions  come  out  of  the  -desert  to  help 
the  Arabs." 

Mr.  Dodge  had  many  more  objections,  some  of  which  he 
urged  openly,  and  more  of  which  he  felt  in  his  inmost  spirit. 
But  for  the  unfortunate  dive  into  the  water,  he  certainly  would 
have  pleaded  his  immunities  as  a  passenger,  and  plumply  re- 
fused to  be  put  forward  on.  s«ch  an  occasion  ;  but  he  felt  that 
he  was  a  disgraced  man,  and  that  some  decided  act  of  spirit 
was  necessary  to  redeem  his  character.  The  neutrality  ob- 
served by  the  Arabs,  moreover,  greatly  encouraged  him  ;  for  he 
leaned  to  an  opinion  Captain  Truck  had  expressed,  that  so  long 
as  a  strong-armed  party  remained  in  the  wreck,  the  sheik,  if  a 
man  of  any  moderation  and  policy,  would  not  proceed  to  vio- 
lence. 

"You  may  tell  him,  gentlemen,"  continued  Mr.  Truck 
"  that  as  soon  as  I  have  whipped  the  foremast  out  of  the  Dane 
I  will  evacuate,  and  leave  him  the  wreck,  and  all  it  contains 
The  stick  can  do  him  no  good,  and  I  want  it  in  my  heart's  core. 
Put  this  matter  before  him  plainly,  and  there  is  no  doubt  we 
shall  part  the  best  of  frends  in  the  world.  Remember  one 
thing,  however,  we  shall  set  about  lifting  the  spar  the  moment 
you  quit  us,  and  should  there  be  any  signs  of  an  attack,  give  us 
notice  in  season,  that  we  may  take  to  our  arms." 

By  this  reasoning  Mr.  Dodge  suffered  himself  to  be  per- 
suaded to  go  on  the  mission,  though  his  ingenuity  and  fears 
supplied  an  additional  motive  that  he  took  very  good  care  not 
to  betray.  Should  there  be  a  battle,  he  knew  he  would  be  ex- 
pected  to  fight,  if  he  remained  with  his  own  party,  and  if  with 
the  other,  he  might  plausibly  secrete  himself  until  the  affair 
was  over ;  for,  with  a  man  of  his  temperament  eventual  slavery 
had  less  horrors  than  immediate  death. 

When  Mr.  Monday  and  his  co-commissioner  ascended  the 
bank,  bearing  the  case  of  liquors  and  a  few  light  offerings,  that 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

the  latter  had  found  in  the  wreck,  it  was  just  as  the  crew,  as- 
sured that  the  Arabs  still  remained  tranquil,  had  seriously  set 
about  pursuing  their  great  object.  On  the  margin  of  the  plain, 
Captain  Truck  took  his  leave  of  the  ambassadors,  though  he 
remained  some  time  to  reconnoitre  the  appearance  of  things  in 
the  wild-looking  camp,  which  was  placed  within  two  hundred 

Crds  of  the  spot  on  which  he  stood.  The  number  of  the  Arabs 
.d  not  certainly  been  exaggerated,  and  what  gave  him  the 
most  uneasiness  was  the  fact  that  parties  appeared  to  be  con- 
stantly communicating  with  more,  who  probably  lay  behind  a 
ridge  of  sand  that  bounded  the  view  less  than  a  mile  distant  in 
land,  as  they  all  went  and  came  in  that  direction.  After  wait- 
ing to  see  his  two  envoyzs  in  the  very  camp,  he  stationed  a  look- 
out on  the  bank,  and  returned  to  the  wreck,  to  hurry  on  the  all- 
important  work. 

Mr.  Monday  was  the  efficient  man  of  the  two  commissioners, 
so  soon  as  they  were  fairly  embarked  in  their  enterprise.  He 
was  strong  of  nerves,  and  without  imagination  to  fancy  dangers 
where  they  were  not  very  obvious,  and  had  a  great  faith  in  the 
pacific  virtues  of  the  liquor-case.  An  Arab  advanced  to  meet 
them,  when  near  the  tents  ;  and  although  conversation  was 
quite  out  of  the  question,  by  pure  force  of  gesticulations,  aided 
by  the  single  word  "  sheik,"  they  succeeded  in  obtaining  an 
introduction  to  that  personage. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  desert  have  been  so  often  described 
that  we  shall  assume  they  are  known  to  our  readers,  and  pro 
ceed  with  our  narrative  the  same  as  if  we  had  to  do  with  Chris- 
tians. Much  of  what  has  been  written  of  the  hospitality  of  the 
Arabs,  if  true  of  any  portion  of  them,  is  hardly  true  of  those 
tribes  which  frequent  the  Atlantic  coast,  where  the  practice  of 
wrecking  would  seem  to  have  produced  the  same  effect  on  their 
habits  and  morals  that  it  is  known  to  produce  elsewhere.  But 
a  ship  protected  by  a  few  weatherworn  and  stranded  manners, 
and  a  ship  defended  by  a  strong  and  an  armed  party,  like  that 
headed  by  Captain  Truck,  presented  very  different  objects  to 
the  cupidity  of  these  barbarians.  They  knew  the  great  advant- 
age they  possessed  by  being  on  their  own  ground,  and  were 
content  to  await  events,  in  preference  to  risking  a  doubtful 
contest.  Several  of  the  party  had  been  at  Mogadore,  and  other 
parts,  and  had  acquired  tolerably  accurate  ideas  of  the  power 
of  vessels  ;  and. as  they  were  confident  the  men  now  at  work  at 
the  wreck  had  not  the  means  of  carrying  away  the  cargo,  their 
own  principal  object,  curiosity  and  caution,  connected  with  cer- 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  22$ 

tain  plans  that  were  already  laid  among  their  leaders,  kept 
them  quiet,  for  the  moment^at  least. 

These  people  were  not  so  ignorant  as  to  require  to  be  told 
that  some  other  vessel  was  at  no  great  distance,  and  theii 
scouts  had  been  out  in  all  directions  to  ascertain  the  fact,  pre- 
viously to  taking  their  ultimate  measures  ;  for  the  sheik  himself 
had  some  pretty  just  notions  of  the  force  of  a  vessel  of  war, 
and  of  the  danger  of  contending  with  one.  The  result  of  his 
policy,  therefore,  will  better  appear  in  the  course  of  the  narra- 
tive. 

The  reception  of  the  two  envoys  of  Captain  Truck  was 
masked  by  that  smiling  and  courteous  politeness  which  seems 
to  diminish  as  one  travels  west,  and  to  increase  as  he  goes  east- 
ward ;  though  it  was  certainly  less  elaborate  than  would  have 
been  found  in  the  palace  of  an  Indian  rajah.  The  sheik  was 
not  properly  a  sheik,  nor  was  the  party  composed  of  genuine 
Arabs,  though  we  have  thus  styled  them  from  usage.  The 
first,  however,  was  a  man  in  authority,  and  he  and  his  followers 
possessed  enough  of  the  origin  and  characteristics  of  the  tribes 
east  of  the  Red  Sea,  to  be  sufficiently  described  by  the  appella- 
tion we  have  adopted. 

Mr.  Monday  and  Mr.  Dodge  were  invited  by  signs  to  be 
seated,  and  refreshments  were  offered.  As  the  last  were  not 
particularly  inviting,  Mr.  Monday  was  not  slow  in  producing 
his  own  offering,  and  in  recommending  its  quality,  by  setting 
an  example  of  the  way  in  which  it  ought  to  be  treated.  Al- 
though Mussulmans,  the  hosts  did  not  scruple  about  tasting  the 
cup,  and  ten  minutes  of  pantomime,  potations,  and  grimaces, 
brought  about  a  species  of  intimacy  between  the  parties. 

The  man  who  had  been  so  unceremoniously  captured  the 
previous  night  by  Captain  Truck,  was  now  introduced,  and 
much  curiosity  was  manifested  to  know  whether  his  account  of 
the  disposition  in  the  strangers  to  eat  their  fellow-creatures 
was  true.  The  inhabitants  of  the  desert,  in  the  course  of  ages, 
had  gleaned  certain  accounts  of  mariners  eating  their  ship- 
mates, from  their  different  captives,  and  vague  traditions  to 
that  effect  existed  among  them,  which  the  tale  of  this  man  had 
revived.  Had  the  sheik  kept  a  journal,  like  Mr.  Dodge,  the 
result  of  these  inquiries  would  probably  have  been  some  entries 
concerning  the  customs  and  characters  of  the  Americans,  that 
were  quite  as  original  as  those  of  the  editor  of  the  Active  In- 
quirer concerning  the  different  nations  he  had  visited. 

Mr.  Monday  paid  great  attention  to  the  pantomime  of  the 
Arab,  in  which  that  worthy  endeavored  to  explain  the  disposi- 


226  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

tion  of  Captain  Truck  to  make  a  barbecue  of  him  :  when  i\ 
was  ended,  he  gravely  informed  his  companions  that  the  sheik 
had  invited  them  to  stay  for  dinner, — a  proposition  that  he 
was  disposed  to  accept  ;  but  the  sensitiveness  of  Mr.  Dodge 
viewed  the  matter  otherwise,  for,  with  a  conformity  of  opinion 
that  really  said  something  in  favor  of  the  science  of  signs,  he 
arrived  at  the  same  conclusion  as  the  poor  Arab  himself — with 
the  material  difference,  that  he  fancied  that  the  Arabs  were  dis- 
posed to  make  a  meal  of  himself.  Mr.  Monday,  who  was  a 
hearty  beef  and  brandy  personage,  scouted  the  idea,  and 
thought  the  matter  settled,  by  pointing  to  two  or  three  young 
camels  and  asking  the  editor  if  he  thought  any  man,  Turk  or 
Christian,  would  think  of  eating  one  so  lank,  meagre,  and 
uninviting,  as  himself,  when  they  had  so  much  capital  food  of 
another  sort  at  their  elbow.  "  Take  your  share  of  the  liquor 
while  it  is  passing,  man,  and  set  your  heart  at  ease  as  to  the 
dinner,  which  I  make  no  doubt  will  be  substantial  and  decent. 
Had  I  known  of  the  favor  intended  us,  I  should  have  brought 
out  the  sheik  a  service  of  knives  and  forks  from  Birmingham  ; 
for  he  really  seems  a  well-disposed  and  gentleman-like  man. 
A  very  capital  fellow  I  dare  say,  we  shall  find  him,  after  he 
has  had  a  few  camel's  steaks,  and  a  proper  allowance  of 
schnaps.  Mr.  Sheik,  I  drink  your  health  with  all  my  heart." 

The  accidents  of  life  could  scarcely  have  brought  together, 
in  circumstances  so  peculiar,  men  whose  characters  were  more 
completely  the  converse  of  each  other  then  Mr.  Monday  and 
Mr.  Dodge.  They  were  perfect  epitomes  of  two  large  classes 
in  their  respective  nations,  and  so  diametrically  opposed  to 
each  other,  that  one  could  hardly  recognize  in  them  scions 
from  a  common  stock.  The  first  was  dull,  obstinate,  straight- 
forward, hearty  in  his  manners,  and  not  without  sincerity, 
thought  wily  in  a  bargain,  with  all  his  seeming  frankness  ;  the 
last,  distrustful,  cunning  rather  than  quick  of  comprehension, 
insincere,  fawning  when  he  thought  his  interests  concerned, 
and  jealous  and  detracting  at  all  other  times,  with  a  coldness 
of  exterior  that  had  at  least  the  merit  of  appearing  to  avoid 
deception.  Both  were  violently  prejudiced,  though  in  Mr.  Mon- 
day, it  was  the  prejudice  of  old  dogmas,  in  religion,  politics, 
and  morals  ;  and  in  the  other,  it  was  the  vice  of  provincialism, 
and  an  education  that  was  not  entirely  free  from  the  fanaticism 
of  the  seventeenth  century.  One  consequence  of  this  dis« 
crepancy  of  character  was  a  perfectly  opposite  manner  of  view- 
ing matters  in  this  interview.  While  Mr.  Monday  was  disposed 
to  take  things  amicably,  Mr.  Dodge  was  all  suspicion  :  and  had 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  227 

they  then  returned  to  the  wreck,  the  last  would  have  called  to 
arms,  while  the  first  would  have  advised  Captain  Truck  to  go 
out  and  visit  the  sheik,  in  the  manner  one  would  visit  a  re« 
spectable  and  agreeable  neighbor. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

'  Tis  of  more  worth  than  kingdoms  !  far  more  precious 
Than  all  the  crimson  treasures  of  life's  fountain  ! 
Oh,  let  it  not  elude  thy  grasp  ! 

COTTON. 

THINGS  were  in  this  state,  the  sheik  and  his  guests  com- 
municating  by  signs,  in  such  a  way  as  completely  to  mystify 
each  other  ;  Mr.  Monday  drinking,  Mr.  Dodge  conjecturing, 
and  parties  quitting  the  camp  and  arriving  every  ten  minutes, 
when  an  Arab  pointed  eagerly  with  his  finger  in  the  direction 
of  the  wreck.  The  head  of  the  foremast  was  slowly  rising,  and 
the  look-out  in  the  top  was  clinging  to  the  spar,  which  began 
to  cant,  in  order  to  keep  himself  from  falling.  The  sheik 
affected  to  smile  ;  but  he  was  evidently  disturbed,  and  two  or 
three  messengers  were  sent  out  into  the  camp.  In  the  mean- 
while, the  spar  began  to  lower,  and  was  soon  entirely  con- 
cealed beneath  the  bark. 

It  was  now  apparent  that  the  Arabs  thought  the  moment 
had  arrived  when  it  was  their  policy  to  interfere.  The  sheik, 
therefore,  left  his  guests  to  be  entertained  by  two  or  three  others 
who  had  joined  in  the  potations,  and  making  the  best  assur- 
ances he  could  by  means  of  signs,  of  his  continued  amity,  he  left 
the  tent  Laying  aside  all  his  arms,  attended  by  two  or  three 
old  men  like  himself,  he  went  boldly  to  the  plank,  and  de- 
scended quietly  to  the  sands,  where  he  found  Captain  Truck 
busied  in  endeavoring  to  get  the  spar  into  the  water.  The  top 
was  already  afloat,  and  the  stick  itself  was  cut  round  in  the 
right  position  for  rolling,  when  the  foul  but  grave-looking  bar- 
barians appeared  among  the  workmen.  As  the  latter  had  been 
apprised  of  their  approach,  and  of  the  fact  of  their  being  un- 
armed, no  one  left  his  employment  to  receive  them,  with  the 
exception  of  Captain  Truck  himself. 

"  Bear  a  hand  with  the  spar,  Mr.  Leach/'  he  said,  "  whilf 


228  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

I  entertain  these  gentlemen.  It  is  a  good  sign  that  they  come 
to  us  without  arms,  and  it  shall  never  be  said  that  we  are  be- 
hind them  in  civility.  Half  an  hour  will  settle  our  affairs,  when 
these  gentry  are  welcome  to  what  will  be  left  of  the  Dane.— 
Your  servant,  gentlemen ;  I'm  glad  to  see  you,  and  beg  the 
honor  to  shake  hands  with  all  of  you,  from  the  oldest  to  the 
youngest." 

Although  the  Arabs  understood  nothing  that  was  said,  they 
permitted  Captain  Truck  to  give  each  of  them  a  hearty  shake 
of  the  hand,  smiling  and  muttering  their  own  compliments  with 
as  much  apparent  good  will  as  was  manifested  by  the  old  sea- 
man himself. 

"  God  help  the  Danes,  if  they  have  fallen  into  servitude 
among  these  blackguards  ! "  said  the  captain,  aloud,  while  he 
was  shaking  the  sheik  a  second  time  most  cordially  by  the 
hand,  "  for  a  fouler  set  of  thieves  I  never  laid  eyes  on,  Leach. 
Mr.  Monday  has  tried  the  virtue  of  the  schnaps  on  them,  not- 
withstanding, for  the  odor  of  gin  is  mingled  with  that  of  grease, 
about  the  old  scoundrel. — Roll  away  at  the  spar,  boys  !  half-a- 
dozen  more  such  heaves,  and  you  will  have  him  in  his  native 
element,  as  the  newspapers  call  it. — I'm  glad  to  see  you  gentle- 
men ;  we  are  badly  off  as  to  chairs,  on  this  beach,  but  to  such 
as  we  have  you  are  heartily  welcome. — Mr.  Leach,  the  Arab 
sheik  ; — Arab  sheik,  Mr.  Leach. — On  the  bank  there  ? " 

"  Sir." 

"  Any  movement  among  the  Arabs  ? " 

"  About  thirty  have  just  ridden  back  into  the  desert,  mounted 
on  camels,  sir  ;  nothing  more." 

"  No  signs  of  our  passengers  ?  " 

"Ay,  ay,  sir.  Here  comes  Mr.  Dodge  under  full  sail,  head- 
ing  for  the  bank,  as  straight  as  he  can  lay  his  course  !  " 

"  Ha !— Is  he  pursued  ?  " 

The  men  ceased  their  work,  and  glanced  aside  at  their 
arms. 

"  Not  at  all,  sir.  Mr.  Monday  is  calling  after  him,  and  the 
Arabs  seem  to  be  laughing.  Mr.  Monday  is  Just  splicing  the 
main-brace  with  one  of  the  rascals." 

"  Let  the  Atlantic  ocean,  then,  look  out  for  itself,  for  Mr, 
Dodge  will  be  certain  to  run  over  it.  Heave  away,  my  hearties, 
and  the  stick  will  be  afloat  yet  before  that  gentleman  is  fairly 
docked." 

The  men  worked  with  good  will,  but  their  zeal  was  far  less 
efficient  than  that  of  the  editor  of  the  Active  Inquirer,  who  now 
fcroke  through  the  bushes,  and  plunged  down  the  bank  with  * 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  229 

velocity  which,  if  continued,  would  have  carried  him  to  Dodge- 
opolis  itself  within  the  month.  The  Arabs  started  at  this  sud- 
den apparition,  but  perceiving  that  those  around  them  laughed, 
they  were  disposed  to  take  the  interruption  in  good  part.  The 
look-out  now  announced  the  approach  of  Mr.  Monday,  followed 
by  fifty  Arabs  ;  the  latter,  however,  being  without  arms,  and  the 
former  without  his  hat.  The  moment  was  critical,  but  the 
steadiness  of  Captain  Truck  did  not  desert  him.  Issuing  a 
rapid  order  to  the  second  mate,  with  a  small  party  previously 
selected  for  that  duty,  to  stand  by  the  arms,  he  urged  the  rest 
of  the  people  to  renewed  exertions.  Just  as  this  was  done,  Mr. 
Monday  appeared  on  the  bank,  with  a  bottle  in  one  hand  and 
a  glass  in  the  other,  calling  aloud  to  Mr.  Dodge  to  return  and 
drink  with  the  Arabs. 

"  Do  not  disgrace  Christianity  in  this  unmannerly  way,"  he 
said  ;  "  but  show  these  gentlemen  of  the  desert  that  we  know 
what  propriety  is.  Captain  Truck,  I  beg  of  you  to  urge  Mr. 
Dodge  to  return.  I  was  about  to  sing  the  Arabs,  '  God  save 
the  King,'  and  in  a  few  more  minutes  we  should  have  had 
'  Rule  Britannia,'  when  we  should  have  been  the  best  friends 
and  companions  in  the  world.  Captain  Truck,  I've  the  honor 
to  drink  your  health." 

But  Captain  Truck  viewed  the  matter  differently.  Both 
his  ambassadors  were  now  safely  back,  for  Mr.  Monday  came 
down  upon  the  beach,  followed  it  is  true,  by  all  the  Arabs,  and 
the  mast  was  afloat.  He  thought  it  better,  therefore,  that  Mr. 
Dodge  should  remain,  and  that  the  two  parties  should  be  as 
quietly,  but  as  speedily  as  possible,  separated.  He  ordered 
the  hauling  line  to  be  fastened  to  the  mast,  and  as  the  stick  was 
slowly  going  out  through  the  surf,  he  issued  the  order  for  the 
men  to  collect  their  implements,  take  their  arms,  and  to  assem- 
ble in  a  body  at  the  rocks  where  the  jolly  boat  still  lay. 

"  Be  quick,  men,  but  be  steady ;  for  there  are  a  hundred 
of  these  rascals  on  the  beach  already  and  all  the  last-comers 
are  armed.  We  might  pick  up  a  few  more  useful  things  from 
the  wreck,  but  the  wind  is  coming  in  from  the  westward,  and 
our  principal  concern  now  will  be  to  save  what  we  have  got. 
Lead  Mr.  Monday  along  with  you,  Leach,  for  he  is  so  full  of 
diplomacy  and  schnaps  just  now  that  he  forgets  his  safety.  As 
for  Mr.  Dodge,  I  see  he  is  stowed  away  in  the  boat  already,  as 
snug  as  the  ground-tier  in  a  ship  loaded  with  molasses.  Count 
the  men  off,  sir,  and  see  that  no  one  is  missing." 

By  this  time,  the  state  of  things  on  the  beach  had  under- 
gone material  changes.  The  wreck  was  full  of  Arabs,  some  of 


230  HOMEWARD  BOUND, 

whom  were  armed  and  some  not  ;  while  mauls,  crows,  hand 
spikes,  purchases,  coils  of  rigging,  and  marling-spikes  were 
scattered  about  on  the  sands,  just  where  they  had  been  dropped 
by  the  seamen.  A  party  of  fifty  Arabs  had  collected  around  the 
rocks,  where,  by  this  time,  all  the  mariners  were  assembled,  in- 
termingling with  the  latter,  and  apparently  endeavoring  to 
maintain  the  friendly  relations  which  had  been  established  by 
Mr.  Monday.  As  a  portion  of  these  men  were  also  armed, 
Captain  Truck  disliked  their  proceedings  ;  but  the  inferiority 
of  his  numbers,  and  the  disadvantage  under  which  he  was 
placed,  compelled  him  to  resort  to  management  rather  than 
force,  in  order  to  extricate  himself. 

The  Arabs  now  crowded  around  and  intermingled  with  the 
seamen,  thronged  the  ship,  and  lined  the  bank,  to  the  number 
of  more  than  two  hundred.  It  became  evident  that  their  true 
force  had  been  underrated,  and  that  additions  were  constantly 
making  to  it,  from  those  who  lay  behind  the  ridges  of  sand. 
All  those  who  appeared  last,  had  arms  of  one  kind  or  another, 
and  several  brought  firearms,  which  they  gave  to  the  sheik,  and 
to  those  who  had  first  descended  to  the  beach.  Still,  every 
face  seemed  amicable,  and  the  men  were  scarcely  permitted  to 
execute  their  orders,  from  the  frequent  interruptions  to  ex- 
change tokens  of  friendship. 

But  Captain  Truck  fully  believed  that  hostilities  were  in- 
tended, and  although  he  had  suffered  himself  in  some  measure 
to  be  surprised,  he  set  about  repairing  his  error  with  great 
judgment  and  admirable  steadiness.  His  first  step  was  to  ex* 
tricate  his  own  people  from  those  who  pressed  upon  them,  a 
thing  that  was  effected  by  causing  a  few  to  take  a  position,  that 
might  be  defended,  higher  among  the  rocks,  as  they  afforded 
a  good  deal  of  cover,  and  which  communicated  directly  with 
the  place  where  they  had  landed  ;  and  then  ordering  the  re- 
mainder of  the  men  to  fall  back  singly.  To  prevent  an  alarm, 
each  man  was  called  off  by  name,  and  in  this  manner  the  whole 
party  had  got  within  the  prescribed  limits,  before  the  Arabs, 
who  were  vociferating  and  talking  altogether,  seemed  to  be 
aware  of  the  movement.  When  some  of  the  latter  attempted 
to  follow,  they  were  gently  repulsed  by  the  sentinels.  All  this 
time  Captain  Truck  maintained  the  utmost  cordiality  towards 
the  sheik,  keeping  near  him,  and  amongst  the  Arabs  himself. 
The  work  of  plunder,  in  the  meantime,  had  begun  in  earnest  in 
the  wreck,  and  this  he  thought  a  favorable  symptom,  as  the 
men  thus  employed  would  be  less  likely  to  make  a  hostile  at* 
lac*.  Still  he  knew  that  prisoners  were  of  great  account 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  $31 

among  these  barbarians,  and  that  an  attempt  to  tow  the  raft  off 
from  the  land,  in  open  boats,  where  his  people  would  be  ex- 
posed to  every  shot  from  the  wreck,  would  subject  them  to  the 
greatest  danger  of  defeat,  were  the  former  disposed  to  prevent 
it. 

Having  reflected  a  few  minutes  on  his  situation,  Captain 
Truck  issued  his  final  orders.  The  jolly-boat  might  carry  a 
dozen  men  at  need,  though  they  would  be  crowded  and  much 
exposed  to  fire ;  and  he,  therefore,  caused  eight  to  get  into  her, 
and  to  pull  out  to  the  launch.  Mr.  Leach  went  with  this  party, 
for  the  double  purpose  of  directing  its  movements,  and  of  being 
separated  from  his  commander,  in  order  that  one  of  those  who 
were  of  so  much  importance  to  the  packet,  might  at  least  stand 
a  chance  of  being  saved.  This  separation  also  was  effected 
without  alarming  the  Arabs,  though  Captain  Truck  observed 
that  the  sheik  watched  the  proceeding  narrowly. 

As  soon  as  Mr.  Leach  had  reached  the  launch,  he  caused 
a  light  kedge  to  be  put  into  the  jolly-boat,  and  coils  of  the 
lightest  rigging  he  had  were  laid  on  the  top  of  it,  or  wers 
made  on  the  bows  of  the  launch.  As  soon  as  this  was  done, 
the  boat  was  pulled  a  long  distance  off  from  the  land,  paying  out 
the  ropes  first  from  the  launch,  and  then  from  the  boat  itself, 
until  no  more  of  the  latter  remained.  The  kedge  was  then 
dropped,  and  the  men  in  the  launch  began  to  haul  in  upon  the 
ropes  that  were  attached  to  it.  As  the  jolly-boat  returned 
immediately,  and  her  crew  joined  in  the  work,  the  line  of  boats, 
the  kedge  by  which  they  had  previously  ridden  having  been 
first  raised,  began  slowly  to  recede  from  the  shore. 

Captain  Truck  had  rightly  conjectured  the  effect  of  this  move- 
ment. It  was  so  unusual  and  so  gradual,  that  the  launch  and 
the  raft  were  warped  up  to  the  kedge,  before  the  Arabs  fully  com- 
prehended its  nature.  The  boats  were  now  more  than  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  from  the  wreck,  for  Mr.  Leach  had  run  out  quite  two 
hundred  fathoms  of  small  rope,  and  of  course,  so  distant  as 
greatly  to  diminish  the  danger  from  the  muskets  of  the  Arabs, 
though  still  within  reach  of  their  range.  Near  an  hour  was 
passed  in  effecting  this  point,  which,  as  the  sea  and  wind  were 
both  rising,  could  not  probably  have  been  effected  in  any 
other  manner,  half  as  soon,  if  at  all. 

The  state  of  the  weather,  and  the  increasing  turbulence 
of  the  barbarians,  now  rendered  it  extremely  desirable  to  all 
on  the  rocks  to  be  in  their  boats  again.  A  very  moderate 
blow  would  compel  them  to  abandon  their  hard-earned  advan- 
tages, and  it  began  to  be  pretty  evident,  from  the  manners  of 


>j32  HOMEWARD  BOUN&. 

those  around  them,  that  amity  could  not  much  longer  be  main- 
tained. Even  the  old  sheik  retired,  and  instead  of  going  to 
the  wreck,  he  joined  the  party  on  the  beach,  where  he  was 
seen  in  earnest  conversation  with  several  other  old  men,  all  of 
whom  gesticulated  vehemently,  as  they  pointed  towards  the 
boats  and  to  the  party  on  the  rocks. 

Mr.  Leach  now  pulled  in  towards  the  bar,  with  both  the 
jolly-boats  and  the  cutter,  having  only  two  oars  each,  half  his  men 
being  left  in  tfie  launch.  This  was  done  that  the  people  might  not 
be  crowded  at  the  critical  moment,  and  that,  at  need,  there  might 
be  room  to  fight  as  well  as  to  row :  all  these  precautions 
having  been  taken  in  consequence  of  Captain  Truck's  previous 
orders.  When  the  boats  reached  the  rocks,  the  people  did  not 
hurry  into  them  ;  but  a  quarter  of  an  hour  was  passed  in  prepara- 
tions, as  if  they  were  indifferent  about  proceeding,  and  even 
then  the  jolly ,-boat  alone  took  in  a  portion,  and  pulled  leisurely 
without  the  bar.  Here  she  lay  on  her  oars,  in  order  to  cover 
the  passage  of  the  other  boats,  if  necessary,  with  her  fire. 
The  cutter  imitated  this  manoeuvre,  and  the  boat  of  the 
wreck  went  last.  Captain  Truck  quitted  the  rock  after  all  the 
others,  though  his  embarkation  was  made  rapidly  by  a  prompt 
and  sudden  movement. 

Not  a  shot  was  fired,  however,  and,  contrary  to  his  own 
most  ardent  hopes,  the  captain  found  himself  at  the  launch, 
with  all  his  people  unhurt,  and  with  all  the  spars  he  had  so 
much  desired  to  obtain.  The  forbearance  of  the  Arabs  was  a 
mystery  to  him,  for  he  had  fully  expected  hosilities  would 
commence,  every  moment,  for  the  last  two  hours.  Nor  was  he 
yet  absolutely  out  of  danger,  though  there  was  time  to  pause 
and  look  about  him,  and  to  take  his  succeeding  measures  more 
deliberately.  The  first  report  was  a  scarcity  of  both  food  and 
water.  For  both  these  essentials  the  men  had  depended  on 
the  wreck,  and,  in  the  eagerness  to  secure  the  foremast,  and 
subsequently  to  take  care  of  themselves,  these  important  requis- 
ites had  been  overlooked,  quite  probably,  too,  as  much  from  a 
knowledge  that  the  Montauk  was  so  near,  as  from  hurry. 
Still  both  were  extremely  desirable,  if  not  indispensable,  to  men 
who  had  the  prospect  of  many  hours'  hard  work  before  them  ; 
and  Captain  Truck's  first  impulse  was  to  despatch  a  boat  to 
the  ship  tor  supplies.  This  intention  was  reluctantly  abandoned, 
however,  on  account  of  the  threatening  appearance  of  the 
weather. 

There  was  no  danger  of  a  gale,  but  a  smart  sea  breeze  was 
beginning  to  set  in,  and  the  surface  of  the  ocean  was,  as  usual, 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  233 

getting  to  be  agitated.  Changing  all  his  plans,  therefore,  the 
Captain  turned  his  immediate  attention  to  the  safety  of  the  all- 
important  spars. 

"  We  can  eat  to-morrow,  men,"  he  said  ;  "  but  if  we  lose 
these  sticks,  our  chance  for  getting  any  more  will  indeed  be 
small.  Take  a  gang  on  the  raft,  Mr.  Leach,  and  double  all  the 
lashings,  while  I  see  that  we  get  an  offing.  If  the  wind  rises 
any  more,  we  shall  need  it,  and  even  then  be  worse  off  than  we 
could  wish." 

The  mate  passed  upon  the  raft,  and  set  about  securing  all 
the  spars  by  additional  fastenings  ;  for  the  working,  occasioned 
by  the  sea,  already  rendered  them  loose,  and  liable  to  separate. 
While  this  was  in  train,  the  two  jolly-boats  took  in  lines  and 
kedges,  of  which,  luckily,  they  had  one  that  was  brought  from 
the  packet,  besides  two  found  in  the  wreck,  and  pulled  off  into 
the  ocean.  As  soon  as  one  kedge  was  dropped,  that  by  which 
the  launch  rode  was  tripped,  and  the  boats  were  hauled  up  to  it, 
the  jolly-boat  proceeding  on  to  renew  the  process.  In  this 
manner,  in  the  course  of  two  more  hours,  the  whole,  raft  and 
all,  were  warped  broad  off  from  the  land,  and  to  windward,  quite 
two  miles,  when  the  water  became  so  deep  that  Captain  Truck 
reluctantly  gave  the  order  to  cease. 

"  I  would  gladly  work  our  way  into  the  offing  in  this  mode, 
three  or  four  leagues,"  he  said,  "  by  which  means  we  might 
make  a  fair  wind  of  it.  As  it  is,  we  must  get  all  clear,  and  do 
as  well  as  we  can.  Rig  the  masts  in  the  launch,  Mr.  Leach, 
and  we  will  see  what  can  be  done  with  this  dull  craft  we  have 
in  tow." 

While  this  order  was  in  course  of  execution,  the  glass  was 
used  to  ascertain  the  manner  in  which  the  Arabs  were  occupied. 
To  the  surprise  of  all  in  the  boats,  every  soul  of  them  had  dis- 
appeared. The  closest  scrutiny  could  not  detect  one  near  the 
wreck,  on  the  beach,  nor  even  at  the  spot  where  the  tents  had 
so  lately  stood. 

"They  are  all  off,  by  George  !"  cried  Captain  Truck,  when 
fully  satisfied  of  the  fact.  "  Camels,  tents,  and  Arabs  !  The 
rascals  have  loaded  their  beasts  already,  and  most  probably 
have  gone  to  hide  their  plunder,  that  they  may  be  back  and 
make  sure  of  a  second  haul,  before  any  of  their  precious  brother 

vultures,  up  in  the  sands,  get  a  scent  of  the  carrion.  D n 

the  rogues  ;  I  thought  at  one  time  they  had  me  in  a  category  ! 
Well,  joy  be  with  them  !  Mr.  Monday,  I  return  you  my  hearty 
thanks  for  the  manly,  frank,  and  diplomatic  manner  in  which 
you  have  discharged  the  duties  of  your  mission.  Without  you, 


234 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


we  might  not  have  succeeded  in  getting  the  foremast.  Mr 
Dodge,  you  have  the  high  consolation  of  knowing  that,  through' 
out  this  trying  occasion,  you  have  conducted  yourself  in  a  way 
no  other  man  of  the  party  could  have  done." 

Mr.  Monday  was  sleeping  off  the  fumes  of  the  schnaps,  but 
Mr.  Dodge  bowed  to  the  compliment,  and  foresaw  many  capital 
things  for  the  journal,  and  for  the  columns  of  the  Active  In- 
quirer. He  even  began  to  meditate  a  book. 

Now  commenced  much  the  most  laborious  and  critical  part 
of  the  service  that  Captain  Trurk  had  undertaken,  if  we  except 
the  collision  with  the  Arabs— that  of  towing  all  the  heavy  spars 
of  a  large  ship,  in  one  raft,  in  the  open  sea,  near  a  coast,  and 
with  the  wind  blowing  on  shore.  It  is  true  he  was  strong- 
handed,  being  able  to  put  ten  oars  in  the  launch,  and  four  in 
all  the  other  boats ;  but,  after  making  sail,  and  pulling  steadily 
for  an  hour,  it  was  discovered  that  all  their  exertions  would  not 
enable  them  to  reach  the  ship,  if  the  wind  stood,  before  the 
succeeding  day.  The  drift  to  leeward,  or  towards  the  beach 
was  seriously  great,  every  heave  of  the  sea  setting  them  bodily 
down  before  it ;  and  by  the  time  they  were  half  a  mile  to  the 
southward,  they  were  obliged  to  anchor,  in  order  to  keep  clear 
of  the  breakers,  which  by  this  time  extended  fully  a  mile  from 
shore. 

Decision  was  fortunately  Captain  Truck's  leading  quality. 
He  foresaw  the  length  and  severity  of  the  struggle  that  was 
before  them,  and  the  men  had  not  been  pulling  ten  minutes, 
befre  he  ordered  Mr.  Leach,  who  was  in  the  cutter,  to  cast  off 
his  line  and  come  alongside  the  launch. 

"  Pull  back  to  the  wreck,  sir,"  he  said,  "and  bring  off  all 
you  can  lay  hands  on,  in  h  *  way  of  bread,  water,  and  other 
comforts.  We  shall  make  a  night  of  it,  I  see.  We  will  keep  a 
look-out  for  you,  and  if  any  Arabs  heave  in  sHit  on  the  plain, 
a  musket  will  be  fired  ;  if  so  many  as  to  render  a  hint  to 
abscond  necessary,  two  muskets  will  be  fired,  and  the  mainsail 
of  the  launch  will  be  furled  for  two  minutes  ;  more  time  than 
that  we  cannot  spare  you." 

Mr.  Leach  obeyed  this  order,  and  with  great  success. 
Luckily  the  cook  had  left  the  coppers  full  of  food,  enough  to 
last  twenty-four  hours,  and  this  had  escaped  the  Arabs,  who 
were  ignorant  where  to  look  for  it.  In  addition,  theie  was 
plenty  of  bread  and  water,  and  "  a  bull  of  Jamaica"  had  been 
discovered,  by  the  instinct  of  one  of  the  hands,  which  served 
admirably  to  keep  the  people  in  good  humor.  This  timely 
supply  had  arrived  just  as  the  launch  anchored,  and  Mr.  Truck 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  2$$ 

welcomed  it  with  all  his  heart ;  for  without  it,  he  foresaw  he 
should  soon  be  obliged  to  abandon  his  precious  prize. 

When  the  people  were  refreshed,  the  long  and  laborious 
process  of  warping  off  the  land  was  resumed,  and,  in  the  course 
of  two  hours  more,  the  raft  was  got  fully  a  league  into  the  offing, 
a  shoal  permitting  the  kedges  to  be  used  farther  out  this  time 
than  before.  Then  sail  was  again  made,  and  the  oars  were 
once  more  plied.  But  the  sea  still  proved  their  enemy,  though 
they  had  struck  the  current  which  began  to  set  them  south. 
Had  there  been  no  wind  and  sea,  the  progress  of  the  boats 
would  now  have  been  comparatively  easy  and  quick  ;  but  these 
two  adverse  powers  drove  them  in  towards  the  beach  so  fast, 
that  they  had  scarcely  made  two  miles  from  the  wreck  when 
they  were  compelled  a  second  time  to  anchor. 

No  alternative  remained  but  to  keep  warping  off  in  this 
manner,  and  then  to  profit  by  the  offing  they  had  made  as  well 
as  they  could,  the  result  bringing  them  at  sunset  nearly  up 
with  the  headland  that  shut  out  the  view  of  their  own  vessel, 
from  which  Captain  Truck  now  calculated  that  he  was  distant 
a  little  less  than  two  leagues.  The  wind  had  freshened,  and 
though  it  was  not  by  any  means  so  strong  as  to  render  the  sea 
dangerous,  it  increased  the  toil  of  the  men  to  such  a  degree, 
that  he  reluctantly  determined  to  seek  out  a  proper  anchorage, 
and  to  give  his  wearied  people  some  rest. 

It  was  not  in  the  power  of  the  seamen  to  carry  their  raft 
into  any  haven,  for  to  the  northward  of  the  headland,  or  on 
the  side  on  which  they  were,  there  was  no  reef,  nor  any  bay 
to  afford  them  shelter.  The  coast  was  one  continued  waving 
line  of  sand-banks,  and  in  most  places,  when  there  was  a  wind, 
the  water  broke  at  the  distance  of  a  mile  from  the  beach  ;  the 
precise  spot  where  the  Dane  had  stranded  his  vessel,  hav- 
ing most  probably  been  chosen  for  that  purpose,  with  a  view  to 
save  the  lives  of  the  people.  Under  these  circumstances 
nothing  remained  but  to  warp  off  again  to  a  safe  distance,  and 
to  secure  the  boats  as  well  as  they  could  for  the  night.  This 
was  effected  by  eight  o'clock,  and  Captain  Truck  gave  the  order 
to  let  go  two  additional  kedges,  being  determined  not  to  strike 
adrift  in  the  darkness,  if  it  was  in  his  power  to  prevent  it. 
When  this  was  done,  the  people  had  their  suppers,  a  watch  was 
set,  and  the  remainder  went  to  sleep. 

As  the  three  passengers  had  been  exempted  from  the  toil, 
they  volunteered  to  look  out  for  the  safety  of  the  boats  until 
midnight,  in  order  that  the  men  might  obtain  as  much  rest  as 
possible  ;  and  half  an  hour  after  the  crew  were  lost  in  the  deep 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

slumber  of  seamen,  Captain  Truck  and  these  gentlemen  were 
seated  in  the  launch,  holding  a  dialogue  on  the  events  of  the  day. 

"  You  found  the  Arabs  conversable  and  ready  at  the  cup, 
Mr.  Monday  ?  "  observed  the  captain,  lighting  a  cigar,  which 
with  him  was  a  never-failing  sign  for  a  gossip.  "Men  that,  if 
they  had  been  sent  to  school  young,  taught  to  dance,  and  were 
otherwise  civilized,  might  make  reasonably  good  shipmates,  in 
this  roving  world  of  ours !  " 

"  Upon  my  word,  sir,  I  look  upon  the  sheik  as  uncommon 
gentlemanlike,  and  altogether  as  a  good  fellow.  He  took  his 
glass  without  any  grimaces,  smiled  whenever  he  said  anything, 
though  I  could  not  understand  a  word  he  said,  and  answered 
all  my  remarks  quite  as  civilly  as  if  he  spoke  English.  I  must 
say,  I  think  Mr.  Dodge  manifested  a  want  of  consideration  in 
quitting  his  company  with  so  little  ceremony.  The  gentleman 
was  hurt,  I'll  answer  for  it,  and  he  would  say  as  much  if  he 
could  only  make  out  to  explain  himself  on  the  subject.  Sir 
George,  I  regret  we  had  not  the  honor  of  your  company  on  the 
occasion,  for  I  have  been  told  these  Arabs  have  a  proper  re- 
spect for  the  nobility  and  gentry.  Mr.  Dodge  and  myself  were 
but  poor  substitutes  for  a  gentleman  like  yourself." 

The  trained  humility  of  Mr.  Monday  was  little  to  the  liking 
of  Mr.  Dodge,  who  by  the  sheer  force  of  the  workings  of  envy 
had  so  long  been  endeavoring  to  persuade  others  that  he  was 
the  equal  of  any  and  every  other  man — a  delusion,  however, 
which  he  could  not  succeed  in  persuading  himself  to  fall 
into — and  he  was  not  slow  in  exhibiting  the  feeling  it  awakened 

"  Sir  George  Templemore  has  too  just  a  sense  of  the  rights 
of  nations  to  make  this  distinction,  Mr.  Monday,"  he  said.  "  If 
I  left  the  Arab  sheik  a  little  abruptly,  it  was  because  I  disliked 
his  ways  ;  for  I  take  it  Africa  is  a  free  country,  and  that  no 
man  is  obliged  to  remain  longer  in  a  tent  than  it  suits  his  own 
convenience.  Captain  Truck  knows  that  I  was  merely  running 
down  the  Beach  to  inform  him  that  the  sheik  intended  to  follow, 
and  he  no  doubt  appreciates  my  motives." 

"  If  not,  Mr.  Dodge,"  put  in  the  captain,  "  like  other 
patriots,  you  must  trust  to  posterity  to  do  you  justice.  The 
joints  and  sinews  are  so  differently  constructed  in  different 
men,  that  one  never  knows  exactly  how  to  calculate  on  speed  ; 
but  this  much  I  will  make  affidavit  to,  if  you  wish  it,  on  reach- 
ing home,  and  that  is,  that  a  better  messenger  could  not  be 
found  than  Mr.  Steadfast  Dodge,  for  a  man  in  a  hurry. 
Sir  George  Templemore,  we  have  had  but  a  few  of  your  opinions 
iince  you  came  out  on  this  expedition,  and  I  should  be  gratified 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  237 

to  hear  your  sentiments  concerning  the  Arabs,  and  any  thing 
else  that  may  suggest  itself  at  the  moment." 

"Oh,  captain!  I  think  the  wretches  odiously  dirty,  and 
judging  from  appearances,  I  should  say  sadly  deficient  in  com- 
forts." 

"  In  the  way  of  breeches  in  particular ;  for  I  am  inclined 
to  think,  Sir  George,  you  are  master  of  more  than  are  to  be 
found  in  their  whole  nation.  Well,  gentlemen,  one  must 
certainly  travel  who  wishes  to  see  the  world ;  but  for  this 
sheer  down  here  upon  the  coast  of  Africa,  neither  of  us  might 
have  ever  known  how  an  Arab  lives,  and  what  a  nimble  wrecker 
he  makes.  For  my  own  part,  if  the  choice  lay  between  filling 
the  office  of  Jemmy  Ducks,  on  board  the  Montauk,  and  that  of 
sheik  in  this  tribe,  I  should,  as  we  say  in  America,  Mr.  Dodge, 
leave  it  to  the  people,  and  do  all  in  my  power  to  obtain  the. 
first  situation.  Sir  George,  I'm  afraid  all  these  county  tongues, 
as  Mr.  Dodge  calls  them,  in  the  way  of  wind  and  weather,  will 
quite  knock  the  buffalo  hunt  on  the  Prairies  in  the  head,  for  this 
fall  at  least." 

"  I  beg,  Captain  Truck,  you  will  not  descredit  my  French 
in  this  way.  I  do  not  call  a  disappointment  *  county  tongues' 
but  '  contra  toms ; '  the  phrase  probably  coming  from  some 
person  of  the  name  of  torn,  who  was  contra,  or  opposed  to  every 
one  else." 

"  Perfectly  explained,  and  as  clear  as  bilge-water.  Sir 
George,  has  Mr.  Dodge  mentioned  to  you  the  manner  in  which 
these  Arabs  enjoy  life  ?  The  gentlemen,  by  way  of  saving 
dish-water,  eat  half-a-dozen  at  a  time  out  of  the  same  plate. 
Quite  republican,  and  altogether  without  pride,  Mr.  Dodge,  in 
their  notions  ! " 

"  Why,  sir,  many  of  their  habits  struck  me  as  being  simple 
and  praiseworthy,  during  the  short  time  I  remained  in  their 
country  ;  and  I  daresay,  one  who  had  leisure  to  study  them 
might  find  materials  for  admiration.  I  can  readily  imagine 
situations  in  which  a  man  has  no  right  to  appropriate  a  whole 
dish  to  himself." 

"  No  doubt,  and  he  who  wishes  a  thing  so  unreasonable 
must  be  a  great  hog  !  What  a  thing  is  sleep  !  Here  are  these 
fine  fellows  as  much  lost  to  their  dangers  and  toils  as  if  at 
home,  and  tucked  in  by  their  careful  and  pious  mothers.  Little 
did  the  good  souls  who  nursed  them,  and  sung  pious  songs  over 
their  cradles,  fancy  the  hardships  they  were  bringing  them  up 
to  !  But  we  never  know  our  fates,  or  miserable  dogs  most  of 
us  would  be.  Is  it  not  so,  Sir  George  ? " 


238  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

The  baronet  started  at  this  appeal,  which  crossed  tha 
quaint  mind  of  the  captain  as  a  cloud  darkens  a  sunny  view, 
and  he  muttered  a  hasty  expression  of  hope  that  there  was 
now  no  particular  reason-te  expect  any  more  serious  obstacles 
to  their  reaching  the  ship. 

"  It  is  not  an  easy  thing  to  tow  a  heavy  raft  in  light  boats 
like  these,  exactly  in  the  direction  you  wish  it  to  go,"  returned 
the  captain,  gaping.  "  He  who  trusts  to  the  winds  and  waves, 
trusts  an  uncertain  friend,  and  one  who  may  fail  him  at  the 
very  moment  when  there  is  most  need  of  their  services.  Fair 
as  things  now  seem,  I  would  give  a  thousand  dollars  of  a  small 
stock,  in  which  no  single  dollar  has  been  lightly  earned,  to 
see  these  spars  safely  on  board  the  Montauk,  and  snugly  fitted 
to  their  proper  places.  Sticks,  gentlemen,  are  to  a  ship  what 
limbs  are  to  a  man.  Without  them  she  rolls  and  tumbles 
about  as  winds,  currents,  and  seas  will ;  while  with  them  she 
walks,  and  dances,  and  jumps  Jim  Crows  ;  ay,  almost  talks. 
The  standing  rigging  are  the  bones  and  gristle ;  the  running 
gear  the  veins  in  which  her  life  circulates  ;  and  the  blocks  the 
joints." 

"  And  which  is  the  heart  ? "  asked  Sir  George. 

"  Her  heart  is  the  master.  With  a  sufficient  commander 
no  stout  ship  is  ever  lost,  so  long  as  she  has  a  foot  of  water 
beneath  her  false  keel,  or  a  ropeyarn  left  to  turn  to  account." 

"  And  yet  the  Dane  had  all  these." 

"  All  but  the  water.  The  best  craft  that  was  ever  launched, 
is  of  less  use  than  a  single  camel,  if  laid  high  and  dry  on  the 
sands  of  Africa.  These  poor  wretches  truly  !  And  yet  their 
fate  might  have  been  ours,  though  I  thought  little  of  the  risk 
while  we  were  in  the  midst  of  the  Arabs.  It  is  still  a  mystery 
to  me  why  they  let  us  escape,  especially  as  they  so  soon  de- 
serted the  wreck.  They  were  strong-handed,  too  ;  counting  all 
who  came  and  went,  I  think  not  less  than  several  hundreds." 

The  captain  now  became  silent  and  thoughtful,  and,  as  the 
wind  continued  to  rise,  he  began  to  feel  uneasiness  about  his 
ship.  Once  or  twice  he  expressed  a  half-formed  determination 
to  pull  to  her  in  one  of  the  light  boats,  in  order  to  look  after 
her  safety  in  person,  and  then  he  abandoned  it,  as  he  witnessed 
the  rising  of  the  sea,  and  the  manner  in  which  the  massive  raft 
caused  the  cordage  by  which  it  was  held  to  strain.  At  length 
he  too  fell  asleep,  and  we  shall  leave  him  and  his  party  for 
awhile,  and  return  to  the  Montauk,  to  give  an  account  of  what 
occurred  on  board  that  ship. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

Nothing  beside  remains  !    Round  the  decay 
Of  that  colossal  wreck,  boundless  and  bare 
The  lone  and  level  sands  stretch  far  away 

SHELLEY . 

Afi  Captain  Truck  was  so  fully  aware  of  the  importance  of 
rapid  movements  to  the  success  of  his  enterprise,  it  will  be  re- 
membered that  he  left  in  the  ship  no  seaman,  no  servant,  ex- 
cept Saunders  the  steward,  and,  in  short,  no  men  but  the  two 
Messrs.  Effingham,  Mr.  Sharp,  Mr.  Blunt,  and  the  other  person 
just  mentioned.  If  to  these  be  added,  Eve  Effingham,  Made- 
moiselle Viefville,  Ann  Sidley,  and  a  French  femme  de  chambre, 
the  whole  party  will  be  enumerated.  At  first,  it  had  been  the 
intention  of  the  master  to  leave  one  of  his  mates  behind  him, 
but,  encouraged  by  the  secure  berth  he  had  found  for  his  vessel, 
the  great  strength  of  his  moorings,  the  little  hold  the  winds  and 
waves  could  get  of  spars  so  robbed  of  their  proportions,  and  of 
a  hull  so  protected  by  the  reef,  and  feeling  a  certain  confidence 
in  the  knowledge  of  Mr.  Blunt,  who,  several  times  during  the 
passage,  had  betrayed  a  great  familiarity  with  ships,  he  came 
to  the  decision  named,  and  had  formally  placed  the  last  named 
gentleman  in  full  charge,  ad  interim,  of  the  Montauk. 

There  was  a  solemn  and  exciting  interest  in  the  situation 
of  those  who  remained  in  the  vessel,  after  the  party  of  bus- 
tling seamen  had  left  them.  The  night  came  in  bland  and  tran- 
quil, and  although  there  was  no  moon,  they  walked  the  deck 
for  hours  with  strange  sensations  of  enjoyment,  mingled  with 
those  of  loneliness  and  desertion.  Mr.  Effingham  and  his 
cousin  retired  to  their  rooms  long  before  the  others,  who  con- 
tinued their  exercise  with  a  freedom  and  an  absence  of  re- 
straint, that  they  had  not  before  felt,  since  subjected  to  the  con- 
finement of  the  ship. 

"Our  situation  is  at  least  novel,"  Eve  observed,  "fora 
party  of  Parisians,  Viennois,  Romans,  or  by  whatever  name  we 
may  be  properly  styled." 

"  Say  Swiss  then,"  returned  Mr.  Blunt  ;  "for  I  believe  that 
even  the  cosmopolite  has  a  claim  to  choose  his  favorite  resi- 
dence." 


24o  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

Eve  understood  the  allusion,  which  carried  her  back  to  the 
weeks  they  had  passed  in  company,  among  the  grand  scenery 
of  the  Alps  ;  but  she  would  not  betray  the  consciousness,  for, 
whatever  may  be  the  ingenuousness  of  a  female,  she  seldom 
loses  her  sensitiveness  on  the  subject  of  her  more  cherished 
feelings. 

"  And  do  you  prefer  Switzerland  to  all  the  other  countries 
of  your  acquaintance  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Sharp  :  "  England  I  leave 
out  of  the  question,  for,  though  we,  who  belong  to  the  island, 
see  so  many  charms  in  it,  it  must  be  conceded  that  strangers 
seldom  join  us  very  heartily  in  its  praises.  I  think  most  trav- 
ellers would  give  the  palm  to  Italy." 

"  I  am  quite  of  the  same  opinion,"  returned  the  other  ; 
"  and  were  I  to  be  confined  to  a  choice  of  a  residence  for  life, 
Italy  should  be  my  home.  Still,  I  think,  that  we  like  change 
in  our  residence,  as  well  as  in  the  seasons.  Italy  is  summer, 
and  one,  I  fear,  would  weary  of  even  an  eternal  June." 

"  Is  not  Italy  rather  autumn,  a  country  in  which  the  harvest 
is  gathered,  and  where  one  begins  already  to  see  the  fall  of  the 
leaf  ? " 

"  To  me,"  said  Eve,  "  it  would  be  an  eternal  summer  ;  as 
things  are  eternal  with  young  ladies.  My  ignorance  would  be 
always  receiving  instruction,  and  my  tastes  improvement. 
But,  if  Italy  be  summer,  or  autumn,  what  is  poor  America  ?  " 

"  Spring  of  course,"  civilly  answered  Mr.  Sharp. 

"  And,  do  you,  Mr.  Blunt,  who  seem  to  know  all  parts  of 
the  world  equally  well,  agree  in  giving  our  country,  my  country 
at  least,  this  encouraging  title  ?  " 

"  It  is  merited  in  many  respects,  though  there  are  others  in 
which  the  term  winter  would,  perhaps,  be  better  applied.  Amer- 
ica is  a  country  not  easily  understood  ;  for,  in  some  particulars, 
like  Minerva,  it  has  been  born  full-grown  ;  while,  in  others,  it 
is  certainly  still  an  infant." 

"  In  what  particulars  do  you  especially  class  it  with  the  lat- 
ter ?  "  inquired  Mr.  Sharp. 

"  In  strength,  to  commence,"  answered  the  other,  slightly 
smiling  "  in  opinion,  too,  and  in  tastes,  and  perhaps  in  knowl- 
edge. As  to  the  latter  essential,  however,  and  practical  things 
as  well  as  in  the  commoner  comforts,  America  may  well  claim  to 
be  in  midsummer,  when  compared  with  other  nations.  I  do 
not  think  you  Americans,  Miss  Effingham,  at  the  head  of  civili- 
zation, certainly,  as  so  many  of  your  own  people  fancy  ;  nor 
at  the  bottom,  as  so  many  of  those  of  Mademoiselle  Viefvilla 
and  Mr.  Sharpe  so  piously  believe." 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  24 1 

"  And  what  are  the  notions  of  the  countrymen  of  Mr.  Blunt, 
on  the  subject  ?  " 

"As  far  from  the  trutk.  perhaps,  as  any  other.  I  perceive 
there  exist  some  doubts  as  to  the  place  of  my  nativity,'*  he 
added,  after  a  pause  that  d.enoted  a  hesitation,  which  all  hoped 
was  to  end  in  his  setting  the  matter  at  rest,  by  a  simple  state 
ment  of  the  fact  ;  "  and  I  believe  I  shall  profit  by  the  circum- 
stance, to  praise  and  condemn  at  pleasure,  since  no  one  can 
impeach  my  candor,  or  impute  either  to  partialities  or  preju- 
dices." 

"  That  must  depend  on  the  justice  of  your  judgments.  In 
one  thing,  however,  you  will  have  me  on  your  side,  and  that  is 
in  giving  the  pas  to  delicious,  dreamy  Italy  ?  Though  Made- 
moiselle Viefville  will  set  this  down  as  lese  majeste  against  cher 
Paris  ;  and  I  fear,  Mr.  Sharp  will  think  even  London  injured." 

"  Do  you  really  hold  London  so  cheap  ?  "  inquired  the  lat- 
ter gentleman,  with  more  interest  than  he  himself  was  quite  aware 
of  betraying. 

"  Indeed,  no.  This  would  be  to  discredit  my  own  tastes 
and  knowledge.  In  a  hundred  things,  I  think  London  quite 
the  finest  town  of  Christendom.  It  is  not  Rome,  certainly, 
and  were  it  in  ruins  fifteen  centuries,  I  question  if  people 
would  flock  to  the  banks  of  the  Thames  to  dream  away  exist* 
ence  among  its  crumbling  walls  ;  but,  inconveniences,  beautj 
of  verdure,  a  mixture  of  park-like  scenery  and  architecture, 
and  in  magnificence  of  a  certain  sort,  one  would  hardly  know 
where  to  go  to  find  the  equal  of  London." 

"  You  say  nothing  of  its  society,  Miss  Effingham  ?  " 

"  It  would  be  presuming,  in  a  girl  of  my  limited  experience, 
to  speak  of  this.  I  hear  so  much  of  the  good  sense  of  the  na- 
tion, that  I  dare  not  say  aught  against  its  society,  and  it  would 
be  affectation  for  me  to  pretend  to  commend  it  ;  but  as  for 
your  females,  judging  by  my  own  poor  means,  they  strike  me 
as  being  singularly  well  cultivated  and  accomplished  ;  and 
yet " 

"  Go  on,  I  entreat  you.  Recollect  we  have  solemnly  de- 
cided in  a  general  congress  of  states  to  be  cosmopolites,  until 
safe  within  Sandy  Hook,  and  that  la  franchise  is  the  mol 
d'ordre." 

"  Well,  then,  I  should  not  certainly  describe  you  English  as 
a  talking  people,"  continued  Eve,  laughing.  "  In  the  way  of 
society,  you  are  quite  as  agreeable  as  a  people,  who  never 
laugh  and  seldom  speak,  can  possibly  make  themselves." 


242  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  Et  les  jeunes  Americaines  ?  "  said  Mademoiselle  Viefville 
laconically. 

"  My  dear  mademoiselle,  your  question  is  terrific  !  Mr, 
Blunt  has  informed  me  that  they  actually  giggle  !  " 

"  Quelle  horreur  !  " 

"  It  is  bad  enough,  certainly ;  but  I  ascribe  the  report  to 
calumny.  No  ;  if  I  must  speak,  let  me  have  Paris  for  its  society, 
and  Naples  for  its  nature.  As  respects  New  York,  Mr.  Blunt, 
I  suspend  my  judgment." 

"  Whatever  may  be  the  particular  merit  which  shall  most 
attract  your  admiration  in  favor  of  the  great  emporium,  as  the 
grandiloquent  writers  term  the  capital  of  you  own  state,  I  think 
I  can  venture  to  predict  it  will  be  neither  of  those  just  men- 
tioned. Of  society,  indeed,  New  York  has  positively  none : 
like  London,  it  has  plenty  of  company,  which  is  disciplined 
something  like  a  regiment  of  militia  composed  of  drafts  from 
different  brigades,  and  which  sometimes  mistakes  the  drum- 
major  for  the  colonel." 

"  I  had  fancied  you  a  New  Yorker,  until  now,"  observed  Mr, 
Sharp. 

"  And  why  not  now  ?  Is  a  man  to  be  blind  to  facts  as  evi- 
dent as  the  noonday  sun,  because  he  was  born  here  or  there  ? 
If  I  have  told  you  an  unpleasant  truth,  Miss  Effingham,  you 
must  accuse  la  franchise  of  the  offence.  I  believe  you  are  not 
a  Manhattanese !  " 

"  I  am  a  mountaineer ;  having  been  born  at  my  father's 
country  residence." 

"  This  gives  me  courage  then,  for  no  one  here  will  have  his 
filial  piety  shocked." 

"  Not  even  yourself  ?  " 

"  As  for  myself,"  returned  Paul  Blunt,  "  it  is  settled  I  am 
a  cosmopolite  in  fact,  while  you  are  only  a  cosmopolite  by  con- 
vention. Indeed,  I  question  if  I  might  take  the  same  liberties 
with  either  Paris  or  London,  that  I  am  about  to  take  with 
palmy  Manhattan.  I  should  have  little  confidence  in  the  for- 
bearance of  my  auditors  :  Mademoiselle  Viefville  would  hardly 
forgive  me,  were  I  to  attempt  a  criticism  on  the  first,  for  in- 
stance." 

"  C  est  impossible  !  you  could  not,  Monsieur  Blunt ;  vous  par- 
lez  trop  bien  Francais  not  to  love  Paris" 

"  I  do  love  Paris,  mademoiselle  ;  and,  what  is  more,  I  love 
Londres,  or  even  la  Nouvelle  Yorck.  As  a  cosmopolite,  I  claim 
this  privilege,  at  least,  though  I  can  see  defects  in  all.  If  you 
will  recollect,  Miss  Effingham,  that  New  York  is  a  social  biv 


HOMEWARD  SOUND.  343 

ouac,  a  place  in  which  families  encamp  instead  of  troops,you 
will  see  the  impossibility  of  its  possessing  a  graceful,  well- 
ordered,  and  cultivated  society.  Then  the  town  is  commercial ; 
and  no  place  of  mere  commerce  can  well  have  a  reputation  for 
its  society.  Such  an  anomaly,  I  believe,  never  existed.  What- 
ever may  be  the  usefulness  of  trade,  I  fancy  few  will  contend 
that  it  is  very  graceful." 

"  Florence  of  old  ?  "  said  Eve. 

"Florence  and  her  commerce  were  peculiar,  and  the  rela* 
tions  of  things  change  with  circumstances.  When  Florence 
was  great,  trade  was  a  monopoly,  in  a  few  hands,  and  so  con- 
ducted as  to  remove  the  principles  from  immediate  contact  with 
its  affairs.  The  Medici  traded  in  spices  and  silks,  as  men  traded 
in  politics,  through  agents.  They  probably  never  saw  their 
ships,  or  had  any  farther  connection  with  their  commerce,  than 
to  direct  its  spirit.  They  were  more  like  the  legislator  who 
enacts  laws  to  regulate  trade,  than  the  dealer  who  fingers  a 
sample,  smells  at  a  wine,  or  nibbles  a  grain.  The  Medici  were 
merchants,  a  class  of  men  altogether  different  from  the  mere 
factors,  who  buy  of  one  to  sell  to  another,  at  a  stated  advance 
in  price,  and  all  of  whose  enterprise  consists  in  extending  the 
list  of  safe  customers,  and  of  doing  what  is  called  a  '  regular 
business.'  Monopolies  do  harm  on  the  whole,  but  they  cer- 
tainly elevate  the  favored  few.  The  Medici  and  the  Strozzi  were 
both  princes  and  merchants,  while  those  around  them  were 
principally  dependents.  Competition,  in  our  day,  has  let  in 
thousands  to  share  in  the  benefits;  and  the  pursuit,  while  it  is 
enlarged  as  a  whole,  has  suffered  in  its  parts  by  division." 

"  You  surely  do  not  complain  that  a  thousand  are  comfort- 
able and  respectable  to-day,  for  one  that  was  il  magnifico  three 
hundred  years  since  ?  " 

"  Certainly  not.  I  rejoice  in  the  change  ;  but  we  must  not 
confound  names  with  things.  If  we  have  a  thousand  mere  fac- 
tors for  one  merchant,  society,  in  the  general  signification  of 
the  word,  is  clearly  a  gainer  ;  but  if  we  had  one  Medici  for  a 
thousand  factors,  society,  in  its  particular  signification,  might 
also  be  a  gainer.  All  I  mean  is,  that,  in  lowering  the  pursuit, 
we  have  necessarily  lowered  its  qualifications  ;  in  other  words, 
every  man  in  trade  in  New  York,  is  no  more  a  Lorenzo,  than 
every  printer's  devil  is  a  Franklin." 

"Mr.  Blunt  cannot  be  an  American!"  cried  Mr.  Sharp', 
"for  these  opinions  would  be  heresy." 

"Jamais^jamais"  joined  the  governess. 

"You  constantly  forget  the  treaty  of  cosmopolitism.     But 


$44  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

a  capital  error  is  abroad  concerning  America  on  this  very  sub- 
ject of  commerce.  In  the  way  of  merchandise  alone,  there  is 
not  a  Christian  maritime  nation  of  any  extent,  that  has  a  smaller 
portion  of  its  population  engaged  in  trade  of  this  sort  than  the 
United  States  of  America.  The  nation,  as  a  nation,  is  agricul- 
tural, though  the  state  of  transition,  in  which  a  country  in  the 
course  of  rapid  settlement  must  always  exist,  causes  more  buy- 
ing and  selling  of  real  property  than  is  usual.  Apart  from  this 
peculiarity,  the  Americans,  as  a  whole  people,  have  not  the 
common  Eoropean  proportions  of  ordinary  dealers." 

"  This  is  not  the  prevalent  opinion."  said  Mr.  Sharp. 

"  It  is  not,  and  the  reason  is,  that  all  American  towns,  or 
nearly  all  that  are  at  all  known  in  other  countries,  are  purely 
commercial  towns.  The  trading  portion  of  a  community  is 
always  the  concentrated  portion,  too,  and  of  course,  in  the 
absence  of  a  court,  of  a  political,  or  of  a  social  capital,  it  has 
the  greatest  power  to  make  itself  heard  and  felt,  until  there  is 
a  direct  appeal  to  the  other  classes.  The  elections  commonly 
show  quite  as  little  sympathy  between  the  majority  and  the 
commercial  class  as  is  consistent  with  the  public  welfare.  In 
point  of  fact,  America  has  but  a  very  small  class  of  real  mer- 
chants, men  who  are  the  cause  and  not  a  consequence  of  com- 
merce, though  she  has  exceeding  activity  in  the  way  of  ordinary 
traffic.  The  portion  of  her  people  who  are  engaged  as  factors, 
— for  this  is  the  true  calling  of  the  man  who  is  a  regular  agent 
between  the  common  producer  and  the  common  consumer, — • 
are  of  a  high  class  as  factors,  but  not  of  the  high  class  of  mer- 
chants. The  man  who  orders  a  piece  of  silk  to  manufactured 
at  Lyons,  at  three  francs  a  yard,  to  sell  it  in  the  regular  course 
of  the  season  to  the  retailer  at  three  francs  and  a  half,  is  no 
more  a  true  merchant,  than  the  attorney,  who  goes  through  the 
prescribed  forms  of  the  court  in  his  pleadings,  is  a  barrister." 

"  I  do  not  think  these  sentiments  will  be  very  popular  at 
home,  as  Mr.  Dodge  says,"  Eve  laughingly  remarked ;  "  but 
when  shall  we  reach  that  home  !  While  we  are  talking  of  these 
things,  here  are  we,  in  an  almost  deserted  ship,  within  a  mile 
of  the  great  Desert  of  Sahara !  How  beautiful  are  the  stars, 
mademoiselle  !  we  have  never  before  seen  a  vault  so  studded 
with  brilliants." 

"  That  must  be  owing  to  the  latitude,"  Mr.  Sharp  observed. 

"  Certainly.  Can  any  one  say  in  what  latitude  we  are  pre- 
cisely ? "  As  Eve  asked  this  question,  she  unconsciously  turned 
towards  Mr.  Blunt ;  for  the  whole  party  had  silently  come  to 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


245 


the  conclusion  that  he  knew  more  of  ships  and  navagation  than 
all  of  them  united. 

"  I  believe  we  are  not  far  from  twenty-four,  which  is  bring- 
ing us  near  the  tropics,  and  places  us  quite  sixteen  degrees  to 
the  southwaid  of  our  port.  These  two  affairs  of  the  chase  and 
of  the  gale  have  driven  us  fully  twelve  hundred  miles  from  the 
course  we  ought  to  have  taken." 

"  Fortunately,  mademoiselle,  there  are  none  to  feel  appre- 
hensions on  our  account,  or,  none  whose  interest  will  be  so 
keen  as  to  create  a  very  lively  distress.  I  hope,  gentlemen, 
you  are  equally  at  ease  on  this  score  ?  " 

This  was  the  first  time  Eve  had  ever  trusted  herself  to  put 
an  interrogatory  that  might  draw  from  Paul  Blunt  any  commu- 
nication that  would  directly  touch  upon  his  connections.  She 
repented  of  the  speech  as  soon  as  made,  but  causelessly,  as  it 
drew  from  the  young  man  no  answer.  Mr.  Sharp  observed 
that  his  friends  in  England  could  scarcely  know  of  their  situa- 
tion, until  his  own  letters  would  arrive  to  relieve  their  minds. 
As  for  Mademoiseile  Viefville,  the  hard  fortune  which  reduced 
her  to  the  office  of  a  governess,  had  almost  left  her  without 
natural  ties. 

"  I  believe  we  are  to  have  watch  and  ward  to-night,"  re- 
sumed Eve,  after  the  general  pause  had  continued  some  little 
time.  "  Is  it  not  possible  for  the  elements  to  put  us  in  the 
same  predicament  as  that  in  which  we  found  the  poor  Dane  ?  " 

"  Possible,  certainly,  but  scarcely  probable,"  returned  Mr. 
Blunt.  "  The  ship  is  well  moored,  and  this  narrow  ledge  of 
rocks,  between  us  and  the  ocean,  serves  admirably  for  a  break- 
water. One  would  not  like  to  be  stranded,  helpless  as  we  are, 
at  this  moment,  on  a  coast  like  this  !  " 

"  Why  so  particularly  helpless  ?  You  alude  to  the  absence 
of  our  crew  ? " 

"  To  that,  and  to  the  fact  that,  I  believe,  we  could  not 
muster  as  much  as  a  pocket-pistol  to  defend  ourselves  with, 
everything  in  the  shape  of  firearms  having  been  sent  with  the 
party  in  the  boats." 

"  Might  we  not  lie  on  the  beach,  here,  for  days,  even  weeks," 
inquired  Mr.  Sharp,  "  without  being  discovered  by  the  Arabs  ?  " 

"  I  fear  not.  Mariners  have  told  me  that  the  barbarians 
hover  along  the  shores,  especially  after  gales,  in  the  hope  of. 
meeting  with  wrecks,  and  that  it  is  surprising  how  soon  they  gain 
intelligence  of  any  disaster.  It  is  seldom  there  is  even  an  op 
portunity  to  escape  in  a  boat." 

"  I  hope  here,  at  least,  we  are  safe  ?  "  cried  Eve,  in  a  littlt 


246  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

terror,  and  shuddering,   as   much   in   playfulness   as   in   real 
alarm. 

"  I  see  no  grounds  of  concern  where  we  are^  so  long  as  we 
can  keep  the  ship  off  the  shore.  The  Arabs  have  no  boats, 
and  if  they  had,  they  would  not  dare  to  attack  a  vessel  that 
floated,  in  one,  unless  aware  of  her  being  as  truly  helpless  as 
we  happen  at  this  moment  to  be." 

"  This  is  a  chilling  consolation,  but  I  shall  trust  in  your 
good  care,  gentlemen.  Mademoiselle,  it  is  drawing  near  mid- 
night, I  believe." 

Eve  and  her  companion  then  courteously  wished  the  two 
young  men  good  night,  and  retired  to  their  staterooms  ;  Mr. 
'  Sharp  remained  an  hour  longer  with  Mr.  Blunt,  who  had  under 
taken  to  watch  the  first  few  hours,  conversing  with  a  light  heart, 
and  gayly  ;  for,  though  there  was  a  secret  consciousness  of 
rivalry  between  these  two  young  men  on  the  subject  of  Eve's 
favor,  it  was  a  generous  and  manly  competition,  in  which  each 
did  the  other  ample  justice.  They  talked  of  their  travels,  their 
views  of  customs  and  nations,  their  adventures  in  different 
countries,  and  of  the  pleasure  each  had  felt  in  visiting  spots  re- 
nowned by  association  or  the  arts  ;  but  not  a  word  was  hazarded 
either  by  concerning  the  young  creature  who  had  just  left  them, 
and  whom  each  still  saw  in  his  mind's  eye,  long  after  her  light  and 
graceful  form  had  disappeared.  At  length  Mr.  Sharp  went 
below,  his  companion  insisting  on  being  left  alone,  under  the 
penalty  of  remaining  up  himself  during  the  second  watch. 
From  this  time,  for  several  hours,  there  was  no  other  noise  in 
the  ship  than  the  tread  of  the  solitary  watchman.  At  the  ap- 
pointed period  of  the  night,  a  change  took  place,  and  he  who 
had  watched  slept,  while  he  who  had  slept  watched.  Just  as 
day  dawned,  however,  Paul  Blunt,  who  was  in  a  deep  sleep, 
felt  a  shake  at  his  shoulder. 

"  Pardon  me,"  cautiously  whispered  Mr.  Sharp  :  "  I  fear  we 
are  about  to  have  a  most  unpleasant  interruption  to  our  soli- 
tude." 

"  Heavenly  powers  ! — Not  the  Arabs  ? " 

"  I  fear  no  less  :  but  it  is  still  too  dark  to  be  certain  of  the 
fact.  If  you  will  rise,  we  can  consult  on  the  situation  in  which 
we  are  placed.  I  beg  you  to  be  quick." 

Paul  Blunt  had  hastily  risen  on  an  arm,  and  he  now  passed 
a  hand  over  his  brow,  as  if  to  make  certain  that  he  was  awake. 
He  had  not  undressed  himself,  and  in  another  moment  he  stood 
on  his  feet  in  the  middle  of  the  stateroom. 

"  This  is  too  serious  to  allow  of  mistake.     We  will  not  alarm 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  247 

her  then ;  we  will  not  give  any  alarm,  sir,  until  certain   of  the 
calamity." 

"In  that  I  entirely  agree  with  you,"  returned  Mr.  Sharp, 
who  was  perfectly  calm,  though  evidently  distressed.  "  I  may 
be  mistaken,  and  wish  your  opinion.  All  on  board  but  us  two 
are  in  a  profound  sleep." 

The  other  drew  on  his  coat,  and  in  a  minute  both  were  on 
deck.  The  day  had  not  yet  dawned,  and  the  light  was  scarce 
sufficient  to  distinguish  objects  even  near  as  those  on  the  reef, 
particularly  when  they  were  stationary.  The  rocks,  them- 
selves, however,  were  visible  in  places,  for  the  tide  was  out,  and 
most  of  the  upper  portion  of  the  ledge  was  bare,  The  two 
gentlemen  moved  cautiously  to  the  bows  of  the  vessel,  and, 
concealed  by  the  bulwarks,  Mr,  Sharp  pointed  out  to  his  com- 
panion the  objects  that  had  given  him  the  alarm. 

"  Do  you  see  the  pointed  rock  a  little  to  the  right  of  the 
spot  where  the  kedge  is  placed  ? "  he  said,  pointing  in  the 
direction  that  he  meant.  "  It  is  now  naked,  and  I  am  quite 
certain  there  was  an  object  on  it,  when  I  went  below,  that  has 
since  moved  away." 

"  It  may  have  been  a  sea-bird  ;  for  we  are  so  near  the  day, 
some  of  them  are  probably  in  motion.  Was  it  large  ?  " 

"  Of  the  size  of  a  man's  head,  apparently  ;  but  this  is  by 
no  means  all.  Here,  farther  to  the  north,  I  distinguished  three 
objects  in  motion,  wading  in  the  water,  near  the  point  where 
the  rocks  are  never  bare." 

"  They  may  have  been  herons  ;  the  bird  is  often  found  in 
these  low  latitudes,  I  believe.  I  can  discover  nothing." 

"  I  would  to  God,  I  may  have  been  mistaken,  though  I  do 
not  think  I  could  be  so  much  deceived." 

Paul  Blunt  caught  his  arm,  and  held  it  like  one  who  lis- 
tened intently, 

"  Heard  you  that  ?  "  he  whispered  hurriedly. 

"  It  sounded  like  the  clanking  of  iron." 

Looking  around,  the  other  found  a  handspike,  and  passing 
swiftly  up  the  heel  of  the  bowsprit,  he  stood  between  the 
knight-heads.  Here  he  bent  forward,  and  looked  intently  to- 
wards the  lines  of  chains  which  lay  over  the  bulwarks,  as  bow- 
fasts.  Of  these  chains  the  parts  led  quite  near  each  other,  in 
parallel  lines,  and  as  the  ship's  moorings  were  taut,  they  were 
hanging  in  merely  a  slight  curve.  From  the  rocks,  or  the  place 
where  the  kedges  were  laid  to  a  point  within  thirty  feet  of  the 
ship,  these  chains  were  dotted  with  living  beings  crawling 
cautiously  upward.  It  was  even  easy,  at  a  second  look,  to 


Z48  HOMEWARD  POUND. 

perceive  that  they  were  men  stealthily  advancing  on  their  hands 
and  feet. 

Raising  the  handspike,  Mr.  Blunt  struck  the  chains  several 
violent  blows.  The  effect  was  to  cause  the  whole  of  the  Arabs 
• — for  it  could  be  no  others — suddenly  to  cease  advancing,  and 
to  seat  themselves  astride  the  chains. 

"  This  is  fearful,"  said  Mr.  Sharp  ;  "  but  we  must  die,  rather 
than  permit  them  to  reach  the  ship." 

"  We  must.  Stand  you  here,  and  if  they  advance,  strike 
the  chains.  There  is  not  an  instant  to  lose." 

Paul  Blunt  spoke  hurriedly,  and,  giving  the  other  the  hand- 
spike, he  ran  down  to  the  bitts,  and  commenced  loosening  the 
chains  from  their  fastenings.  The  Arabs  heard  the  clanking 
of  the  iron-rings,  as  he  threw  coil  after  coil  on  the  deck,  and 
they  did  not  advance,  Presently  two  parts  yielded  together 
beneath  them,  and  then  two  more.  These  were  the  signals  for 
a  common  retreat,  and  Mr.  Sharp  now  plainly  counted  fifteen 
human  forms  as  they  scrambled  back  towards  the  reef,  some 
hanging  by  their  arms,  some  half  in  the  water,  and  others  ly- 
ing along  the  chains,  as  best  they  might.  Mr.  Blunt  having 
loosened  the  chains,  so  as  to  let  their  bights  fall  into  the  sea,  the 
ships  lowly  drifted  astern,  and  rode  by  her  cables.  When  this 
was  done,  the  two  young  men  stood  together  in  silence  on  the 
forecastle,  as  if  each  felt  that  all  which  had  just  occurred  was 
some  illusion. 

"  This  is  indeed  terrible,"  exclaimed  Paul  Blunt.  "  We 
have  not  even  a  pistol  left !  No  means  of  defence — nothing 
but  this  narrow  belt  of  water  between  us  and  these  barbarians  ! 
No  doubt,  too,  they  have  firearms  ;  and,  as  soon  as  it  is  light, 
they  will  render  it  unsafe  to  remain  on  deck." 

Mr.  Sharp  took  the  hand  of  his  companion  and  pressed  it 
fervently.  "  God  bless  you  !  "  he  said  in  a  stifled  voice.  "God 
bless  you,  for  even  this  brief  delay.  But  for  this  happy 
thought  of  yours,  Miss  Effingham — the  others — we  should  all 
have  been,  by  this  time,  at  the  mercy  of  these  remorseless 
wretches.  This  is  not  a  moment  for  false  pride  or  pitiful  de- 
ceptions. I  think  either  of  us  would  willingly  die  to  rescue 
that  beautiful  and  innocent  creature  from  a  fate  like  this  which 
threatens  her  in  common  with  ourselves  ?  " 

"  Cheerfully  would  I  lay  down  my  life  to  be  assured  that 
she  was,  at  this  instant,  safe  in  a  civilized  and  Christian  country." 

These  generous  young  men  squeezed  each  other's  hands, 
and  at  that  moment  no  feeling  of  rivalry,  or  of  competition 
even,  entered  the  heart  of  either.  Both  were  influenced  by  a 


\HO'M&WARD  BOUtfD.  349 

pure  and  ardent  desire  to  serve  the  woman  they  loved,  and  it 
would  be  true  to  say,  that  scarce  a  thought  of  any  but  Eve  was 
uppermost  in  their  minds.  Indeed  so  engrossing  was  their 
common  care  in  her  behalf,  so  much  more  terrible  than  that  of 
any  other  person  did  her  fate  appear  on  being  captured,  that 
they  forgot,  for  the  moment,  there  were  others  in  the  ship,  and 
others,  too,  who  might  be  serviceable  in  arresting  the  very 
calamity  they  dreaded. 

"They  may  not  be  a  strong  party,"  said  Paul  Blunt,  after  a 
little  thought,  "  in  which  case,  failing  of  a  surprise,  they  may 
not  be  able  to  muster  a  force  sufficient  to  hazard  an  open  attack 
until  the  return  of  the  boats.  We  have,  God  be  praised! 
escaped  being  seized  in  our  sleep,  and  made  unconscious  victims 
of  so  cruel  a  fate.  Fifteen  or  twenty  will  scarcely  dare  attempt 
a  ship  of  this  size,  without  a  perfect  knowledge  of  our  feeble- 
ness, and  particularly  of  our  want  of  arms.  There  is  a  light 
gun  on  board,  and  it  is  loaded  ;  with  this,  too,  we  may  hold 
them  at  bay,  by  not  betraying  our  weakness.  Let  us  awake 
the  others,  for  this  is  not  a  moment  for  sleep.  We  are  safe,  at 
least,  for  an  hour  or  two  ;  since,  without  boats,  they  cannot 
possibly  find  the  means  to  board  us  in  less  than  that  time." 

The  two  young  men  went  below,  unconsciously  treading 
Jghtly,  like  those  who  moved  about  in  the  presence  of  an 
impending  danger.  Paul  Blunt  was  in  advance,  and  to  his  great 
surprise  he  met  Eve  at  the  door  of  the  ladies'  cabin,  apparently 
awaiting  their  approach.  She  was  dressed,  for  apprehension, 
and  the  novelty  of  their  situation,  had  caused  her  to  sleep  in 
most  of  her  clothes,  and  a  few  moments  had  sufficed  for  a  hasty 
adjustment  of  the  toilet.  Miss  Effingham  was  pale,  but  a  con- 
centration of  all  her  energies  seemed  to  prevent  the  exhibition 
of  any  womanly  terror. 

"  Something  is  wrong  !  "  she  said,  trembling  in  spite  of  her- 
self, and  laying  her  hand  unwittingly  on  the  arm  of  Paul  Blunt : 
"  I  heard  the  heavy  fall  of  iron  on  the  deck." 

"  Compose  yourself,  dearest  Miss  Effingham,  compose  your- 
self, I  entreat  you.  I  mean,  that  we  have  come  to  awaken  the 
gentlemen." 

"  Tell  me  the  worst,  Powis,  I  implore  you.  I  am  equal, — I 
think  I  am  equal,  to  hearing  it." 

"  I  fear  your  imagination  has  exaggerated  the  danger." 

"  The  coast  ?  " 

"  Of  that  there  is  no  cause  for  apprehension.  The  sea  is 
calm,  and  our  fasts  are  perfectly  good." 

"  The  boats  ?  " 


2^0  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

«  Will  doubtless  be  back  in  good  time." 

"  Surely — surely,"  said  Eve,  recoiling  a  step,  as  if  she  saw 
a  monster,  "  not  the  Arabs  ?  " 

"  They  cannot  enter  the  ship,  though  a  few  of  them  are 
hovering  about  us.  But  for  the  vigilance  of  Mr.  Sharp,  indeed, 
we  might  have  all  been  captured  in  our  sleep.  As  it  is,  we 
have  warning,  and  there  is  now  little  doubt  of  our  being  able 
to  intimidate  the  few  barbarians  who  have  shown  themselves, 
until  Captain  Truck  shall  return." 

"  Then  from  my  soul,  I  thank  you,  Sir  George  Templemore, 
and  for  this  good  office  will  you  receive  the  thanks  of  a  father, 
and  the  prayers  of  all  whom  you  have  so  signally  served." 

"  Nay,  Miss  Effingham,  although  I  find  this  interest  in  me 
so  grateful  that  I  have  hardly  the  heart  to  lessen  your  gratitude, 
truth  compels  me  to  give  it  a  juster  direction.  But  for  the 
promptitude  of  Mr.  Blunt — or  as  I  now  find  I  ought  to  address 
him,  Mr.  Powis — we  should  truly  have  all  been  lost." 

"  We  will  not  dispute  about  your  merits,  gentlemen.  You 
have  both  deserved  our  most  heartfelt  thanks,  and  if  you  will 
awaken  my  father  and  Mr.  John  Effingham,  I  will  arouse 
Mademoiselle  Viefville  and  my  own  women.  Surely,  surely, 
this  is  no  time  to  sleep  !  " 

The  summons  was  given  at  the  stateroom  doors,  and  the 
two  young  men  returned  to  the  deck,  for  they  felt  it  was  not 
safe  to  leave  it  long  at  such  a  moment.  All  was  quite  tranquil 
above,  however,  nor  could  the  utmost  scrutiny  now  detect  the 
presence  of  any  person  on  the  reef. 

"  The  rocks  are  cut  off  from  the  shore,  farther  to  the  south- 
ward by  deeper  water,"  said  Paul  Blunt — for  we  shall  continue 
to  call  both  gentlemen,  except  on  particular  occasions,  by  their 
noms  de  guerre — "  and  when  the  tide  is  up  the  place  cannot  be 
forded.  Of  this  the  Arabs  are  probably  aware ;  and  having 
failed  in  their  first  attempt,  they  will  probably  retire  to  the 
beach  as  the  water  is  rising,  for  they  might  not  like  to  be  left 
on  the  riband  of  rock  that  will  remain  in  face  of  the  force  that 
would  be  likely  to  be  found  in  such  a  vessel." 

"  May  they  not  be  acquainted  with  the  absence  of  most  of 
our  people,  and  be  bent  upon  seizing  the  vessel  before  they 
can  return  ?  " 

"  That  indeed  is  the  gloomy  side  of  the  conjecture,  and  it 
may  possibly  be  too  true  ;  but  as  the  day  is  beginning  to  break, 
we  shall  soon  learn  the  worst,  and  anything  is  better  than  vague 
distrust." 

For  some  time  the  two  gentlemen  paced  the  quarter- 
deck together  in  silence.  Mr.  Sharp  was  the  first  to  speak. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  251 

"  The  emotions  natural  to  such  an  alarm,"  he  sa^d,  "  have 
caused  Miss  Effingham  to  betray  an  incognito  of  mine,  that  I 
fear  you  find  sufficiently  absurd.  It  was  quite  accidental,  I  do 
assure  you  ;  as  much  so,  perhaps,  as  it  was  motiveless." 

"  Except  as  you  might  distrust  American  democracy,"  re- 
turned Paul,  smiling,  "  and  feel  disposed  to  propitiate  it  by  a 
temporary  sacrifice  of  rank  and  title." 

"  I  declare  you  do  me  injustice.  My  man,  whose  name  is 
Sharp,  had  taken  the  stateroom,  and,  finding  myself  addressed 
by  his  appellation,  I  had  the  weakness  to  adopt  it,  under  the 
impression  it  might  be  convenient  in  a  packet.  Had  I  antici- 
pated, in  the  least,  meeting  with  the  Effinghams,  I  should  not 
have  been  guilty  of  the  folly,  for  Mr.  and  Miss  Effingham  are 
old  acquaintances." 

"  While  you  are  thus  apologizing  for  a  venial  offence,  yo\i 
forget  it  is  to  a  man  guilty  of  the  same  error.  I  knew  your 
person,  from  having  seen  you  on  the  Continent  ;  and  finding 
you  disposed  to  go  by  the  homely  name  of  Sharp,  in  a  moment 
of  thoughtlessness,  I  took  its  counterpart,  Blunt.  A  travelling 
name  is  sometimes  convenient,  though  sooner  or  later  I  fancy 
all  deception  bring  with  them  their  own  punishments." 

"  It  is  certain  that  falsehood  requires  to  be  supported  by 
falsehood.  Having  commenced  in  untruth,  would  it  not  be  ex- 
pedient to  persevere  until  we  reach  America  ?  I,  at  least,  can- 
not now  assert  a  right  to  my  proper  name,  without  deposing  an 
usurper  ? " 

"It  will  be  expedient  for  you,  certainly,  if  it  be  only  to  es- 
cape the  homage  of  that  double-distilled  democrat,  Mr.  Dodge. 
As  for  myself,  few  care  enough  about  me  to  render  it  a  matter 
of  moment  how  I  am  styled  ;  though,  on  the  whole,  I  should 
prefer  to  let  things  stand  as  they  are,  for  reasons  I  cannot  well 
explain." 

No  more  was  said  on  the  subject,  though  both  understood 
that  the  old  appellations  were  to  be  temporarily  continued. 
Just  as  this  brief  dialogue  ended,  the  rest  of  the  party  ap- 
peared on  deck.  All  preserved  a  forced  calmness,  though  the 
paleness  of  the  ladies  betrayed  the  intense  anxiety  they  felt. 
Eve  struggled  with  her  fears  on  account  of  her  father,  who  had 
trembled  so  violently,  when  the  truth  was  first  told  him,  as  to 
be  quite  unmanned,  but  who  now  comported  himself  with 
dignity,  though  oppressed  with  apprehensions  almost  to  an- 
guish. John  Effingham  was  stern,  and  in  the  bitterness  of  his 
first  sensations  he  had  muttered  a  few  imprecations  on  his  own 
folly,  in  suffering  himself  to  be  thus  caught  without  arms, 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

Once  the  terrible  idea  of  the  necessity  of  sacrificing  Eve,  in  the 
last  resort,  as  an  expedient  preferable  to  captivity,  had  flashed 
across  his  mind  ;  but  the  real  tenderness  he  felt  for  her,  and 
his  better  nature,  soon  banished  the  unnatural  thought.  Stilh 
when  he  joined  the  party  on  deck,  it  was  with  a  general  but 
Vague  impression,  that  the  moment  was  at  hand  when  circum- 
stances had  required  that  they  were  all  to  die  together.  No 
one  was  more  seemingly  collected  than  Mademoiselle  Viefville. 
Her  life  had  been  one  of  sacrifices,  nad  she  had  now  made  up 
her  mind  that  it  was  to  pass  away  in  a  scene  of  violence  ;  and, 
with  a  species  of  heroism  that  is  natural,  her  feelings  had  been 
aroused  to  a  sort  of  Roman  firmness,  and  she  was  prepared  to 
meet  her  fate  with  a  composure  equal  to  that  of  the  men. 

These  were  the  first  feelings  and  impressions  of  those  who 
had  been  awakened  from  the  security  of  the  night,  to  hear  the 
tale  of  their  danger ;  but  they  lessened  as  the  party  collected 
in  the  open  air,  and  began  to  examine  into  their  situation  by 
means  of  the  steadily  increasing  light.  As  the  day  advanced, 
Paul  Blunt,  in  particular,  carefully  examined  the  rocks  near  the 
ship,  even  ascending  to  the  foretop,  from  which  elevation  he 
overlooked  the  whole  line  of  the  reef  ;  and  something  like 
hope  revived  in  every  bosom  when  he  proclaimed  the  joyful  in- 
telligence that  nothing  having  life  was  visible  in  that  direction. 

"  God  be  praised  !  "  he  said  with  fervor,  as  his  foot  touched 
the  deck  again  on  descending ;  "  we  have  at  least  a  respite 
from  the  attacks  of  these  barbarians.  The  tide  has  risen  so 
high  that  they  dare  not  stay  on  the  rocks,  lest  they  might  be 
cut  off ;  for  they  probably  think  us  stronger  than  we  are,  and 
armed.  The  light  gun  on  the  forcastle  is  loaded,  gentlemen, 
though  not  shotted ;  for  there  are  no  shot  in  the  vessel,  Saun- 
ders  tells  me  ;  and  I  would  suggest  the  propriety  of  firing  it, 
both  to  alarm  the  Arabs,  and  as  a  signal  to  our  friends.  The 
distance  from  the  wreck  is  not  so  great  but  it  might  be  heard, 
and  I  think  they  would  at  least  send  a  boat  to  our  relief, 
Sound  flies  fast,  and  a  short  time  may  bring  us  succor.  The 
water  will  not  be  low  enough  for  our  enemies  to  venture  on  the 
reef  again,  under  six  or  eight  hours,  and  all  may  yet  be  well." 

This  proposal  was  discussed,  and  it  proving,  on  inquiry,  that 
all  the  powder  in  the  ship,  after  loading  the  gun  for  this  very 
purpose  of  firing  a  signal,  had  been  taken  in  the  boats,  and 
that  no  second  discharge  could  be  made,  it  was  decided  to  lose 
no  more  time,  but  to  let  their  danger  be  known  to  their  friends 
^at  once,  if  it  were  possible  to  send  the  sound  so  far.  When 
this  decision  was  come  to,  Mr.  Blunt,  aided  by  Mr.  Sharp, 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


253 


made  the  necessary  preparations  without  delay.  The  latter, 
though  doing  all  he  could  to  assist,  envied  the  readiness,  prac- 
tical skill  and  intelligence,  with  which  his  companion,  a  man 
of  cultivated  and  polished  mind  in  higher  things,  performed 
every  requisite  act  that  was  necessary  to  effect  their  purpose. 
Instead  of  hasaly  discharging  the  piece,  an  iron  four-pound 
gun,  Mr.  Blunt  first  doubled  the  wad,  which  he  drove  home 
with  all  his  force,  and  then  he  greased  the  muzzle,  as  he  said, 
to  increase  the  report. 

"  I  shall  not  attempt  to  explain  the  philosophy  of  this,"  he 
added  with  a  mournful  smile,  "but  all  lovers  of  salutes  and 
salvos  will  maintain  that  it  is  useful ;  and  be  it  so  or  not,  too 
much  depends  on  our  making  ourselves  heard,  to  neglect  any- 
thing that  has  even  a  chance  of  aiding  that  one  great  object. 
If  you  will  now  assist  me,  Sir  George,  we  will  run  the  gun  over 
to  starboard,  in  order  that  it  may  be  fired  on  the  side  next  the 
wreck." 

"  Judging  from  the  readiness  you  have  shown  on  several 
occasions,  as  well  as  your  familiarity  with  the  terms,  I  should 
think  you  had  served,"  returned  the  real  baronet,  as  he  helped 
his  companion  to  place  the  gun  at  a  port  on  the  northern  side 
of  the  vessel. 

"  You  have  not  mistaken  my  trade.  I  was  certainly  bred, 
almost  born,  a  seaman  ;  and  though  as  a  traveller  I  have  now 
been  many  years  severed  from  my  early  habits,  little  of  what  I 
knew  has  been  lost.  Were  there  five  others  here,  who  had  as 
much  familiarity  as  myself  with  vessels,  I  think  we  could  carry 
the  ship  outside  the  reef,  crippled  as  she  is,  and  set  the  Arabs 
at  defiance.  Would  to  God  our  worthy  captain  ha4  never 
brought  her  inside." 

"  He  did  all  for  the  best,  no  doubt  ?  " 

"  Beyond  a  question ;  and  no  more  than  a  commendable 
prudence  required.  Still  he  has  left  us  in  a  most  critical  posi- 
tion. This  priming  is  a  little  damp,  and  I  distrust  it.  The 
coal,  if  you  please." 

"  Why  do  you  not  fire  ?  " 

"  At  the  last  moment,  I  almost  repent  of  my  own  expedient. 
Is  it  quite  certain  no  pistols  remain  among  any  of  our  effects  ? " 

"  I  fear  not.  Saunders  reports  that  all,  even  to  those  of 
the  smallest  size,  were  put  in  requisition  for  the  boats." 

"  The  charge  in  this  gun  might  serve  for  many  pistols,  or  foi 
several  fowling-pieces.  I  might  even  sweep  the  reef,  on  an 
emergency,  by  using  old  iron  for  shot !  It  appears  like  part- 

i 


254 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


ing  with  a  last  friend,  to  part  with  this  single  precious  charge 
of  gunpowder." 

"  Nay,  you  certainly  know  best ;  though  I  rather  think  the 
Messrs.  Effingham  are  of  your  first  opinion." 

"  It  is  puerile  to  waver  on  such  a  subject,  and  I  will  hesitate 
no  longer.  There  are  moments  when  the  air  seems  to  float  in 
the  direction  of  our  friends ;  on  the  first  return  of  one  of  those 
currents,  I  will  fire." 

A  minute  brought  the  opportunity,  and  Paul  Blunt,  or  Paul 
Powis,  as  his  real  name  would  now  appear  to  be,  applied  the 
coal.  The  report  was  sharp  and  lively;  but  as  the  smoke 
floated  away,  he  again  expressed  his  doubts  of  the  wisdom  of 
what  had  just  been  done.  Had  he  then  known  that  the  strug- 
gling sounds  had  diffused  themselves  in  their  radii,  without 
reaching  the  wreck,  his  regrets  would  have  been  increased  four- 
fold. This  was  a  fact,  however,  that  could  not  be  then  ascer- 
tained, and  those  in  the  packet  were  compelled  to  wait  two  or 
three  hours  before  they  even  got  the  certainty  of  their  failure. 

As  the  light  increased  a  view  was  obtained  of  the  shore 
which  seemed  as  silent  and  deserted  as  the  reef.  For  half  an 
hour  the  whole  party  experienced  the  revulsion  of  feeling  that 
accompanies  all  great  changes  of  emotion,  and  the  conversa- 
tion had  even  got  to  be  again  cheerful,  and  to  turn  into  its 
former  channels,  when  suddenly  a  cry  from  Saunders  renewed 
the  alarm.  The  steward  was  preparing  the  breakfast  in  the 
gallery,  from  which  he  gave  occasional  glances  towards  the 
land,  and  his  quick  eye  had  been  the  first  to  detect  a  new  and 
still  more  serious  danger  that  now  menaced  them. 

A  long  train  of  camels  was  visible,  travelling  across  the 
desert,  and  holding  its  way  towards  the  part  of  the  reef  which 
touched  the  shore.  At  this  point,  too.  were  now  to  be  seen 
some  twenty  Arabs,  waiting  the  arrival  of  their  friends  ;  among 
whom  it  was  fair  to  conclude  were  those  who  had  attempted  to 
carry  the  ship  by  surprise.  As  the  events  which  next  followed 
were  closely  connected  with  the  policy  and  forbearance  of  the 
party  of  barbarians  near  the  wreck,  this  will  be  a  suitable  oc- 
casion to  explain  the  motives  of  the  latter,  in  not  assailing 
Captain  Truck,  and  the  real  state  of  things  among  these  chil- 
dren of  the  desert. 

The  Dane  had  been  driven  ashore,  as  conjectured,  in  the 
last  gale,  and  the  crew  had  immediately  been  captured  by 
a  small  wandering  party  of  the  Arabs,  with  whom  the  coast 
was  then  lined ;  as  is  usually  the  case  immediately  after  tem- 
pestuous weather.  Unable  to  carry  off  much  of  the  cargo,  this 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  255 

party  had  secured  the  prisoners,  and  hurried  inlaid  to  an  oasis, 
to  give  the  important  intelligence  to  their  friends  ;  leaving 
scouts  on  the  shore,  however,  that  they  might  be  early  apprised 
of  any  similar  disaster,  or  of  any  change  in  the  situation  of 
their  present  prize.  These  scouts  had  discovered  the  Mon- 
tauk,  drifting  along  the  coast,  dismasted  and  crippled,  and 
they  had  watched  her  to  her  anchorage  within  the  reef.  The 
departure  of  her  boats  had  been  witnessed,  and  though  unable 
to  foresee  the  whole  object  of  this  expedition,  the  direction 
taken  pointed  out  the  wreck  as  the  point  of  destination.  All 
this,  of  course,  had  been  communicated  to  the  chief  men  of  the 
different  parties  on  the  coast,  of  which  there  were  several,  who 
had  agreed  to  unite  their  forces  to  secure  the  second  ship,  and 
then  to  divide  the  spoils. 

When  the  Arabs  reached  the  coast  near  the  wreck,  that 
morning,  the  elders  among  them  were  not  slow  in  comprehend- 
ing the  motives  of  the  expedition ;  and  having  gained  a  pretty 
accurate  idea  of  the  number  of  men  employed  about  the  Dane, 
they  had  come  to  the  just  conclusion  that  few  were  left  in  the 
vessel  at  anchor.  They  had  carried  off  the  spy-glass  of  their 
prize  too,  and  several  among  them  knew  its  use,  from  having 
seen  similar  things  in  other  stranded  ships.  By  means  of  this 
glass,  they  discovered  the  number  and  quality  of  those  on  board 
the  Montauk,  as  soon  as  there  was  sufficient  light,  and  directed 
their  own  operations  accordingly.  The  parties  that  had  ap- 
peared and  disappeared  behind  the  sandy  ridges  of  the  desert, 
about  the  time  at  which  we  have  now  arrived  in  the  narrative, 
and  those  who  have  been  already  mentioned  in  a  previous 
chapter,  were  those  who  came  from  the  interior,  and  those  who 
went  in  the  direction  of  the  reef;  the  first  of  the  latter  of  which 
Saunders  had  just  discovered.  Owing  to  the  rounded  forma- 
tion of  the  coast,  and  to  the  intervention  of  a  headland,  the 
distance  by  water  between  the  two  ships  was  quite  double  that 
by  land  between  the  two  encampments,  and  those  who  now 
arrived  abreast  of  the  packet,  deliberately  pitched  their  tents, 
as  if  they  depended  more  on  a  display  of  their  numbers  for 
success  than  on  concealment,  and  as  if  they  felt  no  apprehen- 
sion of  the  return  of  the  crew. 

When  the  gentlemen  had  taken  a  survey  of  this  strong  party, 
which  numbered  more  than  a  hundred,  they  held  a  consultation 
of  the  course  it  would  be  necessary  to  pursue.  To  Paul  Blunt, 
as  an  avowed  seaman,  and  as  one  who  had  already  shown  the 
promptitude  and  efficiency  of  his  resources,  all  eyes  were 
turned  in  expectation  of  an  opinion. 


256  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  So  long  as  the  tide  keeps  in,"  this  gentleman  observed, 
"  I  see  no  cause  for  apprehensions.  We  are  beyond  the  reach 
of  musketry,  or  at  all  events,  any  fire  of  the  Arabs,  at  this  dis- 
tance, must  be  uncertain  and  harmless  ;  and  we  have  always  the 
hope  of  the  arrival  of  the  boats.  Should  this  fail  us,  and  the 
tide  fall  this  afternoon  as  low  as  it  fell  in  the  morning,  our 
situation  will  indeed  become  critical.  The  water  around  the 
ship  may  possibly  serve  as  a  temporary  protection,  but  the  dis- 
tance to  the  reef  is  so  small  that  it  might  be  passed  by  swim- 
ming." 

"  Surely  we  could  make  good  the  vessel  against  men  raising 
themselves  out  of  the  water,  and  clambering  up  a  vessel's  side  ?  " 
said  Mr.  Sharp. 

"  It  is  probable  we  might,  if  unmolested  from  the  shore. 
But,  imagine  twenty  or  thirty  resolute  swimmers  to  put  off  to- 
gether for  different  parts  of  the  vessel,  protected  by  the  long 
muskets  these  Arabs  carry,  and  you  will  easily  conceive  the 
hoplessness  of  any  defence.  The  first  man  among  us,  who 
should  show  his  person  to  meet  the  boarders,  would  be  shot 
down  like  a  dog." 

"  It  was  a  cruel  oversight  to  expose  us  to  this  horrible  fate  !  " 
exclaimed  the  appalled  father. 

"  This  is  easier  seen  now  than  when  the  mistake  was  com 
mitted,"  observed  John  Efrmgham.  *'  As  a  seaman,  and  with 
his  important  object  in  view,  Captain  Truck  acted  for  the  best, 
and  we  should  acquit  him  of  all  blame,  let  the  result  be  what  it 
may.  Regrets  are  useless,  and  it  remains  for  us  to  devise  some 
means  to  arrest  the  danger  by  which  we  are  menaced,  before  it 
be  too  late.  Mr.  Blunt,  you  must  be  our  leader  and  counsellor  ; 
is  it  not  possible  for  us  to  carry  the  ship  outside  of  the  reef,  and 
to  anchor  her  beyond  the  danger  of  our  being  boarded  ?  " 

"  I  have  thought  of  this  expedient,  and  if  we  had  a  boat  it 
might  possibly  be  done,  in  this  mild  weather ;  without  a  boat, 
it  is  impossible." 

"  But  we  have  a  boat,"  glancing  his  eye  towards  the  launch 
that  stood  in  the  chocks  or  chucks. 

"  One  that  would  be  too  unwieldy  for  our  purposes,  could  it 
be  got  into  the  water ;  a  thing  in  itself  that  would  be  almost  im- 
practicable for  us  to  achieve," 

A  long  silence  succeeded,  during  which  the  gentlemen  were 
occupied  in  the  bootless  effort  of  endeavoring  to  devise  expe- 
dients to  escape  the  Arabs  ;  bootless,  because  on  such  occasions, 
the  successful  measure  is  commonly  the  result  of  a  sort  of  sud- 
den inspiration,  rather  than  of  continued  and  laborious  thought 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  257 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

With  religious  awe 

Grief  heard  the  voice  of  Virtue.     No  complaint 
The  solemn  silence  broke.     Tears  ceased  to  flow. 

GLOVER. 

HOPE  is  the  most  treacherous  of  all  human  fancies.  So  long 
as  there  is  a  plausible  ground  to  expect  relief  from  any  particu- 
lar quarter,  men  will  relax  their  exertions  in  the  face  of,  the 
most  eminent  danger,  and  they  cling  to  their  expectations  long 
after  reason  has  begun  to  place  the  chances  of  success  on  the 
adverse  side  of  the  scale.  Thus  it  was  with  the  party  in  the 
Montauk.  Two  or  three  precious  hours  were  lost  in  the  idle 
belief  that  the  gun  would  be  heard  by  Captain  Truck,  and  that 
they  might  momentarily  look  for  the  appearance  of,  at  least,  one 
of  the  boats. 

Paul  Blunt  was  the  first  to  relinquish  this  delusion.  He 
knew  that,  if  it  reached  their  friends  at  all,  the  report  must  have 
been  heard  in  a  few  seconds,  and  he  knew,  also,  that  it  pecu- 
liarly belonged  to  the  profession  of  a  seaman  to  come  to  quick 
decisions.  An  hour  of  smart  rowing  would  bring  the  cutter  from 
the  wreck  to  the  headland,  where  it  would  be  visible,  by  means 
of  a  glass,  from  the  foretop.  Two  hours  had  now  passed  away 
and  no  signs  of  any  boat  were  to  be  discovered,  and  the  young 
man  felt  reluctantly  compelled  to  yield  all  the  strong  hopes  of 
timely  aid  that  he  had  anticipated  from  this  quarter.  John 
Effingham,  who  had  much  more  energy  of  character  than  his 
kinsman,  though  not  more  personal  fortitude  and  firmness,  was 
watching  the  movements  of  their  young  leader,  and  he  read  the 
severe  disappointment  in  his  face,  as  he  descended  the  last  time 
from  the  top,  where  he  had  often  been  since  the  consultation,  to 
look  out  for  the  expected  succor. 

"  I  see  it  in  your  countenance,"  said  that  gentleman  ;  "  we 
have  nothing  to  look  for  from  the  boats.  Our  signal  has  not 
been  heard." 

"  There  is  no  hope,  and  we  are  now  thrown  altogther  on 
our  own  exertions,  aided  by  the  kind  providence  of  God." 

"  This  calamity  is  so  sudden  and  so  dire,  that  I  can  scarcely 
credit  it !  Are  we  then  truly  in  danger  of  becoming  prisoners 
to  barbarians  ?  Is  Eve  Effingham,  the  beautiful,  innocent, 


258  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

good,  angelic  daughter  of  my  cousin,  to  be  their  victim  !— 
perhaps  the  inmate  of  a  seraglio  !  " 

"  There  is  the  pang  !  Had  a  thousand  bodies,  a  thousand 
lives,  I  could  give  all  of  the  first  to  unmitigated  suffering,  lay 
down  all  the  last  to.  avert  so  shocking  a  calamity.  Do  you 
think  the  ladies  are  sensible  of  their  real  situation  ?  " 

"  They  are  uneasy  rather  than  terrified.  In  common  with 
us  all,  they  have  strong  hopes  from  the  boats,  though  the  con- 
tinued arrival  of  the  barbarians,  who  are  constantly  coming  into 
their  camp,  has  helped  to  render  them  a  little  more  conscious 
of  the  true  nature  of  the  danger." 

Here  Mr.  Sharp,  who  stood  on  the  hurricane-house,  called 
out  for  the  glass,  in  order  to  ascertain  what  a  party  of  Arabs, 
who  were  collected  near  the  in-shore  end  of  the  reef,  were 
about.  Paul  Blunt  went  up  to  him,  and  made  the  examination. 
His  countenance  fell  as  he  gazed,  and  an  expression  like  that 
of  hopelessness  was  again  apparent  on  his  fine  features,  when 
he  lowered  the  glass. 

"  Here  is  some  new  cause  of  uneasiness  !  " 

"  The  wretches  have  got  a  number  of  spars,  and  are  lashing 
them  together  to  form  a  raft.  They  are  bent  on  our  capture, 
and  I  see  no  means  of  preventing  it." 

"  Were  we  alone,  men  only,  we  might  have  the  bitter  con- 
solation of  selling  our  lives  dearly  ;  but  it  is  terrible  to  have 
those  with  us  whom  we  can  neither  save  nor  yet  devote  to  a 
common  destruction  with  our  enemies  !  " 

"  It  is  indeed  terrible,  and  the  helplessness  of  our  situation 
adds  to  its  misery." 

"  Can  we  not  offer  terms  ? — Might  not  a  promise  of  ransom, 
with  hostages,  do  something  !  I  would  cheerfully  remain  in  the 
hands  of  the  barbarians,  in  order  to  effect  the  release  of  the 
rest  of  the  party." 

Mr  Blunt  grasped  his  hand,  and  for  a  moment  he  envied 
the  other  the  generous  thought.  But  smiling  bitterly,  he  shook 
his  head,  as  if  conscious  of  the  futility  of  even  this  desperate 
self-devotion. 

"  Gladly  would  I  be  your  companion  ;  but  the  project  is, 
in  every  sense,  impracticable.  Ransom  they  might  consent  to 
receive  with  us  all  in  their  power,  but  not  on  the  condition  of 
our  being  permitted  to  depart.  Indeed,  no  means  of  quitting 
them  would  be  left  ;  for,  once  in  possession  of  the  ship,  as  in  a 
few  hours  they  must  be,  Captain  Truck,  though  having  the 
boats,  will  be  obliged  to  surrender  for  want  of  food,  or  to  run 
the  frightful  hazard  of  attempting  to  reach  the  islands,  on  an 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  2$$ 

allowance  scarcely  sufficient  to  sustain  life  under  the  most 
favorable  circumstances.  These  flint-hearted  monsters  are 
surrounded  by  the  desolation  of  their  desert,  and  they  are  aware 
of  all  their  appalling  advantages." 

**  The  real  state  of  things  ought  to  be  communicated  to 
our  friends,  in  order  that  they  may  be  prepared  for  the  worst." 

To  this  Mr.  Blunt  agreed,  and  they  went  together  to  inform 
John  Effingham  of  the  new  discovery.  This  stern-minded  man 
was,  in  a  manner,  prepared  for  the  worst,  and  he  now  agreed 
on  the  melancholy  propriety  of  letting  his  kinsman  know  the 
actual  nature  of  the  new  danger  that  threatened  them. 

"  I  will  undertake  this  unpleasant  office,"  he  said,  "  though 
I  could,  in  my  inmost  soul,  pray  that  the  necessity  for  it  might 
pass  away.  Should  the  worst  arrive,  I  have  still  hopes  of 
effecting  something  by  means  of  a  ransom  ;  but  what  will  have 
been  the  fate  of  the  youthful,  and  delicate,  and  lovely,  ere  we 
can  make  ourselves  even  comprehended  by  the  barbarians  ?  A 
journey  in  the  desert,  as  these  journeys  have  been  described 
to  me,  would  be  almost  certain  death  to  all  but  the  strongest  of 
our  party,  and  even  gold  may  fail  of  its  usual  power,  when 
weighed  against  the  evil  nature  of  savages." 

"  Is  there  no  hope,  then,  really  left  us  ? "  demanded  Mr. 
Sharp,  when  the  last  speaker  had  left  them  to  descend  to  the 
cabins.  "  Is  it  not  possible  to  get  the  boat  into  the  water,  and 
to  make  our  escape  in  that  ?  " 

"  That  is  an  expedient  of  which  I  have  thought,  but  it  is 
next  to  impracticable.  As  anything  is  better  than  capture 
however,  I  will  make  one  more  close  examination  of  the  pro- 
ceedings of  the  demons,  and  look  nearer  into  our  own  means." 

Paul  Blunt  now  got  a  lead  and  dropped  it  over  the  side  of 
the  ship,  in  the  almost  forlorn  hope  that  possibly  she  might  lie 
over  some  hole  on  the  bottom.  The  soundings  proved  to  be, 
as  indeed  he  expected,  but  a  little  more  than  three  fathoms. 

"  I  had  no  reason  to  expect  otherwise,"  he  said,  as  he  drew 
in  the  line,  though  he  spoke  like  a  disappointed  man.  "  Had 
there  been  sufficient  water  the  ship  might  have  been  scuttled, 
and  the  launch  would  have  floated  off  the  deck ;  but  as  it  is, 
we  should  lose  the  vessel  without  a  sufficient  object.  It  would 
appear  heroic  were  you  and  I  to  contrive  to  get  on  the  reef, 
and  to  proceed  to  the  shore  with  a  view  to  make  terms  with  the 
Arabs  ;  but  there  could  be  no  real  use  in  it,  as  the  treachery 
of  their  character  is  too  well  established  to  look  for  any  benefit 
from  such  a  step." 

"  Might  they  not  be  kept  in  play,  until  our  friends  returned? 


26o  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

Providence  may  befriend  us  in  some  unexpected  manner  in  oui 
uttermost  peril." 

"  We  will  examine  them  once  more  with  the  glass.  By  a 
movement  among  the  Arabs,  there  has  probably  been  a  new 
accession  to  their  numbers." 

The  two  gentlemen  now  ascended  to  the  top  of  the  hurri- 
cane-house again,  in  feverish  haste,  and  once  more  they  ap- 
plied the  instrument.  A  minute  of  close  study  induced  Mr. 
Blunt  to  drop  the  glass,  with  an  expression  that  denoted  in- 
creased concern. 

"  Can  anything  possibly  make  our  prospects  worse  ?  "  eager* 
ly  inquired  his  companion. 

<;  Do  you  not  remember  a  flag  that  was  on  board  the  Dane 
— that  by  which  we  identified  his  nation  ?  " 

"  Certainly  :  it  was  attached  to  the  halyards,  and  lay  on  the 
quarter-deck.5' 

"  The  flag  is  now  flying  in  the  camp  of  these  barbarians  ! 
You  may  see  it,  here,  among  the  tents  last  pitched  by  the  party 
that  arrived  while  we  were  conversing  forward." 

"  And  from  this,  you  infer — " 

"  That  our  people  are  captives  !  That  flag  was  in  the  ship 
when  we  left  it ;  had  the  Arabs  returned  before  our  party  got 
there,  the  captain  would  have  been  back  long  ere  this  ;  and  in 
order  to  obtain  this  ensign  they  must  have  obtained  possession 
of  the  wreck,  after  the  arrival  of  the  boats ;  an  event  that  could 
scarcely  occur  without  a  struggle  :  I  fear  the  flag  is  a  proof  on 
which  side  the  victory  has  fallen." 

"  This  then  would  seem  to  consummate  our  misfortunes  !  " 

"  It  does  indeed  ;  for  the  faint  hope  that  existed,  of  being 
relieved  by  the  boats,  must  now  be  entirely  abandoned." 

"  In  the  name  of  God,  look  again,  and  see  in  what  condi- 
tion the  wretches  have  got  their  raft  ?  " 

A  long  examination  followed,  for  on  this  point  did  the  fate 
of  all  in  the  ship  now  truly  seem  to  depend. 

"  They  work  with  spirit,"  said  Mr.  Blunt,  when  his  exami- 
nation had  continued  a  long  time  ;  "  but  it  seems  less  like  a 
raft  than  before — they  are  lashing  spars  together  lengthwise — 
here  is  a  drawing  of  hope,  or  what  would  be  hope,  rather,  if 
the  boats  had  escaped  their  fangs  ! " 

"  God  bless  you  for  the  words ! — what  is  there  encourag- 
ing ? " 

"It  is 'not  much,"  returned  Paul  Blunt,  with  a  mournful 
smile  ;  "  but  trifles  become  of  account  in  moments  of  extreme 
jeopardy.  They  are  making  a  floating  stage,  doubtless  with 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  26l 

the  intention  to  pass  from  the  reef  to  the  ship,  and  by  veering 
on  the  chains  we  may  possibly  drop  astern  sufficiently  to  dis- 
appoint them  in  the  length  of  their  bridge.  If  I  saw  a  hope  of 
the  final  return  of  the  boats,  this  expedient  would  not  be  with* 
out  its  use,  particularly  if  delayed  to  the  last  moment,  as  it 
might  cause  the  Arabs  to  lose  another  tide,  and  a  reprieve  of 
eight  or  ten  hours  is  an  age  to  men  in  our  situation." 

Mr.  Sharp  caught  eagerly  at  this  suggestion  and  the  young 
men  walked  the  deck  together  for  half  an  hour,  discussing  its 
chances,  and  suggesting  various  means  of  turning  it  to  the 
best  account.  Still,  both  felt  convinced  that  the  trifling  delay 
which  might  thus  be  obtained,  would,  in  the  end,  be  perfectly 
useless,  should  Captain  Truck  and  his  party  have  really  fallen 
into  the  hands  of  the  common  enemy.  They  were  thus  en- 
gaged, sometimes  in  deep  despondency,  and  sometimes  buoy- 
ant with  revived  expectations,  when  Saunders,  on  the  part  of 
Mr.  Effingham,  summoned  them  below. 

On  reaching  the  cabin,  whither  both  immediately  hastened, 
the  two  gentlemen  found  the  family  party  in  the  distress  that 
the  circumstances  would  naturally  create.  Mr.  Effingham  was 
seated,  his  daughter's  head  resting  on  a  knee,  for  she  had 
thrown  herself  on  the  carpet,  by  his  side.  Mademoiselle  Vief- 
ville  paced  the  cabin,  occasionally  stopping  to  utter  a  few 
words  of  consolation  to  her  young  charge,  and  then  again  re- 
verting in  her  mind  to  the  true  dangers  of  their  situation,  with 
a  force  that  completely  undid  all  she  had  said,  by  betraying 
the  extent  of  her  own  apprehensions.  Ann  Sidley  knelt  near 
her  young  mistress,  sometimes  praying  fervently,  though  in 
silence,  and  at  other  moments  folding  her  beloved  in  her  arms, 
as  if  to  protect  her  from  the  ruffian  grasp  of  the  barbarians. 
Thefemme  de  chambre  was  sobbing  in  a  stateroom,  while  John 
Effingham  leaned,  with  his  arms  folded  against  a  bulkhead,  a 
picture  of  stern  submission  rather  than  of  despair.  The  whole 
party  was  now  assembled,  with  the  exception  of  the  steward, 
whose  lamentations  throughout  the  morning  had  not  been  noise- 
less, but  who  was  left  on  deck  to  watch  the  movements  of  the 
Arabs. 

The  moment  was  not  one  of  idle  forms,  and  Eve  Effingham, 
who  would  have  recoiled,  under  other  circumstances,  at  being 
seen  by  her  fellow  travellers  in  her  present  situation,  scarce 
raised  her  head,  in  acknowledgement  of  their  melancholy  salute, 
as  they  entered.  She  had  been  weeping,  and  her  hair  had 
fallen  in  profusion  around  her  shoulders.  The  tears  fell  no 
longer,  but  a  warm  flushed  look,  one  which  denoted  that  a 


262  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

struggle  of  the  mind  had  gotten  the  better  of  womanly  emo. 
lions,  had  succeeded  to  deadly  paleness,  and  rendered  her  love- 
liness of  feature  and  expression  bright  and  angelic.  Both  of 
rhe  young  men  thought  she  had  never  seemed  so  beautiful,  and 
both  felt  a  secret  pang,  as  the  conviction  forced  itself  on  themt 
at  the  same  instant,  that  this  surpassing  beauty  was  now  likely  to 
prove  her  most  dangerous  enemy. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  Mr.  Effingham,  with  apparent  calmness, 
and  a  dignity  that  no  uneasiness  could  disturb,  "  my  kinsman 
has  acquainted  us  with  the  hopeless  nature  of  our  condition, 
and  I  have  begged  the  favor  of  this  visit  on  your  own  account. 
We  cannot  separate  ;  the  ties  of  blood  and  affection  unite  us, 
and  our  fate  must  be  common  ;  but,  on  you  there  is  no  such 
obligation.  Young,  bold,  and  active,  some  plan  may  suggest 
itself,  by  which  you  may  possibly  escape  the  barbarians,  and  at 
least  save  yourselves.  I  know  that  generous  temperaments 
like  yours  will  not  be  disposed  to  listen,  at  first,  to  such  a  sug- 
gestion ;  but  reflection  will  tell  you  that  it  is  for  the  interest  of 
us  all.  You  may  let  our  fate  be  known,  earlier  than  it  other- 
wise would  be,  to  those  who  will  take  immediate  measures  to 
procure  our  ransoms." 

"  This  is  impossible  !  "  Mr.  Sharp  said  firmly.  "  We  can 
never  quit  you  ;  could  never  enjoy  a  moment's  peace  under  the 
consciousness  of  having  been  guilty  of  an  act  so  selfish  !  " 

"  Mr.  Blunt  is  silent,"  continued  Mr.  Effingham,  after  a 
short  pause,  in  which  he  looked  from  one  of  the  young  men  to 
the  other.  "  He  thinks  better  of  my  proposition,  and  will  listen 
to  his  own  best  interests." 

Eva  raised  her  head  quickly,  but  without  being  conscious 
of  the  anxiety  she  betrayed,  and  gazed  with  melancholy  intent- 
ness  at  the  subject  of  this  remark. 

"  I  do  credit  to  the  generous  feelings  of  Mr.  Sharp,"  Paul 
Blunt  now  hurriedly  answered,  "  and  should  be  sorry  to  admit 
that  my  own  first  impulses  were  less  disinterested  ;  but  I  con- 
fess I  have  already  thought  of  this,  and  have  reflected  on  all 
the  chances  of  success  or  failure.  It  might  be  practicable  for 
one  who  can  swim  easily  to  reach  the  reef ;  thence  to  cross  the 
inlet,  and  possibly  to  gain  the  shore  under  cover  of  the  opposite 
range  of  rocks,  which  are  higher  than  those  near  us  :  after 
which,  by  following  the  coast,  one  might  communicate  with  the 
boats  by  signal,  or  even  go  quite  to  the  wreck  if  necessary. 
All  of  this  I  have  deliberated  on,  and  once  I  had  determined 
to  propose  it ;  but — " 

"  But  what  ?  "  demanded  Eve  quickly.     "  Why  not  execu*fc 


.HOMEWARD  BOUND.  263 

this  plan,  and  save  yourself  ?  Is  it  a  reason,  because  our  case 
is  hopeless,  that  you  should  perish  ?  Go,  then,  at  once,  for  the 
moments  are  precious  ;  an  hour  hence,  it  may  be  too  late." 

"  Were  it  merely  to  save  myself,  Miss  Effingham,  do  you 
really  think  me  capable  of  this  baseness  ? " 

"  I  do  not  call  it  baseness.  Why  should  we  draw  you  down 
with  us  in  our  misery  ?  You  have  already  served  us,  Powis,  in 
a  situation  of  terrible  trials,  and  it  is  just  that  you  should  always 
devote  yourself  in  behalf  of  those  who  seem  fated  never  to  do 
you  good.  My  father  will  tell  you  he  thinks  it  your  duty  now 
to  save  yourself  if  possible." 

"  I  think  it  the  duty  of  every  man,"  mildly  resumed  Mr. 
Effngham,  "  when  no  imperious  obligation  requires  otherwise, 
to  save  the  life  and  liberty  which  God  has  bestowed.  These 
gentlemen  have  doubtless  ties  and  claims  on  them  that  are  in- 
dependent of  us,  and  why  should  they  inflict  a  pang  on  those 
who  love  them,  in  order  to  share  in  our  disaster  ? " 

"This  is  placing  useless  speculations  before  a  miserable 
certainty,"  observed  John  Effingham.  "  As  there  can  be  no 
hope  of  reaching  the  boat,  it  is  vain  to  discuss  the  propriety  of 
the  step." 

"  Is  this  true,  Powis  ?  Is  there  truly  no  chance  of  your  es- 
caping. You  will  not  deceive  us — deceive  yourself — on  a  vain 
point  of  empty  pride  !  " 

"  I  can  say  with  truth,  almost  with  joy,  for  I  thank  God  I 
am  spared  the  conflict  of  judging  between  my  duty  and  my 
feelings,  that  there  can  no  longer  be  any  chance  of  finding  the 
wreck  in  the  possession  of  our  friends,"  returned  Paul  fervently. 
"  There  were  moments  when  I  thought  the  attempt  should  be 
made ;  and  it  would  perhaps  have  properly  fallen  to  my  lot  to 
be  the  adventurer  ;  but  we  have  now  proof  that  the  Arabs  are 
masters,  and  if  Captain  Truck  has  escaped  at  all,  it  is  under 
circumstances  that  scarcely  admit  the  possibility  of  his  being 
near  the  land.  The  whole  coast  must  be  watched  and  in 
possession  of  the  barbarians,  and  one  passing  along  it  could 
hardly  escape  being  seen." 

"  Might  you  not  escape  into  the  interior,  notwithstanding  ?  ' 
asked  Eve,  impetuously. 

"  With  what  motive  ?  To  separate  myself  from  those  who 
have  been  my  fellows  in  misfortune,  only  to  die  of  want,  or  to 
fall  into  the  hands  of  another  set  of  masters  '  It  is  every  way 
our  interest  to  keep  together,  and  to  let  those  already  on  the 
coast  become  our  captors,  as  the  booty  of  two  ships  may  dis- 
pose them  to  be  less  exacting  with  their  prisoners." 


264  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  Slaves  !  "  muttered  John  Effingham. 

His  cousin  bowed  his  head  over  the  delicate  form  of  Eve. 
which  he  folded  with  his  arms,  as  if  to  shield  it  from  the  blasts 
and  evils  of  the  desert. 

"  As  we  may  be  separated  immediately  on  being  taken,"  re- 
sumed Paul  Blunt,  "  it  will  be  well  to  adopt  some  common 
mode  of  acting,  and  a  uniform  account  of  ourselves,  in  order 
that  we  may  impress  the  barbarians  with  the  policy  of  carrying 
us,  as  soon  as  possible  into  the  vicinity  of  Mogadore,  with  a 
view  to  obtaining  a  speedy  ransom." 

"  Can  any  thing  be  better  than  the  holy  truth  ?  "  exclaimed 
Eve.  "  No,  no,  no  !  Let  us  not  deform  this  chastening  act  of 
God  by  coloring  any  thought  or  word  with  deception." 

"  Deceptio-n  in  our  case  will  hardly  be  needed  ;  but  by  un- 
derstanding those  facts  which  will  most  probably  influence  the 
Arabs,  we  may  dwell  the  most  on  them.  We  cannot  do  better 
than  by  impressing  on  the  minds  of  our  captors  the  circum- 
stances that  this  is  no  common  ship,  a  fact  their  own  eyes  will 
corroborate,  and  that  we  are  not  mere  mariners*,  but  passengers, 
who  will  be  likely  to  reward  their  forbearance  and  moderation." 

"  I  think,  sir,"  interrupted  Ann  Sidley,  looking  up  with  tear- 
ful eyes  from  the  spot  where  she  still  knelt,  "  that  if  these 
people  knew  how  much  Miss  Eve  is  sought  and  beloved,  they 
might  be  led  to  respect  her  as  she  deserves,  and  this  at  least 
would  *  temper  the  wind  to  the  shorn  lamb  ! ' " 

"  Poor  Nanny !  "  murmured  Eve,  stretching  forth  a  hand  to- 
ward her  old  nurse,  though  her  face  was  still  buried  in  her  own 
hair,  "  thou  wilt  soon  learn  that  there  is  another  leveller  beside 
the  grave  !  " 

"  Ma'am  ! " 

"  Thou  wilt  find  that  Eve,  in  the  hands  of  barbarians,  is 
not  thy  Eve.  It  will  now  become  my  turn  to  become  a  hand- 
maiden, and  to  perform  for  others  offices  a  thousand  times 
more  humiliating  that  any  thou  hast  ever  performed  for  me." 

Such  a  consummation  of  their  misery  had  never  struck  the 
imagination  of  the  simple-minded  Ann,  and  she  gazed  at  her 
child  with  tender  concern,  as  if  she  distrusted  her  senses. 

"  This  is  too  improbable,  dear  Miss  Eve,"  she  said,  "  and 
you  will  distress  your  father  by  talking  so  wildly.  The  Arabs 
are  human  beings  though  they  are  barbarians,  and  they  will 
never  dream  of  anything  so  wicked  as  this." 

Mademoiselle  Viefville  made  a  rapid  and  fervent  ejaculation 
in  her  own  language,  that  was  keenly  expressive  of  her  own 
sense  of  misery,  and  Ann  Sidley,  who  always  felt  uneasiness 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  265 

when  anything  was  said  affecting  Eve  that  she  could  not  under- 
stand, looked  from  one  to  the  other,  as  if  she  demanded  an  ex- 
planation. 

"  I'm  sure  Mamerzelle  cannot  think  any  such  thing  likely  to 
take  place,"  she  continued  more  positively ;  "  and,  sir,  you  at 
least  will  not  permit  Miss  Eve  to  torment  herself  with  any  no- 
tions as  unreasonable,  as  monstrous  as  this  !  " 

"  We  are  in  the  hands  of  God,  my  worthy  Ann,  and  you  may 
live  to  see  all  your  fixed  ideas  of  propriety  violated,"  returned 
Mr.  Effingham.  "  Let  us  pray  that  we  may  not  be  separated, 
for  there  will  at  least  be  a  tender  consolation  in  being  permitted 
to  share  our  misery  in  company.  Should  we  be  torn  asunder, 
then  indeed  will  the  infliction  be  one  of  insupportable  agony ! " 

"  And  who  will  think  of  such  a  cruelty,  sir  ?  Me  they  can- 
not separate  from  Miss  Eve,  for  I  am  her  servant,  her  own  long- 
tried,  faithful  attendant,  who  first  held  her  in  arms,  and  nursed 
her  when  a  helpless  infant ;  and  you  too,  sir,  you  are  her  father, 
her  own  beloved  revered  parent ;  and  Mr.  John,  is  he  not  her 
kinsman,  of  her  blood  and  name  ?  And  even  Mamerzelle  also 
has  claims  to  remain  with  Miss  Eve,  for  she  has  taught  her 
many  things,  I  daresay,  that  it  is  good  to  know.  Oh !  no,  no, 
no  !  no  one  has  a  right  to  tear  us  asunder,  and  no  one  will  have 
the  heart  to  do  it." 

"Nanny,  Nanny,"  murmured  Eve,  "you  do  not,  cannot 
know  the  cruel  Arabs  ! " 

"  They  cannot  be  crueller  and  more  unforgiving  than  our 
own  savages,  ma'am,  and  they  keep  the  mother  with  the  child  ; 
and  when  they  spare  life,  they  take  the  prisoners  into  their  huts, 
and  treat  them  as  they  treat  their  own.  God  has  caused  so 
many  of  the  wicked  to  perish  for  their  sins,  in  these  eastern 
lands,  that  I  no  not  think  a  man  can  be  left  that  is  wretch 
enough  to  harm  one  like  Miss  Eve.  Take  courage  then,  sir, 
and  put  your  trust  in  his  Holy  Providence.  I  know  the  trial  is 
hard  to  a  tender  father's  heart,  but  should  their  customs  require 
them  to  keep  the  men  and  women  asunder,  and  to  separate  you 
from  your  daughter,  for  a  short  time,  remember  that  I  shall  be 
with  her,  as  I  was  in  her  childhood,  when,  by  the  mercy  of  God, 
we  carried  her  through  so  many  mortal  diseases  in  safety,  and 
have  got  her,  in  the  pride  of  her  youth,  without  a  blemish  or  a 
defect,  the  perfect  creature  she  is." 

"  If  the  world  had  no  other  tenants  but  such  as  you,  devoted 
and  simple-hearted  woman,  there  would  indeed  be  little  cause 
for  apprehension  ;  for  you  are  equally  unable  to  imagine  wrong 
yourself,  or  to  conceive  it  in  others.  It  would  remove  a  moun- 


2 66  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

tain  from  my  heart,  could  I  indeed  believe  that  even  you  will 
be  permitted  to  remain  near  this  dependent  and  fragile  girl 
during  the  months  of  suffering  and  anguish  that  are  likely  to 
occur." 

"  Father,"  said  Eve,  hurriedly  drying  her  eyes,  and  rising 
to  her  feet  with  a  motion  so  easy,  and  an  effort  so  slight,  that  it 
appeared  like  the  power  of  mere  volition. — the  superiority  of 
the  spirit  over  her  light  frame, — "  father,  do  not  let  a  thought 
of  me  distress  you  at  this  awful  moment.  You  have  known  me 
only  in  happiness  and  prosperity, — an  indulged  and  indolent- 
girl  ;  but  I  feel  a  force  which  is  capable  of  sustaining  me,  even 
in  this  blank  desert.  The  Arabs  can  have  no  other  motive 
than  to  preserve  us  all,  as  captives  likely  to  repay  their  care 
with  a  rich  ransom.  I  know  that  a  journey,  according  to  their 
habits,  will  be  painful  and  arduous,  but  it  maybe  borne.  Trust, 
then,  more  to  my  spirit  than  to  my  feeble  body,  and  you  will 
find  that  I  am  not  as  worthless  as  I  fear  you  fancy." 

Mr.  Effingham  passed  his  arm  round  the  slender  waist  of 
his  child,  and  folded  her  almost  frantically  to  his  bosom.  But 
Eve  was  aroused,  and  gently  extricating  herself,  with  bright 
but  tearless  eyes,  she  looked  round  at  her  companions,  as  if 
she  would  reverse  the  order  of  their  sympathies,  and  direct 
them  to  their  own  wants  and  hazards. 

"  I  know  you  think  me  the  most  exposed  by  this  dreadful 
disaster,"  she  said  ;  "  that  I  may  not  be  able  to  bear  up  against 
the  probable  suffering,  and  that  I  shall  sink  first,  because  I  am 
the  feeblest  and  frailest  in  frame  ;  but  God  permits  the  reed  to 
bend,  when  the  oak  is  destroyed.  I  am  stronger,  able  to  bear 
more  than  you  imagine,  and  we  shall  all  live  to  meet  again,  in 
happier  scenes,  should  it  be  our  present  hard  fortune  to  be  sep- 
arated." 

As  Eve  spoke,  she  cast  affectionate  looks  on  those  dear  to 
her  by  habit,  and  blood,  and  services  ;  nor  did  she  permit  an 
unnecessary  reserve  at  such  a  moment  to  prevent  glances  of 
friendly  interest  towards  the  young  men,  whose  very  souls 
seemed  wrapped  in  her  movements.  Words  of  encouragement 
from  such  a  source,  however,  only  served  to  set  the  frightful 
truth  more  vividly  before  the  minds  of  her  auditors,  and  not  one 
of  them  heard  what  she  said  who  did  not  feel  an  awful  presen- 
timent that  a  few  weeks  of  the  suffering  of  which  she  made  so 
light,  did  she  even  escape  a  crueller  fate,  would  consign  that 
form,  now  so  winning  and  lovely,  to  the  sands.  Mr.  Effingham 
now  rose,  and  for  the  first  time  the  flood  of  sensations  that  had 
been  so  long  gathering  in  his  bosorn^  seemed  ready  to  burst 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  267 

through  the  restraints  of  manhood.  Struggling  to  command 
himself,  he  turned  to  his  two  young  male  companions,  and 
spoke  with  an  impressiveness  and  dignity  that  carried  with 
them  a  double  force,  from  the  fact  of  his  ordinary  manners  be* 
ing  so  tempered  and  calm. 

"Gentlemen."  he  said,  "we  may  serve  each  other,  by 
coming  to  an  understanding  in  time  ;  or  at  least  you  may  con- 
fer on  me  a  favor  that  a  life  of  gratitude  would  not  repay.  You 
ire  young  and  vigorous,  bold  and  intelligent,  qualities  that  will 
command  the  respect  of  even  savages.  The  chances  that  one 
of  you  will  survive  to  reach  a  Christian  land  are  much  greater 
than  those  of  a  man  of  my  years,  borne  down  as  I  shall  be  with 
the  never-dying  anxieties  of  a  parent." 

"  Father  !  father  ! " 

"  Hush  !  darling  :  let  me  entreat  these  gentlemen  to  bear 
us  in  mind,  should  they  reach  a  place  of  safety ;  for  after  all, 
youth  may  do  that  in  your  behalf,  which  time  will  deny  to  John 
and  myself.  Money  will  be  of  no  account,  you  know,  to  rescue 
my  child  from  a  fate  far  worse  than  death,  and  it  may  be  some 
consolation  to  you,  young  men,  to  recollect,  at  the  close  of  your 
careers,  which  I  trust  will  yet  be  long  and  happy,  that  a  parent, 
in  his  last  moments,  found  a  consolation  in  the  justifiable  hopes 
he  had  placed  on  your  generous  exertions." 

"  Father,  I  cannot  bear  this  !  For  you  to  be  the  victim  of 
these  barbarians  is  too  much  ;  and  I  would  prefer  trusting  all 
to  a  raft  on  the  terrible  ocean,  to  incurring  the  smallest  chance 
of  such  a  calamity.  Mademoiselle,  you  will  join  me  in  the  en- 
treaty to  the  gentlemen  to  prepare  a  few  planks  to  receive  MS, 
where  we  can  perish  together,  and  at  least  have  the  consolation 
of  knowing  that  our  eyes  will  be  closed  by  friends.  The  long- 
est survivor  will  be  surrounded  and  supported  by  the  spirits  of 
those  who  have  gone  before,  into  a  world  devoid  of  care." 

"  I  have  thought  this  from  the  first,"  returned  Mademoiselle 
Viefville  in  French,  with  an  energy  of  manner  that  betokened  a 
high  and  resolved  character  :  "  I  would  not  expose  gentle- 
women to  the  insults  and  outrages  of  barbarians  ;  but  did  not 
wish  to  make  a  proposition  that  the  feelings  of  others  might 
reject." 

"  It  is  a  thousand  times  preferable  to  capture,  if  indeed  it 
be  practicable,"  said  John  Effingham,  looking  inquiringly  to- 
wards Paul.  The  latter,  however,  shook  his  head  in  the  nega- 
tive, for,  the  wind  blowing  on  the  shore,  he  knew  it  would  be 
merely  meeting  captivity  without  the  appearance  of  a  self-reli- 


268  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

ance  and  dignity,  that  might  serve  to  impress  their  captors 
favorably." 

"  It  is  impossible,"  said  Eve,  reading  the  meaning  of  the 
glances,  and  dropping  on  her  knees  before  Mr.  Effingham, 
"  well,  then,  may  our  trust  be  in  God  !  We  have  yet  a  few 
minutes  of  liberty,  and  let  them  not  be  wasted  idly,  in  vain  re- 
grets. Father,  kiss  me,  and  give  me  once  more  that  holy  and 
cherished  blessing,  with  which  you  used  to  consign  me  to  sleep, 
in  those  days  when  we  scarce  dreamed  of,  never  realized,  mis- 
1'ortune." 

"  Bless  you,  bless  you,  my  babe  ;  my  beloved,  my  cherished 
Eve  ! "  said  the  father  solemnly,  but  with  a  quivering  lip. 
"  May  that  dread  Being  whose  ways,  though  mysterious,  are 
perfect  wisdom  and  mercy,  sustain  you  in  this  trial,  and  bring 
you  at  last,  spotless  in  spirit  and  person,  to  his  own  mansions 
of  peace.  God  took  from  me  early  thy  sainted  mother,  and  I 
had  impiously  trusted  in  the  hope  that  thou  wert  left  to  be  my 
solace  in  age.  Bless  you,  my  Eve  ;  I  shall  pray  God,  without 
ceasing,  that  you  may  pass  away  as  pure  and  as  worthy  of  his 
love,  as  her  to  whom  thou  owest  thy  being. 

John  Effingham  groaned  ;  the  effort  he  made  to  repress  his 
feelings  causing  the  outbreaking  of  his  soul  to  be  deep  though 
smothered. 

"  Father,  let  us  pray  together.  Ann,  my  good  Ann,  thou 
who  first  taught  me  to  lisp  a  thanksgiving  and  a  request,  kneel 
here  by  my  side — and  you,  too,  mademoiselle  ;  though  of  a  dif- 
ferent creed,  we  have  a  common  God  !  Cousin  John,  you  pray 
often,  I  know,  though  so  little  apt  to  show  your  emotions  ;  there 
is  a  place  for  you,  too,  with  those  of  your  blood.  I  know 
not  whether  these  gentlemen  are  too  proud  to  pray." 

Both  the  young  men  knelt  with  the  others,  and  there  was 
a  long  pause  in  which  the  whole  party  put  up  their  supplications, 
each  according  to  his  or  her  habits  of  thought. 

"  Father  ! "  resumed  Eve,  looking  up  as  she  still  knelt  between 
the  knees  of  Mr.  Effingham,  and  smiling  fondly  in  the  face  of 
him  she  so  piously  loved  ;  "  there  is  one  precious  hope  of  which 
even  the  barbarians  cannot  rob  us  :  we  may  be  separated  here, 
but  our  final  meeting  rests  only  with  God  !  " 

Mademoiselle  Viefville  passed  an  arm  round  the  waist  of 
her  sweet  pupil,  and  pressed  her  against  her  heart. 

"  There  is  but  one  abode  for  the  blessed,  my  dear  made- 
moiselle, and  one  expiation  for  us  all."  Then  rising  from  her 
knees,  Eve  said  with  the  grace  and  dignity  of  a  gentlewoman, 
"  Cousin  Jack,  kiss  me  ;  we  know  not  when  another  occasion 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  269 

may  offer  to  manifest  to  each  other  our  mutual  regard.  You 
have  been  a  dear  and  indulgent  kinsman  to  me,  and  should  I 
live  these  twenty  years  a  slave,  I  shall  not  cease  to  think  of 
you  with  kindness  and  regret." 

John  Effingham  folded  the  beautiful  and  ardent  girl  in  his 
arms  with  the  freedom  and  fondness  of  a  parent. 

"  Gentlemen,"  continued  Eve,  with  a  deepening  color ;  but 
with  eyes  that  were  kind  and  grateful,  '*  I  thank  you,  too,  for 
lending  your  supplications  to  ours.  I  know  that  young  men  in  the 
pride  of  their  security,  seldom  fancy  such  a  dependence  on  God 
necessary ;  but  the  strongest  are  overturned,  and  pride  is  a 
poor  substitute  for  the  hope  of  the  meek.  I  believe  you  have 
thought  better  of  me  than  I  merit,  and  I  should  never  cease  to 
reproach  myself  with  a  want  of  consideration,  did  I  believe 
that  anything  more  than  accident  has  brought  you  into 
this  ill-fated  vessel.  Will  you  permit  me  to  add  one  more  obliga- 
tion to  the  many  I  feel  to  you  both  ? "  advancing  nearer  to  them, 
and  speaking  lower  ;  "  you  are  young,  and  likely  to  endure  bodily 
exposure  better  than  my  father — that  we  shall  be  separated 
I  feel  persuaded — and  it  might  be  in  your  power  to  solace  a 
heart-broken  parent.  I  see,  I  know,  1  may  depend  on  your 
good  offices." 

"  Eve — my  blessed  daughter — my  only,  my  beloved  child  ! " 
exclaimed  Mr.' Effingham,  who  overheard  Ler  lowest  syllable, 
so  deathlike  was  the  stillness  of  the  cabin — "  come  to  me, 
dearest ;  no  power  on  earth  shall  ever  tear  us  asunder !  " 

Eve  turned  quickly,  and  beheld  the  arms  of  her  parent  ex- 
tended. She  threw  herself  into  them,  when  the  pent  and  ir- 
resistible emotions  broke  loose  in  both,  for  they  wept  together, 
as  she  lay  on  his  bosom,  with  a  violence  that  in  a  man  it  was 
awfully  painful  to  witness. 

Mr.  Sharp  had  advanced  to  take  the  offered  hand  of  Eve, 
when  she  suddenly  left  him  for  the  purpose  just  mentioned, 
and  he  now  felt  the  grasp  of  Paul's  fingers  on  his  arm,  as  if 
they  were  about  to  penetrate  the  bone.  Fearful  of  betraying 
the  extent  of  their  feelings,  the  two  young  men  rushed  on  deck 
together,  where  they  paced  backward  and  forward  for  many 
minutes,  quite  unable  to  exchange  a  word,  or  even  a  look. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

O  Domine  Deus  !  speravi  in  te  ; 
O  care  mi  Jesu,  nunc  libera  me  :— 
In  dura  catena, 
In  miserera  poena, 
Desidero  te — 
Languendo,  gemcndo 
Et  genuflectendo, 
Adora,  imploro,  ut  liberes  me. 

QUEEN  MARY, 

THE  sublime  consolations  of  religion  were  little  felt  by  eithef 
of  the  two  generous  minded  and  ardent  young  men  who  were 
pacing  the  deck  of  the  Montauk.  The  gentle  and  the  plastic 
admit  the  most  readily  of  the  divine  influence ;  and  of  all  on 
board  the  devoted  vessel  at  that  moment,  they  who  were  the 
most  resigned  to  their  fate  were  those  who  by  their  physical 
force  were  the  least  able  to  endure  it. 

"This  heavenly  resignation,"  said  Mr.  Sharp,  half  whisper- 
ing, "  is  even  more  heartrending  than  the  outbreakings  of  de- 
spair." 

"  It  is  frightful !  "  returned  his  companion.  "  Anything  is 
better  than  passive  submission  in  such  circumstances.  I  see 
but  little,  indeed  no  hope  of  escape  ;  but  idleness  is  torture.  If 
I  endeavor  to  raise  this  boat,  will  you  aid  me  ? " 

"  Command  me  like  your  slave.  Would  to  Heaven  there 
were  the  faintest  prospect  of  success  !  " 

"  There  is  but  little  ;  and  should  we  even  succeed,  there  are 
no  means  of  getting  far  from  the  ship  in  the  launch,  as  all  the 
oars  have  been  carried  off  by  the  captain,  and  I  can  hear  of 
neither  masts  nor  sails.  Had  we  the  latter,  with  this  wind  which 
is  beginning  to  blow,  we  might  indeed  prolong  the  uncertainty, 
by  getting  on  some  of  those  more  distant  spits  of  sand." 

"  Then,  in  the  name  of  the  blessed  Maria  !  "  exclaimed  one 
behind  them  in  French,  "  delay  not  an  instant,  and  all  on  board 
will  join  in  the  labor  !  " 

The  gentlemen  turned  in  surprise,  and  beheld  Mademoi 
selle  Viefville  standing  so  near  them  as  to  have  overheard  their 
conversation.  Accustomed  to  depend  on  herself,  coming  of  a 
people  among  whom  woman  is  more  energetic  and  useful,  per- 
haps, than  in  any  other  Christian  nation,  and  resolute  of  spirit 
naturally,  this  cultivated  and  generous  female  had  come  on  deck 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  271 

purposely  to  see  if  indeed  there  remained  no  means  by  which 
they  might  yet  escape  the  Arabs.  Had  her  knowledge  of  a 
vessel  at  all  equalled  her  resolution,  it  is  probable  that  many 
fruitless  expedients  would  already  have  been  adopted  ;  but  find- 
ing herself  in  a  situation  so  completely  novel  as  that  of  a  ship, 
until  now  she  had  found  no  occasion  to  suggest  anything  to 
which  her  companions  would  be  likely  to  lend  themselves.  But, 
seizing  the  hint  of  Paul,  she  pressed  it  on  him  with  ardor,  and, 
after  a  few  minutes  of  urging,  by  her  zeal  and  persuasion  she 
prevailed  on  the  two  gentlemen  to  commence  the  necessary  pre- 
parations without  further  delay.  John  Effingham  and  Saunders 
were  immediately  summoned  by  Mademoiselle  Viefville  herself, 
who,  once  engaged  in  the  undertaking,  pursued  it  fervently, 
while  she  went  in  person  into  the  cabins  to  make  the  necessary 
preparations  connected  with  their  subsistence  and  comforts, 
should  they  actually  succeed  in  quitting  the  vessel. 

No  experienced  mariner  could  set  about  the  work  with  more 
discretion,  or  with  a  better  knowledge  of  what  was  necessary  to 
be  done,  than  Mr.  Blunt  now  showed.  Saunders  was  directed 
to  clear  the  launch,  which  had  a  roof  on  it,  and  still  contained 
a  respectable  provision  of  poultry,  sheep  and  pigs.  The  roof 
he  was  told  not  to  disturb,  since  it  might  answer  as  a  substitute 
for  a  deck  ;  but  everything  was  passed  rapidly  from  the  inside 
of  the  boat,  which  the  steward  commenced  scrubbing  and  clean- 
ing with  an  assiduity  that  he  seldom  manifested  in  his  cabins. 
Fortunately  the  tackles  with  which  Mr.  Leach  had  raised  the 
sheers  and  stepped  the  jury-mast  the  previous  morning  were  still 
lying  on  the  deck,  and  Paul  was  spared  the  labor  of  reeving  new 
ones,  He  went  to  work,  therefore,  to  get  up  two  on  the  sub- 
stitute for  a  main-stay ;  a  job  that  he  had  completed,  through 
the  aid  of  the  two  gentlemen  on  deck,  by  the  time  Saunders 
pronounced  the  boat  to  be  in  a  fit  condition  to  receive  its  cargo. 
The  gripes  were  now  loosened,  and  the  fall  of  one  of  the  tackles 
was  led  to  the  capstan. 

By  this  time  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  by  her  energy  and 
decision,  had  so  far  aroused  Eve  and  her  woman,  that  Mr. 
Effingham  had  left  his  daughter,  and  appeared  on  deck  among 
those  who  were  assisting  Paul.  So  intense  was  the  interest, 
however,  which  all  took  in  the  result,  that  the  ladies,  and  even 
Ann  Sidley,  with  the  femme  de  chambre,  suspended  their  own 
efforts,  and  stood  clustering  around  the  capstan  as  the  gentle- 
men began  to  heave,  almost  breathless  between  their  doubts 
and  hopes  ;  for  it  was  a  matter  of  serious  question  whether 
there  was  sufficient  force  to  lift  so  heavy  a  body  at  all.  Turn 


2 72  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

after  turn  was  made,  the  fall  gradually  tightened,  until  those  at 
the  bars  felt  the  full  strain  of  their  utmost  force. 

"  Heave  together,  gentlemen,"  said  Paul  Blunt,  who  di- 
rected everything,  besides  doing  so  much  with  his  own  hands. 
"  We  have  its  weight  now,  and  all  we  gain  is  so  much  towards 
lifting  the  boat." 

A  steady  effort  was  continuted  for  two  or  three  minutes, 
with  but  little  sensible  advantage,  when  all  stopped  for  breath. 

"  I  fear  it  will  surpass  our  strength,"  observed  Mr.  Sharp. 
"  The  boat  seems  not  to  have  moved,  and  the  ropes  are 
stretched  in  a  way  to  menace  parting." 

"  We  want  but  the  force  of  a  boy  added  to  our  own,"  said 
Paul,  looking  doubtingly  towards  the  females  ;  "  in  such  cases, 
a  pound  counts  for  a  ton." 

"  Allans  \  "  cried  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  motioning  to  the 
femme  de  chambrc  to  follow  ;  "  we  will  not  be  defeated  for  the 
want  of  such  a  trifle." 

These  two  resolute  women  applied  their  strength  to  the 
bars,  and  the  power,  which  had  been  so  equally  balanced,  pre- 
ponderated in  favor  of  the  machine.  The  capstan,  which  a 
moment  before  was  scarcely  seen  to  turn,  and  that  only  by  short 
and  violent  efforts,  now  moved  steadily  but  slowly  round,  and 
the  end  of  the  launch  rose.  Eve  was  only  prevented  from  join- 
ing the  laborers  by  Nanny,  who  held  her  folded  in  her  arms, 
fearful  that  some  accident  might  occur  to  injure  her. 

Paul  Blunt  now  cheerfully  announced  the  certainty  that 
they  had  a  force  sufficient  to  rise  the  boat,  though  the  opera- 
tion would  still  be  long  and  laborious.  We  say  cheerfully ;  for 
while  this  almost  unhoped-for  success  promised  little  relief  in 
the  end,  there  is  always  something  buoyant  and  encouraging 
in  success  of  any  sort. 

"  We  are  masters  of  the  boat,"  he  said,  "  provided  the 
Arabs  do  not  molest  us  ;  and  we  may  drift  vaway,  by  means  of 
some  contrivance  of  a  sale,  to  such  a  distance  as  will  keep  us 
out  of  their  power,  until  all  chance  of  seeing  our  friends  again 
is  finally  lost." 

"  This  then  is  a  blessed  relief  !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Effingham  ; 
"  and  God  may  yet  avert  from  us  the  bitterest  portion  of  this 
calamity !  " 

The  pent  emotions  again  flowed,  and  Eve  once  more  wept 
in  her  father's  arms,  a  species  of  holy  joy  mingling  with  her 
tears.  In  the  mean  time,  Paul,  having  secured  the  fall  by 
which  they  had  just  been  heaving,  brought  the  other  to  the  cap- 
stan, when  the  operation  was  renewed  with  the  same  success. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  273 

In  this  manner  in  the  course  of  half  an  hour  the  launch  hung 
suspended  from  the  stay,  at  a  sufficient  height  to  apply  the 
yard-tackles.  As  the  latter,  however,  were  not  aloft,  Paul  hav- 
ing deemed  it  wise  to  ascertain  their  ability  to  lift  the  boat  at 
all,  before  he  threw  away  so  much  toil,  the  females  renewed 
their  preparations  in  the  cabins,  while  the  gentlemen  assisted 
the  young  sailor  in  getting  up  the  purchases.  During  this 
pause  in  the  heaving,  Saunders  was  sent  below  to  search  for  sails 
and  the  masts,  both  of  which  Paul  thought  must  be  somewhere 
in  the  ship,  as  he  found  the  launch  was  fitted  to  receive  them. 

It  was  apparent,  in  the  mean  time,  that  the  Arabs  watched 
their  proceedings  narrowly ;  for  the  moment  Paul  appeared  on 
the  yard  a  great  movement  took  place  among  them  and  several 
muskets  were  discharged  in  the  direction  of  the  ship,  though 
the  distance  rendered  the  fire  harmless.  The  gentlemen  ob- 
served with  concern,  however,  that  the  balls  passed  the  vessel, 
a  fearful  proof  of  the  extraordinary  power  of  the  arms  used  by 
the  barbarians.  Luckily  the  reef,  which  by  this  time  was  nearly 
bare  ahead  of  the  ship,  was  still  covered  in  a  few  places  nearer 
to  the  shore  to  a  depth  that  forbade  a  passage,  except  by  swim- 
ming. John  Effingham,  however,  who  was  examining  the  pro- 
ceedings of  the  Arabs  with  a  glass,  announced  that  a  party 
appeared  disposed  to  get  on  the  naked  rocks  nearest  the  ship, 
as  they  had  left  the  shore,  dragging  some  light  spars  after  them, 
with  which  they  seemed  to  be  about  to  bridge  the  different 
spots  of  deep  water,  most  of  which  were  sufficiently  narrow  to 
admit  of  being  passed  in  this  manner. 

Although  the  operation  commenced  by  the  Arabs  would 
necessarily  consume  a  good  deal  of  time,  this  intelligence 
quickened  the  movements  of  all  in  the  ship.  Saunders,  in  par- 
ticular, who  had  returned  to  report  his  want  of  success,  worked 
with  redoubled  zeal ;  for,  as  is  usual  with  those  who  are  the 
least  fortified  by  reason,  he  felt  the  greatest  horror  of  falling 
into  the  hands  of  barbarians.  It  was  a  slow  and  laborious 
thing,  notwithstanding,  to  get  upon  the  yards  the  heavy  blocks 
and  falls ;  and  had  not  Paul  Blunt  been  quite  as  conspicuous 
for  personal  strength  as  he  was  ready  and  expert  in  a  knowl- 
edge of  his  profession,  he  would  not  have  succeeded  in  the 
unaided  effort ; — unaided  aloft,  though  the  others,  of  course,  re- 
lieved him  much  by  working  at  the  whips  on  deck.  At  length 
this  important  arrangement  was  effected,  the  young  man  de- 
scended, and  the  capstan  was  again  manned. 

This  time  the  females  were  not  required,  it  being  in  the 
power  of  the  gentlemen  to  heave  the  launch  out  to  the  side  of 


274 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


the  ship,  Paul  managing  the  different  falls  so  adroitly,  that  the 
heavy  boat  was  brought  so  near  and  yet  so  much  above  the 
rail,  as  to  promise  to  clear  it.  John  Effingham  now  stood  at 
one  of  the  stay-tackle  falls,  and  Paul  at  the  other,  when  the 
latter  made  a  signal  to  ease  away.  The  launch  settled  slowly 
towards  the  side  of  the  vessel  until  it  reached  the  rail,  against 
which  it  lodged.  Catching  a  turn  _with  his  fall,  Mr.  Blunt 
sprang  forward,  and  bending  beneath  the  boat,  he  saw  that  its 
keel  had  hit  a  belaying-pin.  One  blow  from  a  capstan-bar 
cleared  away  this  obstruction,  and  the  boat  swung  off.  The 
stay-tackle  falls  were  let  go  entirely,  and  all  on  board  saw,  with 
an  exultation  that  words  can  scarcely  describe,  the  important 
craft  suspended  directly  over  the  sea.  No  music  ever  sounded 
more  sweetly  to  the  listeners  than  the  first  plash  of  the  massive 
boat  as  it  fell  heavily  upon  the  surface  of  the  water.  Its  size, 
its  roof,  and  its  great  strength  gave  it  an  appearance  of  security, 
that  for  the  moment  deceived  them  all ;  for,  in  contemplating 
the  advantage  they  had  so  unexpectedly  gained,  they  forgot  the 
many  obstacles  that  existed  to  their  availing  themselves  of  it. 

It  was  not  many  minutes  before  Paul  was  on  the  roof  of 
the  launch,  had  loosened  the  tackles,  and  had  breasted  the 
boat  to,  at  the  side  of  the  ship,  in  readiness  to  receive  the 
stores  that  the  females  had  collected.  In  order  that  the  reader 
may  better  understand  the  nature  of  the  ark  that  was  about  to 
receive  those  who  remained  in  the  Montauk,  however,  it  may 
be  well  to  describe  it. 

The  boat  itself  was  large,  strong,  and  capable  of  resisting  a 
heavy  sea  when  well  managed,  and,  of  course,  unwieldy  in  pro- 
portion. To  pull  it,  at  a  moderate  rate,  eight  or  ten  large  oars 
were  necessary  ;  whereas,  all  the  search  of  the  gentlemen  could 
not  find  one.  They  succeeded,  however,  in  discovering  a  rud- 
der and  tiller,  appliances  not  always  used  in  launches,  and 
Paul  Blunt  shipped  them  instantly.  Around  the  gunwales  of' 
the  boat,  stanchions,  which  sustained  a  slightly-rounded  roof, 
were  fitted,  a  provision  that  it  is  usual  to  make  in  the  packets, 
in  order  to  protect  the  stock  they  carry  against  the  weather. 
This  stock  having  been  turned  loose  on  the  deck,  and  the  inte- 
rior cleaned,  the  latter  now  presented  a  snug  and  respectable 
cabin ;  one  coarse  and  cramped,  compared  with  those  of  the 
ship  certainly,  but  on  the  other  hand,  one  that  might  be  well 
deemed  a  palace  by  shipwrecked  mariners.  As  it  would  be 
possible  to  retain  this  roof  until  compelled  by  bad  weather  to 
throw  it  away,  Paul,  who  had  never  before  seen  a  boat  afloat 
with  such  a  canopy,  regarded  it  with  delight ;  for  it  promised 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


275 


a  protection  to  that  delicate  form  he  so  much  cherished  in  his 
inmost  heart,  that  -he  had  not  even  dared  to  hope  for.  Between 
the  roof  and  the  gunwale  of  the  boat,  shutters  buttoned  in,  so 
as  to  fill  the  entire  space ;  and  when  these  were  in  their  peaces, 
the  whole  of  the  interior  formed  an  enclosed  apartment,  of  a 
height  sufficient  to  allow  even  a  man  to  stand  erect  without  his 
hat.  It  is  true,  this  arrangement  rendered  the  boat  clumsy, 
and,  to  a  certain  extent,  top-heavy  and  unmanageable  ;  but  so 
long  as  it  could  be  retained,  it  also  rendered  it  infinitely  more 
comfortable  than  it  could  possibly  be  without  it.  The  roof, 
moreover,  might  be  cut  away  in  five  minutes,  at  any  time, 
should  circumstances  require  it. 

Paul  had  just  completed  a  hasty  survey  of  his  treasure,  for 
such  he  now  began  to  consider  the  launch,  when  casting  his 
eye  upward,  with  the  intention  to  mount  the  ship's  side,  he  saw 
Eve  looking  down  at  him,  as  if  to  read  their  fate  in  the  ex- 
pression of  his  own  countenance, 

"The  Arabs,"  she  hurriedly  remarked,  "are  moving  along 
the  reef,  as  my  father  says,  faster  than  he  could  wish,  and  all 
our  hopes  are  centred  in  you  and  the  boat.  The  first,  I  know, 
will  not  fail  us,  so  long  as  means  allow ;  but  can  we  do  any- 
thing with  the  launch  ?  " 

"  For  the  first  time,  dearest  Miss  Effingham,  I  see  a  little 
chance  of  rescuing  ourselves  from  the  grasp  of  these  barbarians. 
There  is  no  time  to  lose,  but  everything  must  be  passed  into 
the  boat  with  as  little  delay  as  possible." 

"  Bless  you,  bless  you,  Powis,  for  this  gleam  of  hope  ! 
Your  words  are  cordials,  and  our  lives  can  scarcely  serve  to 
prove  the  gratitude  we  owe  you." 

This  was  said  naturally,  and  as  one  expresses  a  strong  feel- 
ing, without  reflection,  or  much  weighing  of  words  ;  but  even 
at  that  fearful  moment,  it  thrilled  on  every  pulse  of  the  young 
man.  The  ardent  look  that  he  gave  the  beautiful  girl  caused 
her  to  redden  to  the  temples,  and  she  hastily  withdrew. 

The  gentlemen  now  began  to  pass  into  the  boat  the  different 
things  that  had  been  provided,  principally  by  the  foresight  of 
Mademoiselle  Viefville,  where  they  were  received  by  Paul  who 
thrust  them  beneath  the  roof  without  stopping  to  lose  the  pre- 
cious moments  in  stowage.  They  included  mattrasses,  the 
trunks  that  contained  their  ordinary  sea-attire,  or  those  that 
were  not  stowed  in  the  baggage-room,  blankets,  counterpanes, 
potted  meats,  bread,  wine,  various  condiments  and  prepared 
food,  from  the  stores  of  Saunders,  and  generally  such  things 
as  had  presented  themselves  in  the  hurry  of  the  moment. 


2^6  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

Nearly  half  of  the  articles  were  rejected  by  Paul,  as  unneces- 
sary, though  he  received  many  in  consideration  of  the  delicacy 
of  his  feebler  companions,  which  would  otherwise  have  been 
cast  aside.  When  he  found,  however,  that  food  enough  had 
been  passed  into  the  boat  to  supply  the  wants  of  the  whole 
party  for  several  weeks,  he  solicited  a  truce,  declaring  it  in- 
discreet to  render  themselves  uselessly  uncomfortable  in  this 
manner,  to  say  nothing  of  the  effect  on  the  boat.  The  greater 
requisite,  water,  was  still  wanting,  and  he  now  desired  that  the 
two  domestics  might  get  into  the  boat  to  arrange  the  different 
articles,  while  he  endeavored  to  find  something  that  might 
serve  as  a  substitute  for  sails,  and  obtain  the  all-important 
supply. 

His  attention  was  first  given  to  the  water,  without  which 
all  the  other  preparations  would  be  rendered  totally  useless. 
Before  setting  about  this,  however,  he  stole  a  moment  to  look 
into  the  state  of  things  among  the  Arabs.  It  was  indeed  time, 
for  the  tide  had  now  fallen  so  low  as  to  leave  the  rocks  nearly 
bare,  and  several  hundreds  of  the  barbarians  were  advancing 
along  the  reef,  towing  their  bridge,  the  slow  progress  of  which 
alone  prevented  them  from  coming  up  at  once  to  the  point 
opposite  the  ship.  Paul  saw  there  was  not  a  moment  to  lose, 
and,  calling  Saunders,  he  hurried  below. 

Three  or  four  small  casks  were  soon  found,  when  the  ste- 
ward brought  them  to  the  tank  to  be  filled.  Luckily  the  water 
had  not  to  be  pumped  off,  but  it  ran  in  a  stream  into  the 
vessel  that  was  placed  to  receive  it.  As  soon  as  one  cask  was 
ready,  it  was  carried  on  deck  by  the  gentlemen,  and  was  struck 
into  the  boat  with  as  little  delay  as  possible.  The  shouts  of 
the  Arabs  now  became  audible,  even  to  those  who  were  below, 
and  it  required  great  steadiness  of  nerve  to  continue  the  all- 
important  preparation.  At  length  the  last  of  the  casks  was 
filled,  when  Paul  rushed  on  deck,  for,  by  this  time,  the  cries  of 
the  barbarians  proclaimed  their  presence  near  the  ship.  When 
he  reached  the  rail,  he  found  the  reef  covered  with  them,  some 
hailing  the  vessel,  others  menacing,  hundreds  still  busied  with 
their  floating  bridge  while  a  few  endeavored  to  frighten  those 
on  board  by  discharging  their  muskets  over  their  heads. 
Happily,  aim  was  impossible,  so  long  as  care  was  taken  not  to 
expose  the  body  above  the  bulwarks. 

"  We  have  not  a  moment  to  lose  !  "  cried  Mr.  Effingharn 
on  whose  bosom  Eve  lay,  nearly  incapable  of  motion.  "  The 
food  and  water  are  in  the  boat,  and  in  the  name  of  a  merciful 
God,  let  us  eapecs  from  this  scene  of  frightful  barbarity?  " 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


277 


"  The  danger  is  not  yet  so  inevitable,"  returned  Paul, 
steadily.  "  Frightful  and  pressing  as  it  truly  seems,  we  have  a 
few  minutes  to  think  in.  Let  me  entreat  that  Miss  Effing- 
ham  and  Mademoiselle  Viefville  will  receive  a  drop  of  this 
cordial." 

He  poured  into  a  glass  a  restorative  from  a  bottle  that  had 
been  left  on  the  capstan  as  superfluous,  in  the  confusion  of 
providing  stores,  and  held  it  to  the  pallid  lips  of  Eve.  As  she 
swallowed  a  mouthful,  nearly  as  helpless  as  the  infant  that  re- 
ceives nourishment  from  the  hand  of  its  nurse,  the  blood  re- 
turned, and  raising  herself  from  her  father's  arms,  she  smiled, 
though  with  an  effort,  and  thanked  him  for  his  care. 

"  It  was  a  dread  moment,"  she  said,  passing  a  hand  over 
her  brow  ;  "  but  it  is  past,  and  I  am  better.  Mademoiselle 
Viefville  will  be  obliged  to  you,  also,  for  a  little  of  this." 

The  firm-minded  and  spirited  Frenchwoman,  though  pale 
as  death,  and  evidently  suffering  under  extreme  apprehension, 
put  aside  the  glass  courteously,  declining  its  contents. 

"  We  are  sixty  fathoms  from  the  rocks,"  said  Paul  calmly, 
"  and  they  must  cross  this  ditch  yet,  to  reach  us.  None  of 
them  seem  disposed  to  attempt  it  by  swimming,  and  their 
bridge,  though  ingeniously  put  together,  may  not  prove  long 
enough." 

"  Would  it  be  safe  for  the  ladies  to  get  into  the  boat  where 
she  lies,  exposed  as  they  would  be  to  the  muskets  of  the 
Arabs  ?  "  inquired  Mr.  Sharp. 

"  All  that  shall  be  remedied,"  returned  Paul.  "  I  cannot 
quit  the  deck ;  would  you,"  slightly  bowing  to  Mr.  Sharp,  "  go 
below  again  with  Saunders,  and  look  for  some  light  sail  ?  with- 
out one,  we  cannot  move  away  from  the  ship,  even  when  in  the 
boat.  I  see  a  suitable  spar  and  necessary  rigging  on  deck ; 
but  the  canvas  must  be  looked  for  in  the  sail-room.  It  is  a 
nervous  thing,  I  confess,  to  be  below  at  such  a  moment ;  but 
you  have  too  much  faith  in  us  to  dread  being  deserted." 

Mr.  Sharp  grasped  the  hand  as  a  pledge  of  a  perfect  reli- 
ance on  the  other's  faith,  but  he  could  not  speak.  Calling 
Saunders,  the  steward  received  his  instructions,  when  the  two 
went  hastily  below. 

"  I  could  wish  the  ladies  were  in  the  boat  with  their 
women,"  said  Paul,  for  Ann  Sidley  and  the  femme  de  chambrt 
were  still  in  the  launch,  busied  in  disposing  of  its  mixed  cargo 
of  stores,  though  concealed  from  the  Arabs  by  the  roof  and 
shutters  ;  "  but  it  would  be  hazardous  to  attempt  it  while  ex- 
posed to  the  fire  from  the  reef.  We  shall  have  to  change 


278  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

the  position  of  the  ship  in  the  end,  and  it  may  as  well  be  done 
at  once." 

Beckoning  to  John  Effingham  to  follow,  he  went  forward  to 
examine  into  the  movements  of  the  Arabs,  once  more,  before 
he  took  any  decided  step.  The  two  gentlemen  placed  them- 
selves behind  the  high  defences  of  the  forecastle,  where  they 
had  a  fair  opportunity  of  reconnoitring  their  assailants,  the 
greater  height  of  the  ship's  deck  completely  concealing  all  that 
had  passed  on  it  from  the  sight  of  those  on  the  rocks. 

The  barbarians,  who  seemed  to  be,  and  who  in  truth  were, 
fully  apprised  of  the  defenceless  and  feeble  condition  of  the 
party  on  board,  were  at  work,  without  the  smallest  apprehension 
of  receiving  any  injury  from  that  quarter.  Their  great  object  was 
to  get  possession  of  the  ship,  before  the  returning  water  should 
again  drive  them  from  the  rocks.  In  order  to  effect  this,  they 
had  placed  all  who  were  willing  and  sufficiently  subordinate  on 
the  bridge,  though  a  hundred  were  idle,  shouting,  clapping 
their  hands,  menacing,  and  occasionally  discharging  a  musket, 
of  which  there  were  probably  fifty  in  their  possession. 

"  They  work  with  judgment  at  their  pontoon,"  said  Paul, 
after  he  had  examined  the  proceedings  of  those  on  the  reef  for 
a  few  minutes.  "  You  may  perceive  that  they  have  dragged 
the  outer  end  of  the  bridge  up  to  windward,  and  have  just 
shoved  it  from  the  rocks  with  the  intention  to  permit  it  to  drift 
round,  until  it  shall  bring  up  against  the  bows  of  the  ship,  when 
they  will  pour  oa  board  like  so  many  tigers.  It  is  a  dis- 
jointed and  loa&e  contrivance,  that  the  least  sea  would  de- 
range ;  but  in  this  perfectly  smooth  water  it  will  answer  their 
purpose.  It  moves  slowly,  but  will  surely  drift  round  upon  us 
in  the  course  of  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  more  ;  and  of  this 
they  appear  to  be  quite  certain  themselves,  for  they  seem  as 
well  satisfied  with  their  work  as  if  already  assured  of  its  com- 
plete success.'" 

"  It  is,  then,  important  to  us  to  be  prompt,  since  our  time 
will  be  so  brief." 

"  We  will  be  prompt,  but  in  another  mode.  If  you  will 
assist  me  a  little,  I  think  this  effort,  at  least,  may  be  easily 
defeated,  after  which  it  will  be  time  enough  to  think  of  escape. 

Paul,  aided  by  John  Efnngham,  now  loosened  the  chains 
altogether  from  the  bitts,  and  suffered  the  ship  to  drop  astern. 
As  this  was  done  silently  and  stealthily,  it  occupied  several 
minutes ;  but  the  wind  being  by  this  time  fresh,  the  huge  mass 
yielded  to  its  power  with  certainty ;  and  when  the  bridge  had 
floated  round  in  a  direct  line  from  the  reef,  or  dead  to  leeward, 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


279 


there  was  a  space  of  water  between  its  end  and  the  ship  of 
more  than  a  hundred  feet.  The  Arabs  had  rushed  on  it  in 
readiness  to  board  ;  but  they  set  up  a  yell  of  disappointment 
as  soon  as  the  truth  was  discovered.  A  tumult  followed ; 
several  fell  from  the  wet  and  slippery  spars  ;  but,  after  a  short 
time  wasted  in  confusion  and  clamor,  the  directions  of  their 
chiefs  were  obeyed,  and  they  set  to  work  with  energy  to  break 
tip  their  bridge,  in  order  to  convert  its  materials  into  a  raft. 

By  this  time  Mr.  Sharp  and  Saunders  had  returned,  bringing 
with  them  several  light  sails,  such  as  spare  royals  and  top-gal- 
lant studding-sails.  Paul  next  ordered  a  spare  mizzen-top-gal- 
lant  mast,  with  a  top-gallant  studding-sail  boom,  and  a  quantity 
of  light  rope  to  be  laid  in  the  gangway,  after  which  he  set  about 
the  final  step.  As  time  now  pressed  in  earnest,  the  Arabs 
working  rapidfy  and  with  increasing  shouts,  he  called  upon  all 
the  gentlemen  for  assistance,  giving  such  directions  as  should 
enable  them  to  work  with  intelligence. 

"  Bear  a  hand,  Saunders,"  he  said,  having  taken  the  stew- 
ard forward  with  him,  as  one  more  accustomed  to  ships  than 
the  others ;  "  bear  a  hand  my  fine  fellow,  and  light  up  this 
chain.  Ten  minutes  just  now  are  of  more  value  than  a  year  at 
another  time." 

"  'Tis  awful,  Mr.  Blunt,  sir — werry  awful,  I  do  confirm," 
returned  the  steward,  blubbering  and  wiping  his  eyes  between 
the  drags  at  the  chains.  "  Such  a  fate  to  befall  such  cabins, 
sir  ! — And  the  crockery  of  the  werry  best  quality  out  of  London 
or  New  York !  Had  I  diwined  such  an  issue  for  the  Montauk, 
sir,  I  never  would  have  counselled  Captain  Truck  to  lay  in  half 
the  stores  we  did,  and  most  essentially  not  the  new  lots  of 
vines.  Oh  !  sir,  it  is  truly  awful  to  have  such  a  calamity  wisit 
so  much  elegant  preparation  !  " 

"  Forget  it  all,  my  fine  fellow,  and  light  up  the  chain.  Ha ! 
— she  touches  abaft !  Ten  or  fifteen  fathoms  more  will  an- 
swer." 

"  I've  paid  great  dewotion  to  the  silver,  Mr.  Blunt,  sir,  for 
it's  all  in  the  launch,  even  to  the  broken  mustard-spoon  ;  and  I 
do  hope,  if  Captain  Truck's  soul  is  permitted  to  superintend 
the  pantry  any  longer,  it  will  be  quite  beatified  and  encouraged 
with  my  prudence  and  oversight.  I  left  all  the  rest  of  the 
table  furniture,  sir  ;  though  I  suppose  these  musrfe-men  will  not 
have  much  use  for  any  but  the  oyster-knives,  as  I  am  informed 
they  eat  with  their  fingers.  I  declare  it  is  quite  oppressive 
and  unhuman  to  have  such  wagabonds  rummaging  one's 
lockers  !  " 


28 o  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  Rouse  away,  my  man,  and  light  up !  the  ship  has  caught 
the  breeze  on  her  larboard  bow,  and  begins  to  take  the  chain 
more  freely.  Remember  that  precious  beings  depend  on  us 
for  safety !  " 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir  ;  light  up,  it  is.  I  feel  quite  a  concern  for  the 
ladies,  sir,  and  more  especially  for  the  stores  we  abandon  to 
the  underwriters.  A  better-found  ship  never  came  out  of  St. 
Catherine's  Docks  or  the  East  River,  particularly  in  the  pantry 
department ;  and  I  wonder  what  these  wretches  will  do  with 
her.  They  will  be  quite  abashed  with  her  conveniences,  sir, 
and  unable  to  enjoy  them.  Poor  Toast,  too  !  he  will  have  a 
monstrous  unpleasant  time  with  the  musde-men  ;  for  he  never 
eats  fish  ;  and  has  quite  a  genteel  and  ameliorated  way  with 
him.  I  shouldn't  wonder  if  he  forgot  all  I  have  taken  so  much 
pains  to  teach  him,  sir,  unless  he's  dead ;  in  which  case  it  will 
be  of  no  use  to  him  in  another  world." 

"  That  will  do,"  interrupted  Paul,  ceasing  his  labor  ;  "  the 
ship  is  aground  from  forward  aft.  We  will  now  hurry  the  spars 
and  sails  into  the  boat,  and  let  ladies  get  into  her." 

In  order  that  the  reader  may  better  understand  the  present 
situation  of  the  ship,  it  may  be  necessary  to  explain  what  Mr. 
Powis  and  the  steward  had  been  doing  all  this  time.  By  pay* 
ing  out  the  chains,  the  ship  had  fallen  farther  astern,  until  she 
took  the  ground  abaft  on  the  edge  of  the  sand-bank  so  often 
mentioned  ;  and,  once  fast  at  that  end,  her  bows  had  fallen  off, 
pressed  by  the  wind,  as  the  depth  of  the  water  would  allow. 
She  now  lay  aground  forward  and  aft,  with  her  starboard  side 
to  the  reef,  and  the  launch  between  the  vessel  and  the  naked 
sands  was  completely  covered  •  from  the  observation  and 
assaults  of  the  barbarians  by  the  former. 

Eve,  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  and  Mr.  Effingham  now  got 
into  the  launch,  while  the  others  still  remained  in  the  ship  to 
complete  the  preparations. 

"  They  get  on  fast  with  their  raft,"  said  Paul,  while  he 
both  worked  himself  and  directed  the  labor  of  the  others, 
"  though  we  shall  be  safe  here  until  they  actually  quit  the 
rocks.  Their  spars  will  be  certain  to  float  down  upon  the  ship  ; 
but  the  movement  wil-1  necessarily  be  slow,  as  the  water  is  too 
deep  to  admit  of  setting,  even  if  they  had  poles,  of  which  I  see 
none.  Throw  these  spare  sails  on  the  roof  of  the  launch, 
Saunders.  They  may  be  wanted  before  we  reach  a  port, 
should  God  protect  long  enough  to  effect  so  much.  Pass 
two  compass.es  also  into  the  boat,  with  all  the  carpenter's  tools 
that  have  been  collected." 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  281 

While  giving  these  orders,  Paul  was  busied  in  sawing  off 
the  larger  end  of  the  pole-mizzen-top-gallant-mast,  to  convert 
it  into  a  spar  for  the  launch.  This  was  done  by  the  time  he 
ceased  speaking  ;  a  step  was  made,  and,  jumping  down  on  the 
roof  of  the  boat,  he  cut  out  a  hole  to  receive  it,  at  a  spot  he 
had  previously  marked  for  that  purpose.  By  the  time  he  had 
done,  the  spar  was  ready  to  be  entered,  and  in  another  minute 
they  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  a  very  sufficient  mast  in  its 
place.  A  royal  was  also  stretched  to  its  yard,  and  halyards, 
tack  and  sheet,  being  bent,  everything  was  ready  to  run  up  a 
sail  at  a  moment's  warning.  As  this  suppled  the  means  of 
motion,  the  gentlemen  began  to  breathe  more  freely,  and  to 
bethink  them  of  those  minor  comforts  and  essentials  that  in 
the  hurry  of  such  a  scene  would  be  likely  to  be  overlooked. 
After  a  few  more  busy  minutes,  all  was  pronounced  to  be 
ready,  and  John  Effingham  began  seriously  to  urge  the  party 
to  quit  the  ship  ;  but  Paul  still  hesitated.  He  strained  his  eyes 
in  the  direction  of  the  wreck,  in  the  vain  hope  of  yet  receiving 
succor  from  that  quarter;  but,  of  course,  uselessly,  as  it  was 
about  the  time  when  Captain  Truck  was  warping  off  with  his 
raft,  in  order  to  obtain  an  offiing.  Just  at  this  moment  a  party 
of  twenty  Arabs  got  upon  the  spars,  which  they  had  brought 
together  into  a  single  body,  and  began  to  drift  down  slowly, 
upon  the  ship. 

Paul  cast  a  look  about  him  to  see  if  anything  else  that  was 
useful  could  be  found,  and  his  eyes  fell  upon  the  gun.  It 
struck  him  that  it  might  be  made  serviceable  as  a  scarecrow 
in  forcing  their  way  through  the  inlet,  and  he  determined  to 
lodge  it  on  the  roof  of  the  launch,  for  the'  present,  at  least, 
and  to  throw  it  overboard  as  soon  as  they  got  into  rough  water, 
if  indeed  they  should  be  so  fortunate  as  to  get  outside  of  the 
reef  at  all.  The  stay  and  yard  tackles  offered  the  necessary 
facilities,  and  he  instantly  slung  the  piece.  A  few  rounds  of  the 
capstan  lifted  it  from  the  deck,  a  few  more  bore  it  clear  of  the 
side  and  then  it  was  easily  lowered  on  the  roof,  Saunders  be- 
ing sent  into  the  boat  to  set  up  a  stanchion  beneath,  in  order 
that  its  weight  might  do  no  injury. 

The  gentlemen  at  last  got  into  the  launch,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  Paul,  who  still  lingered  in  the  ship  watching  the  progress 
of  the  Arabs,  and  making  his  calcuations  for  the  future. 

It  required  great  steadiness  of  nerve,  perfect  self-reliance, 
and  an  entire  confidence  in  his  resources  and  knowledge,  for 
one  to  remain  a  passive  spectator  of  the  slow  drift  of  the  raft,, 
while  it  gradually  settled  down  on  the  ship.  As  it  approached, 


282  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

Paul  was  seen  by  those  on  it,  and,  with  the  usual  duplicity  of 
barbarians,  they  made  signs  of  amity  and  encouragement. 
These  signs  did  not  deceive  the  young  man,  however,  who 
only  remained  to  be  a  close  observer  of  their  conduct,  thinking 
some  useful  hint  might  thus  be  obtained,  though  his  calmness 
so  far  imposed  on  the  Arabs  that  they  even  made  signs  to  him 
to  throw  them  a  rope.  Believing  it  now  time  to  depart,  he  an- 
swered the  signal  favorably,  and  disappeared  from  their  sight. 

Even  in  descending  to  the  boat,  this  trained  and  cool  young 
seaman  betrayed  no  haste.  His  movements  were  quick,  and 
everything  was  done  with  readiness  and  knowledge  certainly, 
but  no  confusion  or  trepidation  occasioned  the  loss  of  a  mo- 
ment. He  hoisted  the  sail,  brought  down  the  tack,  and  then 
descended  beneath  the  roof,  having  first  hauled  in  the  painter, 
and  given  the  boat  a  long  and  vigorous  shove,  to  force  it  from 
the  side  of  the  vessel.  By  this  last  expedient  he  at  once  placed 
thirty  feet  of  water  between  the  boat  and  the  Montauk,  a  space 
that  the  Arabs  had  no  means  of  overcoming.  As  soon  as  he  was 
beneath  the  roof  the  sheet  was  hauled  in,  and  Paul  seized  the 
tiller;  which  had  been  made,  by  means  of  a  narrow  cut  in  the 
boards,  to  play  in  one  of  the  shutters.  Mr.  Sharp  took  a  posi- 
tion in  the  bows,  where  he  could  see  the  sands  and  channels 
through  the  crevices,  directing  the  other  how  to  steer;  and  just 
as  a  shout  announced  the  arrival  of  the  raft  at  the  other  side 
of  the  ship,  the  flap  of  their  sail  gave  those  in  the  boat  the 
welcome  intelligence  that  they  had  got  so  far  from  her  cover  as 
to  feel  the  force  of  the  wind. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Speed,  gallant  bark !  richer  cargo  is  thine, 
Than  Brazilian  gem,  or  Peruvian  mine ; 
And  the  treasures  thou  bearest  thy  destiny  wait, 
For  they,  if  thou  perish,  must  share  in  thy  fate. 

PARK. 

THE  departure  of  the  boat  was  excellently  timed.  Had  it 
left  the  side  of  the  ship  while  the  Arabs  on  the  raft  were  un- 
occupied, and  at  a  little  distance,  it  would  have  been  exposed 
to  their  fire  ;  for  at  least  a  dozen  of  those  who  boarded  had  mus- 
kets ;  whereas  the  boat  now  glided  away  to  leeward,  while 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  283 

they  were  busy  in  getting  up  her  side,  or  were  so  near  the  ship 
as  not  to  be  able  to  see  the  launch  at  all.  When  Paul  Powis, 
who  was  looking  astern  through  a  crevice,  saw  the  first  Arab  on 
the  deck  of  the  Montauk,  the  launch  was  already  near  a  cable's 
length  from  her,  running  with  a  fresh  and  free  wind  into  one  of 
the  numerous  little  channels  that  intersected  the  naked  banks 
of  sand.  The  unusual  construction  of  the  boat,  with  its  enclosed 
roof,  and  the  circumstance  that  no  one  was  visible  on  board  her, 
had  the  effect  to  keep  the  barbarians  passive,  until  distance  put 
her  beyond  the  reach  of  danger.  A  few  muskets  were  dis- 
charged, but  they  were  fired  at  random,  and  in  the  bravado  of 
a  semi-savage  state  of  feeling. 

Paul  kept  the  launch  running  off  free,  until  he  was  near  a 
mile  from  the  ship,  when,  finding  he  was  approaching  the  reef 
to  the  northward  and  eastward,  and  that  a  favorable  sandbank 
lay  a  short  distance  ahead,  he  put  down  the  helm,  let  the  sheet 
fly,  and  the  boat's  forefoot  shot  upon  the  sands.  By  a  little 
management,  the  launch  was  got  broadside  to  the  bank,  the 
water  being  sufficiently  deep,  and,  when  it  was  secured,  the  fe- 
males were  enabled  to  land  through  the  opening  of  a  shutter. 

The  change  from  the  apparent  hoplessness  of  their  situation, 
was  so  great,  as  to  render  the  whole  party  comparatively  happy. 
Paul  and  John  Effingham  united  in  affirming  it  would  be  quite 
possible  to  reach  one  of  the  islands  to  leeward  in  so  good  a 
boat,  and  that  they  ought  to  deem  themselves  fortunate,  under 
the  circumstances,  in  being  the  masters  of  a  little  bark  so  well 
found  in  every  essential.  Eve  and  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  who 
had  fervently  returned  their  thanks  to  the  Great  Ruler  of  events, 
while  in  the  boat,  walked  about  the  hard  sand  with  even  a  sense 
of  enjoyment,  and  smiles  began  again  to  brighten  the  beautiful 
features  of  the  first.  Mr.  Effingham  declared,  with  a  grateful 
heart,  that  in  no  park,  or  garden,  had  he  ever  before  met  with 
a  promenade  that  seemed  so  delightful  as  this  spot  of  naked 
and  moistened  sand,  on  the  sterile  coast  of  the  Great  Desert. 
Its  charm  was  its  security,  for  its  distance  from  every  point  that 
could  be  approached  by  the  Arabs,  rendered  it,  in  their  eyes,  a 
paradise. 

Paul  Powis,  however,  though  he  maintained  a  cheerful  air, 
and  the  knowledge  that  he  had  been  so  instrumental  in  saving 
the  party  lightened  his  heart  of  a  load,  and  disposed  him  even 
to  gayety,  was  not  without  some  lingering  remains  of  uneasi- 
ness. He  remembered  the  boats  of  the  Dane,  and,  as  he 
thought  it  more  than  probable  Captain  Truck  had  fallen  into 
the  hands  of  the  barbarians,  he  feared  that  the  latter  might 


284  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

yet  find  the  means  to  lay  hands  on  themselves.  While  he  was 
at  work  fitting  the  rigging,  and  preparing  a  jigger,  with  a  view 
to  render  the  launch  more  manageable,  he  cast  frequent  un- 
easy glances  to  the  northward,  with  a  feverish  apprehension  that 
one  of  the  so-long-wished-for  boats  might  at  length  appear. 
Their  friends  he  no  longer  expected,  but  his  fears  were  all 
directed  towards  the  premature  arrival  of  enemies  from  that 
quarter.  None  appeared,  however,  and  Saunders  actually 
lighted  a  fire  on  the  bank,  and  prepared  the  grateful  refresh- 
ment of  tea  for  the  whole  party  ;  none  of  which  had  tasted  food 
since  morning,  though  it  was  now  drawing  near  night. 

"  Our  caterers,"  said  Paul,  smiling,  as  he  cast  his  eyes  over 
the  repast  which  Ann  Sidley  had  spread  on  the  roof  of  the 
boat,  where  they  were  all  seated  on  stools,  boxes,  and  trunks, 
"  our  caterers  have  been  of  the  gentle  sex,  as  any  one  may 
see,  for  we  have  delicacies  that  are  fitter  for  a  banquet  than  a 
desert." 

"  I  thought  Miss  Eve  would  relish  them,  sir,"  Nanny  meek- 
ly excused  herself  by  saying  ;  "  she  is  not  much  accustomed  to 
a  coarse  diet ;  and  mamerzelle,  too,  likes  niceties,  as  I  believe 
is  the  case  with  all  of  French  extraction." 

Eve's  eyes  glistened,  though  she  felt  it  necessary  to  say 
something  by  way  of  apology. 

"  Poor  Ann  has  been  so  long  accustomed  to  humor  the 
caprices  of  a  petted  girl,"  she  said,  "  that  I  fear  those  who  will 
have  occasion  for  all  their  strength  may  the  sufferers.  I  should 
regret  it  for  ever,  Mr.  Powis,  if  you,  who  are  every  way  of  so 
much  importance  to  us,  should  not  find  the  food  you  required." 

"  I  have  very  inadvertently  and  unwittingly  drawn  down 
upon  myself  the  suspicion  of  being  one  of  Mr.  Monday's  gour- 
mets, a  plain  roast  and  boiled  person,"  the  young  man  answered 
laughingly,  "  when  it  was  merely  my  desire  to  express  the 
pleasure  I  had  in  perceiving  that  those  whose  comfort  and  ease 
are  of  more  account  than  anything  else,  have  been  so  well 
cared  for.  I  could  almost  starve  with  satisfaction,  Miss  Effing- 
ham,  if  I  saw  you  free  from  suffering  under  the  extraordinary 
circumstances  in  which  we  are  placed." 

Eve  looked  grateful,  and  the  emotion  excited  by  this  speech 
restored  all  that  beauty  which  had  so  lately  been  chilled  by 
fear. 

"  Did  I  not  hear  a  dialogue  between  you  and  Mr.  Saunders 
touching  the  merits  of  sundry  stores  that  had  been  left  in  the 
ship  ?  "  asked  John  Effingham,  turning  to  Paul  by  way  of  re- 
lieving his  cousin's  distress. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  285 

"  Indeed  you  might ;  he  relieved  the  time  we  were  rousing 
at  the  chains  with  a  beautiful  Jeremiad  on  the  calamities  of  the 
lockers.  I  fancy,  steward,  that  you  consider  the  misfortunes 
of  the  pantry  as  the  heaviest  disaster  that  has  befallen  the 
Montauk  !  " 

Saunders  seldom  smiled.  In  this  particular  he  resembled 
Captain  Truck ;  the  one  subduing  all  light  emotions  from  an 
inveterate  habit  of  serious  comicality,  and  the  responsibility  of 
command  ;  and  the  other  having  lost  most  of  his  disposition  to 
merriment,  as  the  cart-horse  loses  his  propensity  to  kick,  from 
being  overworked.  The  steward,  moreover,  had  taken  up  the 
conceit  that  it  was  indicative  of  a  "  nigger  "  to  be  merry ;  and, 
between  dignity,  a  proper  regard  to  his  color — which  was  about 
half-way  between  that  of  a  Gold  Coast  importation,  and  a  rice- 
plantation  overseer,  down  with  the  fever  in  his  third  season — 
and  dogged  submission  to  unmitigated  calls  on  his  time,  the 
prevailing  character  of  the  poor  fellow's  physiognomy  was  that 
of  a  dolorous  sentimentality.  He  believed  himself  to  be 
materially  refined  by  having  had  so  much  intimate  communica- 
tion with  gentlemen  and  ladies  suffering  under  sea-sickness, 
and  he  knew  that  no  man  in  the  ship  could  use  language  like 
that  he  had  always  at  his  finger's  ends,  While  so  strongly 
addicted  to  melancholy,  therefore,  he  was  fond  of  hearing  him- 
self talk  ;  and,  palpably  encouraged  as  he  had  now  been  by 
John  Effingham  and  Paul,  and  a  little  emboldened  by  the  fami- 
liarity of  a  shipwreck,  he  did  not  hesitate  about  mingling  in  the 
discourse,  through  holding  the  Effinghams  habitually  in  awe. 

"  I  esteem  it  a  great  privilege,  ladies  and  gentlemen,"  he 
observed  as  soon  as  Paul  ceased,  "  to  have  the  honor  of  being 
wracked  (for  so  the  steward,  in  conformity  with  the  Doric  of  the 
forecastle,  pronounced  the  word),  in  such  company.  I  should 
deem  it  a  disgrace  to  be  cast  away  in  some  society  I  could  name, 
although  I  will  predicate,  as  we  say  in  America,  nothing  on 
their  absence.  As  to  what  inwolves  the  stores,  it  suggested 
itself  to  me  that  the  ladies  would  like  delicate  diet,  and  I  in- 
termated  as  much  to  Mrs.  Sidley  and  t'other  French  waiting- 
woman.  Do  you  imagine,  gentlemen,  that  the  souls  of  the  dead 
are  permitted  to  look  back  at  such  ewents  of  this  life  as  touches 
their  own  private  concerns  and  feelings  ?  " 

"  That  would  depend,  I  should  think,  steward,  on  the  nature 
of  the  employment  of  the  souls  themselves,"  returned  John 
Effingham.  "  There  must  be  certain  souls  to  which  any  occu- 
pation would  be  more  agreeable  than  that  of  looking  behind 
them.  But,  may  I  ask  why  you  inquire  ?  " 


286  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  Because,  Mr.  John  Effingham,  sir,  I  do  not  believe  Cap 
tain  Truck  can  ever  be  happy  in  heaven,  as  long  as  the  ship  is 
in  the  hands  of  the  Arabs  !  If  she  had  been  honorably  and 
fairly  wracked,  and  the  captain  suffercated  by  drowning,  he 
could  go  to  sleep  like  another  Christian  ;  but,  I  do  think,  sir, 
if  there  be  any  special  perdition  for  seamen,  it  must  be  to  see 
their  vessel  rummaged  by  Arabs.  I'll  warrant,  now,  those 
blackguards  have  had  their  fingers  in  everything  already  ; 
sugar,  chocolate,  raisins,  coffee,  cakes,  and  all !  I  wonder  who 
they  think  would  like  to  use  articles  they  have  handled  !  And 
there  is  poor  Toast,  gentlemen,  an  aspiring  and  improving 
young  man  ;  one  who  had  the  materials  of  a  good  steward  in 
him,  though  I  can  hardly  say  they  were  completely  deweloped. 
I  did  look  forward  to  the  day  when  I  could  consign  him  to 
Mr.  Leach  as  my  own  predecessor,  when  Captain  Truck  and  I 
should  retire,  as  I  have  no  doubt  we  should  have  done  on  the 
same  day,  but  for  this  distressing  accident.  I  dewoutly  pray 
that  Toast  is  deceased,  for  I  would  rather  any  misfortune  should 
befall  him  in  the  other  world  than  that  he  should  be  compelled 
to  associate  with  Arab  niggers  in  this.  Dead  or  alive,  ladies, 
I  am  an  advocate  for  a  man's  keeping  himself  respectable,  and 
in  proper  company." 

So  elastic  had  the  spirits  of  the  whole  become  by  their  un- 
looked-for escape,  that  Saunders  was  indulged  to  the  top  of  his 
humor,  and  while  he  served  the  meal,  passing  between  his  fire 
on  the  sands  and  the  roof  of  the  launch,  he  enjoyed  a  heartier 
gossip  than  any  he  had  had  since  they  left  the  dock  ;  not  even 
excepting  those  sniggering  scenes  with  Mr.  Toast  in  the  pantry, 
in  which  he  used  to  unbend  himself  a  little,  forgetting  his  dignity 
as  steward  in  the  native  propensities  of  the  black. 

Paul  Powis  entered  but  a  moment  into  the  trifling,  for  on 
him  rested  the  safety  of  all.  He  alone  could  navigate,  or  even 
manage  the  boat  in  rough  water  ;  and,  while  the  others  confided 
so  implicitly  in  his  steadiness  and  skill,  he  felt  the  usual  burthen 
of  responsibility.  When  the  supper  was  ended,  and  the  party 
were  walking  up  and  down  the  little  islet  of  sand,  he  took  his 
station  on  the  roof  therefore,  and  examined  the  proceedings  of 
the  Arabs  with  the  glass  ;  Mr.  Sharp,  with  a  species  of  chival- 
rous self-denial  that  was  not  lost  on  his  companion,  foregoing 
the  happiness  of  walking  at  the  side  of  Eve,  to  remain  near 
him. 

"The  wretches  have  laid  waste  the  cabins  already  !"  ob- 
served Mr.  Sharp,  when  Paul  had  been  looking  at  the  ship  some 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  287 

little  time.  "  That  which  it  took  months  to  produce  they  will 
destroy  in  an  hour." 

"  I  do  not  see  that,"  returned  Paul ;  "  there  are  but  about 
fifty  in  the  ship,  and  their  efforts  seem  to  be  directed  to  hauling 
her  over  against  the  rocks.  They  have  no  means  of  landing 
their  plunder  where  she  lies  ;  and  I  suspect  there  is  a  sort  of 
convention  that  all  are  to  start  fair.  One  or  two,  who  appear  to 
be  chiefs,  go  in  and  out  of  the  cabins ;  but  the  rest  are  actively 
engaged  in  endeavoring  to  move  the  ship." 

"  And  with  what  success  ?  " 

"  None,  apparently.  It  exceeds  their  knowledge  of  me- 
chanics to  force  so  heavy  a  mass  from  its  position.  The  wind 
has  driven  the  ship  firmly  on  the  bank,  and  nothing  short  of  the 
windlass,  or  capstan,  can  remove  her.  These  ignorant  crea- 
tures have  got  two  or  three  small  ropes  between  the  vessel  and 
the  reef,  and  are  pulling  fruitlessly  at  both  ends  !  But  our  chief 
concern  will  be  to  find  an  outlet  into  the  ocean,  when  we  will 
make  the  best  of  our  way  towards  the  Cape  de  Verds." 

Paul  now  commenced  a  long  and  close  examination  of  the 
reef,  to  ascertain  by  what  openings  he  might  get  the  launch  on 
the  outside.  To  the  northward  of  the  great  inlet  there  was  a 
continued  line  of  rocks,  on  which  he  was  sorry  to  perceive 
armed  Arabs  beginning  to  show  themselves  ;  a  sign  that  the 
barbarians  still  entertained  the  hope  of  capturing  the  party. 
Southward  of  the  inlet  there  were  many  places  in  which  a  boat 
might  pass  at  half-tide,  and  he  trusted  to  getting  through  one 
of  them  as  soon  as  it  became  dark.  As  the  escape  in  the  boat 
could  not  have  been  foreseen,  the  Arabs  had  not  yet  brought 
down  upon  them  the  boats  of  the  wreck  ;  but  should  morning 
dawn  and  find  them  still  within  the  reef,  he  saw  no  hope  of  final 
escape  against  boats  that  would  possess  the  advantage  of  oars, 
ignorant  as  the  barbarians  might  be  of  their  proper  use. 

Everything  was  now  ready.  The  interior  of  the  launch  was 
divided  into  two  apartments  by  counterpanes,  trunks,  and 
boxes  ;  the  females  spreading  their  mattresses  in  the  forward 
room,  and  the  males  in  the  other.  Some  of  those  profound  in- 
terpreters of  the  law,  who  illustrate  legislation  by  the  devices 
of  trade,  had  shipped  in  the  Montauk  several  hundred  rude 
leaden  busts  of  Napoleon,  with  a  view  to  save  the  distinction 
in  duties  between  the  metal  manufactured  and  the  metal  un- 
manufactured. Four  or  five  of  these  busts  had  been  struck  into 
the  launch  as  a  ballast.  They  were  now  snugly  stowed,  together 
with  the  water,  and  all  the  heavier  articles,  in  the  bottom  of  the 
boat.  The  jigger  had  been  made  and  bent,  and  a  suitable 


288  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

mast  was  stepped  by  means  of  the  roof.  In  short,  every  provi- 
sion for  comfort  or  safety  that  Paul  could  think  of  had  been  at- 
tended to ;  and  everything  was  in  readiness  to  re-embark  as 
soon  as  the  proper  hour  should  arrive. 

The  gentler  portion  of  the  party  were  seated  on  the  edge  of 
the  roof,  watching  the  setting  sun,  and  engaged  in  a  discourse 
with  feelings  more  attempered  to  their  actual  condition  than 
had  been  the  case  immediately  after  their  escape.  The  even- 
ing had  a  little  of  that  wild  and  watery  aspect  which,  about  the 
same  hour,  had  given  Captain  Truck  so  much  concern,  but  the 
sun  dipped  gorgeously  into  the  liquid  world  of  the  West,  and  the 
whole  scene,  including  the  endless  desert,  the  black  reef,  the 
stranded  ship,  and  the  movements  of  the  bustling  Arabs,  was 
one  of  gloomy  grandeur. 

"  Could  we  foretell  the  events  of  a  month,"  said  John  Ef- 
fingham,  "  with  what  different  feelings  from  the  present  would 
life  be  chequered  !  When  we  left  London,  the  twenty  days 
since,  our  eyes  and  minds  were  filled  with  the  movements,  cares, 
refinements,  and  interest  of  a  great  and  polished  capital,  and 
here  we  sit,  houseless  wanderers,  gazing  at  an  eventide  on  the 
coast  of  Africa  !  In  this  way,  young  men,  and  young  ladies  too, 
will  you  find,  as  life  glides  away,  that  the  future  will  disappoint 
the  expectations  of  the  present  moment !  " 

"  All  futures  are  not  gloomy,  cousin  Jack,"  said  Eve  ;  "  nor 
is  all  hope  doomed  to  meet  with  disappointment.  A  merciful 
God  cares  for  us  when  we  are  reduced  to  despair  on  our  own 
account,  and  throws  a  ray  of  unexpected  light  on  our  darkest 
hours.  Certainly  we,  of  all  his  creatures,  ought  not  to  deny 
this  !  " 

"  I  do  not  deny  it.  We  have  been  rescued  in  a  manner  so 
simple  as  to  seem  unavoidable,  and  yet  so  unexpected  as  to  be 
almost  miraculous.  Had  not  Mr.  Blunt,  or  Mr.  Powis,  as  you 
call  him — although  I  am  not  in  the  secret  of  the  masquerade — 
but,  had  not  this  gentleman  been  a  seaman,  it  would  have  sur- 
passed all  our  means  to  get  this  boat  into  the  water,  or  even  to 
use  her  properly  were  she  even  launched.  I  look  upon  his  pro- 
fession as  being  the  first  great  providential  interference,  or  pro- 
vision, in  our  behalf  ;  and  his  superior  skill  and  readiness  in 
that  profession  as  a  circumstance  of  no  less  importance  to  us." 

Eve  was  silent;  but  the  glow  in  the  western  sky  was 
scarcely  more  radiant  and  bright  than  the  look  she  cast  on  the 
subject  of  the  remark. 

"  It  is  no  great  merit  to  be  a  seaman,  for  the  trade  is  like 
another,  a  mere  matter  of  practice  and  education,"  observed 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  289 

Paul,  after  a  moment  of  awkward  hesitation.  "  If,  as  you  say, 
I  have  been  instrumental  in  serving  you,  I  shall  never  regret 
the  accidents — cruel  accidents  of  my  early  life  I  had  almost 
called  them — that  cast  my  fortunes  so  early  on  the  ocean." 

A  falling  pin  would  have  been  heard,  and  all  hoped  the 
young  man  would  proceed  ;  but  he  chose  to  be  silent.  Saunders 
happened  to  overhear  the  remark,  for  he  was  aiding  Ann  Sidley 
in  the  boat,  and  he  took  up  the  subject  where  it  was  left  by  the 
other,  in  a  little  aside  with  his  companion. 

"  It  is  a  misfortune  that  Mr.  Dodge  is  not  here  to  question 
the  gentleman,"  said  the  steward  to  his  assistant,  "  and  then  we 
might  hear  more  of  his  adventures,  which,  I  make  no  doubt,  have 
been  werry  pathetic  and  romantical.  Mr.  Dodge  is  a  genuine 
inquisitor,  Mistress  Ann  ;  not  such  and  inquisitor  as  burns 
people  and  flays  them  in  Spain,  where  I  have  been,  but  such 
an  inquisitor  as  torments  people,  and  of  whom  we  have  lots  in 
America." 

"  Let  the  poor  man  rest  in  peace,"  said  Nanny,  sighing. 
"  He's  gone  to  his  great  account,  steward ;  and  I  fear  we  shall 
none  of  us  make  as  good  a  figure  as  we  might  at  the  final  set- 
tling. Besides  Miss  Eve,  I  never  knew  a  mortal  that  wasn't 
more  or  less  a  sinner." 

"  So  they  all  say ;  and  I  must  allow  that  my  experience 
leans  to  the  wicked  side  of  the  question.  Captain  Truck,  now, 
was  a  worthy  man  ;  but  he  had  his  faults,  as  well  as  Toast.  In 
the  first  place  he  would  swear  when  things  took  him  back  ;  and 
then,  he  had  no  prewarication  about  speaking  his  mind  of  a 
fellow-creature,  if  the  coffee  happened  to  be  thick,  or  the 
poultry  didn't  take  fat  kindly.  I've  known  him  box  the  com- 
pass with  oaths  if  the  ship  was  got  in  irons." 

"  It's  very  sinful  :  and  it  is  to  be  feared  that  the  poor  man 
was  made  to  think  of  all  thivS  in  his  latter  moments." 

"  If  the  Arabs  undertook  to  cannibalize  him,  I  think  he  must 
have  given  it  to  them  right  and  left,"  continued  Saunders,  wip- 
ing an  eye,  for  between  him  and  the  captain  there  had  existed 
some  such  affection  as  the  prisoner  comes  to  feel  for  the  hand- 
cuffs with  which  he  amuses  his  ennui;  "  some  of  his  oaths 
would  choke  a  dog." 

"  Well,  let  him  rest — let  him  rest.  Providence  is  kind  ;  and 
the  poor  man  may  have  repented  in  season." 

"And  Toast,  too  !  I'm  sure,  Mrs.  Ann,  I  forgive  Toast  all 
the  little  mistakes  he  made,  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart ;  and 
particularly  that  affair  of  the  beefsteak  that  he  let  fall  into  the 
coffee  the  morning  that  Captain  Tiuck  took  me  so  flat  aback 


290 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


about  it ;  and  I  pray  most  dewoutly  that  the  captain,  now  he  has 
dropped  this  mortal  coil,  and  that  there  is  nothing  left  of  him 
but  soul,  may  not  find  it  out,  lest  it  should  breed  ill-blood  be- 
tween them  in  heaven." 

"  Steward,  you  scarcely  know  what  you  say,"  interrupted 
Ann,  shocked  at  his  ignorance,  "  and  I  will  speak  of  it  no 
more." 

Mr.  Saunders  was  compelled  to  acquiesce,  and  he  amused 
himself  by  listening  to  what  was  said  by  those  on  the  roof.  As 
Paul  did  not  choose  to  explain  farther,  however,  the  conversa- 
tion was  resumed  as  if  he  had  said  nothing.  They  talked  of 
their  escape,  their  hopes,  and  of  the  supposed  fate  of  the  rest 
of  the  party ;  the  discourse  leaving  a  feeling  of  sadness  on  all, 
that  harmonized  with  the  melancholy,  but  not  unpicturesque, 
scene  in  which  they  were  placed.  At  length  the  night  set  in  ; 
and  as  it  threatened  to  be  dark  and  damp,  the  ladies  early  made 
their  arrangements  to  retire.  The  gentlemen  remained  on  the 
sands  much  later  ;  and  it  was  ten  o'clock  before  Paul  Powis  and 
Mr.  Sharp,  who  had  assumed  the  watch,  were  left  alone. 

This  was  about  an  hour  later  than  the  period  already  de- 
scribed as  the  moment  when  Captain  Truck  disposed  himself 
to  sleep  in  the  launch  of  the  Dane.  The  weather  had  sensibly 
altered  in  the  brief  interval,  and  there  were  signs  that,  to  the 
understanding  of  our  young  seaman,  denoted  a  change.  The 
darkness  was  intense.  So  deep  and  pitchy  black,  indeed,  had 
the  night  become,  that  even  the  land  was  no  longer  to  be  dis- 
tinguished, and  the  only  clues  the  two  gentlemen  had  to  its 
position  were  the  mouldering  watchfires  of  the  Arab  camp, 
and  the  direction  of  the  wind. 

"  We  will  now  make  an  attempt,"  said  Paul,  stopping  in 
his  short  walk  on  the  sand,  and  examining  the  murky  vault 
overhead.  "  Midnight  is  near  ;  and  by  two  o'clock  the  tide 
will  be  entirely  up.  It  is  a  dark  night  to  thread  these  narrow 
channels  in,  and  to  go  out  upon  the  ocean,  too,  in  so  frail  a 
bark  !  But  the  alternative  is  worse." 

"  Would  it  not  be  better  to  allow  the  water  to  rise  still 
higher  ?  I  see  by  these  sands  that  it  has  not  yet  done  coming 
in." 

"  There  is  not  much  tide  in  these  low  latitudes,  and  the  little 
rise  that  is  left  may  help  us  off  a  bank,  should  we  strike  one. 
If  you  will  get  upon  the  roof,  I  will  bring  in  the  grapnels  and 
force  the  boat  off." 

Mr.  Sharp  complied,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  launch  was 
floating  slowly  away  from  the  hospitable  bank  of  sand.  Paul 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  291 

hauled  out  the  jigger,  a  small  sprit-sail,  that  kept  itself  close- 
hauled  from  being  fastened  to  a  stationary  boom,  and  a  little 
mast  stepped  quite  aft,  the  effect  of  which  was  to  press  the 
boat  against  the  wind.  This  brought  the  launch's  head  up, 
and  it  was  just  possible  to  see,  by  close  attention,  that  they 
had  a  slight  motion  through  the  water. 

"  I  quit  that  bank  of  sand  as  one  quits  a  tried  friend,"  said 
Paul,  all  the  conversation  now  being  in  little  more  than 
whispers  :  "  when  near  it,  I  know  where  we  are  ;  but  presently 
we  shall  be  absolutely  lost  in  this  intense  darkness." 

"  We  have  the  fires  of  the  Arabs  for  lighthouses  still." 

"  They  may  give  us  some  faint  notions  of  our  positions ; 
but  light  like  that  is  a  very  teacherous  guide  in  so  dark  a  night. 
We  have  little  else  to  do  but  to  keep  an  eye  on  the  water,  and 
to  endeavor  to  get  to  windward." 

Paul  set  the  lug-sail,  into  which  he  had  converted  the  royal, 
and  seated  himself  directly  in  the  eyes  of  the  boat,  with  a  leg 
hanging  down  on  each  side  of  the  cutwater.  He  had  rigged 
lines  to  the  tiller,  and  with  one  in  each  hand  he  steered,  as  if 
managing  a  boat  with  yoke-lines.  Mr.  Sharp  was  seated  at 
hand,  holding  the  sheet  of  the  mainsail ;  a  boathook  and  a 
light  spar  lying  on  the  roof  near  by,  in  readiness  to  be  used 
should  they  ground. 

While  on  the  bank,  Paul  had  observed  that,  by  keeping 
the  boat  near  the  wind,  he  might  stretch  through  one  of  the 
widest  of  the  channels  for  near  two  miles  unless  disturbed  by 
currents,  and  that,  when  at  its  southern  end,  he  should  be  far 
enough  to  windward  to  fetch  the  inlet,  but  for  the  banks  of 
sand  that  might  lie  in  his  way.  The  distance  had  prevented 
his  discerning  any  passage  through  the  roof  at  the  farther  end 
of  this  channel ;  but,  the  boat  drawing  only  two  feet  of  water, 
he  was  not  without  hopes  of  being  able  to  find  one.  A  chasm, 
that  was  deep  enough  to  prevent  the  passage  of  the  Arabs  when 
the  tide  was  in,  would,  he  thought,  certainly  suffice  for  their 
purpose.  The  progress  of  the  boat  was  steady,  and  reasonably 
fast ;  but  it  was  like  moving  in  a  mass  of  obscurity.  The 
gentleman  watched  the  water  ahead  intently,  with  a  view  to 
avoid  the  banks,  but  with  little  success ;  for,  as  they  advanced, 
it  was  merely  one  pile  of  gloom  succeeding  another.  Fortun- 
ately the  previous  observation  of  Paul  availed  them,  and  for 
more  than  half  an  hour  their  progress  was  uninterrupted. 

"  They  sleep  in  security  beneath  us,"  said  Paul,  "  while  we 
are  steering  almost  at  random.  This  is  a  strange  and  hazard- 


392  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

ous  situation  in  which  we  are  placed.     The  obscurity  renders 
all  the  risks  double." 

"  By  the  watch-fires,  we  must  have  nearly  crossed  the  bay. 
and  I  should  think  we  are  quite  near  the  southern  reef." 

"  I  think  the  same  ;  but  I  like  not  this  baffling  of  the  wind. 
It  comes  fresher  at  moments,  but  it  is  in  puffs,  and  I  fear  there 
will  be  a  shift.  It  is  now  my  best  pilot." 

"  That  and  the  fires." 

"  The  fires  are  treacherous  always.  It  looks  darker  than 
ever  ahead  !  " 

The  wind  ceased  blowing  altogether,  and  the  sail  fell  in 
heavily.  Almost  at  the  same  moment  the  launch  lost  its  way, 
and  Paul  had  time  to  thrust  the  boat-hook  forward  just  in  sea- 
son to  prevent  its  striking  a  rock. 

"  This  is  a  part  of  the  reef,  then,  that  is  never  covered,"  said 
he.  "  If  you  will  get  on  the  rocks  and  hold  the  boat,  I  will 
endeavor  to  examine  the  place  for  a  passage.  Were  we  one 
hundred  feet  to  the  southward  and  westward,  we  should  be  in 
the  open  ocean,  and  comparatively  safe." 

Mr.  Sharp  complied,  and  Paul  descended  carefully  on  the 
reef,  feeling  his  way  in  the  intense  darkness  by  means  of  the 
boat-hook.  He  was  absent  ten  minutes,  moving  with  great 
caution,  as  there  was  the  danger  of  his  falling  into  the  sea  at 
every  step,  His  friend  began  to  be  uneasy,  and  the  whole  of 
the  jeopardy  of  their  situation  presented  itself  vividly  to  his 
mind  in  that  brief  space  of  time  should  accident  befall  their 
only  guide.  He  was  looking  anxiously,  in  the  direction  in 
which  Paul  had  disappeared,  when  he  felt  a  gripe  of  his  arm. 

"  Breathe  even  with  care  ! "  whispered  Paul  hurriedly. 
"  These  rocks  are  covered  with  Arabs,  who  have  chosen  to  re- 
main on  the  dry  parts  of  the  reef,  in  readiness  for  their  plunder 
in  the  morning.  Thank  Heaven  !  I  have  found  you  again  ; 
for  I  was  beginning  to  despair.  To  have  called  to  you  would 
have  been  certain  capture,  as  eight  or  ten  of  the  barbarians 
are  sleeping  within  fifty  feet  of  us.  Get  on  the  roof  with  the 
least  possible  noise,  and  leave  the  rest  to  me." 

As  soon  as  Mr.  Sharp  was  in  the  boat,  Paul  gave  it  a  violent 
shove  from  the  rocks,  and  sprang  on  the  roof  at  the  same 
mement.  This  forced  the  launch  astern,  and  procured  a  mo- 
mentary safety.  But  the  wind  had  shifted.  It  now  came 
baffling,  and  in  puffs,  from  the  Desert,  a  circumstance  that 
brought  them  again  to  leeward. 

"  This  is  the  commencement  of  the  trades,"  said  Paul;  "  they 
have  been  interrupted  by  the  late  gale,  but  are  returning. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


293 


Were  we  outside  the  reef,  our  prayers  could  not  be  more  kindly 
answered  than  by  giving  us  this  very  wind ;  but  here,  where 
we  are,,  it  comes  unseasonably.  Ha ! — this  at  least,  helps 
her  !  " 

A  puff  from  the  land  filled  the  sails,  and  the  ripple  of  the 
water  at  the  stern  was  just  audible.  The  helm  was  attended 
to,  and  the  boat  drew  slowly  from  the  reef  and  ahead. 

"  We  have  all  reason  for  gratitude  !  That  danger,  at  least, 
is  avoided.  Ha  !  the  boat  is  aground  ! " 

Sure  enough  the  launch  was  on  the  sands.  They  were  still 
so  near  the  rocks,  as  to  require  the  utmost  caution  in  their 
proceedings.  Using  the  spar  with  great  care,  the  gentlemen 
discovered  that  the  boat  hung  astern,  and  there  remained  no 
choice  but  patience. 

<;  It  is  fortunate  the  Arabs  have  no  dogs  with  them  on  the 
rocks ;  you  hear  them  howling  incessantly  in  their  camps." 

"  It  is,  truly.  Think  you  we  can  ever  find  the  inlet  in  this 
deep  obscurity  ?  " 

"  It  is  our  only  course.  By  following  the  rocks  we  should  be 
certain  to  discover  it :  but  you  perceive  they  are  already  out 
of  sight,  though  they  cannot  be  thirty  fathoms  from  us.  The 
helm  is  free,  and  the  boat  must  be  clear  of  the  bottom  again. 
This  last  puff  has  helped  us." 

Another  silence  succeeded,  during  which  the  launch  moved 
slowly  onward,  though  whither,  neither  of  the  gentlemen  could 
tell.  But  a  single  fire  remained  in  sight,  and  that  glimmered 
like  a  dying  blaze.  At  times  the  wind  came  hot  and  arid, 
savoring  of  the  Desert,  and  then  intervals  of  death-like  calm, 
would  follow.  Paul  watched  the  boat  narrowly  for  half  an  hour, 
turning  every  breath  of  air  to  the  best  account,  though  he  was 
absolutely  ignorant  of  his  position.  The  reef  had  not  been 
seen  again,  and  three  several  times  they  grounded,  the  tide  as 
often  floating  them  off.  The  course,  too,  had  been  repeatedly 
varied.  The  result  was  that  painful  and  profound  sensation  of 
helplessness  that  overcomes  us  all  when  the  chain  of  associa- 
tion is  broken,  and  reason  becomes  an  agent  less  useful  than 
instinct. 

"  The  last  fire  is  out,"  whispered  Paul.  "  I  fear  that  the 
day  will  dawn  and  find  us  still  within  the  reef." 

"  I  see  an  object  near  us.     Can  it  be  a  high  bank  ?  " 

The  wind  had  entirely  ceased,  and  the  boat  was  almost 
without  motion.  Paul  saw  a  darkness  more  intense  even  than 
common  ahead  of  him,  and  he  leaned  forward,  naturally  raising 
a  hand  before  him  in  precaution.  Something  he  touched,  he 


<94  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

knew  not  what ;  but  feeling  a  hard  smooth  surface,  that  he  at 
first  mistook  for  a  rock,  he  raised  his  eyes  slowly,  and  discerned, 
by  the  little  light  that  lingered  in  the  vault  of  heaven,  a  dim 
tracery  that  he  recognized.  His  hand  was  on  the  quarter  of 
the  ship  ! 

"  Tis  the  Montauk  !  "  he  whispered  breathlessly,  "  and  her 
decks  must  be  covered  with  Arabs.  Hist ! — do  you  hear  noth- 
ing ?  " 

They  listened,  and  smothered  voices,  those  of  the  watch, 
mingled  with  low  laughter,  were  quite  audible.  This  was  a 
crisis  to  disturb  the  coolness  of  one  less  trained  and  steady 
than  Paul ;  but  he  preserved  his  self-possession. 

"  There  is  good  as  well  as  evil  in  this,"  he  whispered,  "  I  now 
know  our  precise  position  ;  and,  God  be  praised  !  the  inlet  is 
near,  could  we  but  reach  it. — By  a  strong  shove  we  can  always 
force  the  launch  from  the  vessel's  side,  and  prevent  their  board- 
ing us ;  and  I  think,  with  extreme  caution,  we  may  even  haul 
the  boat  past  the  ship  undetected." 

This  delicate  task  was  undertaken.  It  was  necessary  to 
avoid  even  a  tread  heavier  than  common,  a  fall  of  the  boat-hook, 
or  a  collision  with  the  vessel,  as  the  slightest  noise  became  dis- 
tinctly audible  in  the  profound  stillness  of  deep  night.  Once 
enlightened  as  to  his  real  position,  however,  Paul  saw  with  his 
mind's  eye  obstructions  that  another  might  not  have  avoided. 
He  knew  exactly  where  to  lay  his  hand,  when  to  bear  off,  and 
when  to  approach  nearer  to  the  side  of  the  ship,  as  he  warily 
drew  the  boat  along  the  massive  hull. — The  yard  of  the  launch 
luckily  leaned  towards  the  reef,  and  offered  no  impediment. 
In  this  manner,  then,  the  two  gentlemen  hauled  their  boat  as 
far  as  the  bows  of  the  ship,  and  Paul  was  on  the  point  of  giving 
a  last  push,  with  a  view  to  shove  it  to  as  great  a  distance  pos- 
sible ahead  of  the  packet,  when  its  movement  was  suddenly 
and  violently  arrested. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  295 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

And  when  the  hours  of  rest 
Come,  like  a  calm  upon  the  mid-sea  brine 

Hushing  its  billowy  breast — 
The  quiet  of  that  moment  too,  is  thine ; 

It  breathes  of  him  who  keeps 
The  vast  and  helpless  city  while  it  sleeps. 

BRYANT. 

IT  was  chilling  to  meet  with  this  unexpected  and  sudden 
check  at  so  critical  a  moment.  The  first  impression  was,  that 
some  one  of  the  hundreds  of  Arabs,  who  were  known  to  be 
near,  had  laid  a  hand  on  the  launch;  but  this  fear  vanished  on 
examination.  No  one  was  visible,  and  the  side  of  the  boat  was 
untouched.  The  boat-hook  could  find  no  impediment  in  the 
water,  and  it  was  not  possible  that  they  could  again  be  aground. 
Raising  the  boat  hook  over  his  head,  Paul  soon  detected  the 
obstacle.  The  line  used  by  the  barbarians  in  their  efforts  to 
move  the  ship  was  stretched  from  the  forecastle  to  the  reef, 
and  it  lay  against  the  boat's  mast.  It  was  severed  with  caution  ; 
but  the  short  end  slipped  from  the  hand  of  Mr.  Sharp,  who  cut 
the  rope,  and  fell  into  the  water.  The  noise  was  heard,  and 
the  watch  on  the  deck  of  the  ship  made  a  rush  toward  her 
side. 

No  time  was  to  be  lost ;  but  Paul,  who  still  held  the  outer 
end  of  the  line,  pulled  on  it  vigorously,  hauling  the  boat 
swiftly  from  the  ship,  and  at  the  same  time,  a  little  in  advance. 
As  soon  as  this  was  done,  he  dropped  the  line  and  seized  the 
tiller-ropes,  in  order  to  keep  the  launch's  head  in  a  direction 
between  the  two  dangers — the  ship  and  the  reef.  This  was 
not  done  without  some  little  noise  ;  the  footfall  on  the  roof,  and 
the  plash  of  the  water  when  it  received  the  line,  were  audible  ; 
and  even  the  element  washing  under  the  bows  of  the  boat  was 
heard.  The  Arabs  of  the  ship  called  to  those  on  the  reef,  and 
the  latter  answered.  They  took  the  alarm,  and  awoke  their 
comrades,  for,  knowing  as  they  did,  that  the  party  of  Captain 
Truck  was  still  at  liberty,  they  apprehended  an  attack. 

The  clamor  and  uproar  that  succeeded  were  terrific.  Mus- 
kets were  discharged  at  random,  and  the  noises  from  the  camp 
echoed  the  cries  and  tumult  from  the  vessel  and  the  rocks. 
Those  who  had  been  sleeping  in  the  boat  were  rudely  awaked. 


296  HOMEWARD  BOUND.. 

and  Saunders  joined  in  the  cries  through  sheer  fright.  But  the 
two  gentlemen  on  deck  soon  caused  their  companions  to  under- 
stand their  situation,  and  to  observe  a  profound  silence. 

"They  do  not  appear  to  see  us,"  whispered  Paul  and  Eve, 
as  he  bent  over,  so  as  to  put  his  head  at  an  open  window ; 
"  and  a  return  of  the  breeze  may  still  save  us.  There  is  a 
great  alarm  among  them  and  no  doubt  they  know  we  are  not 
distant ;  but  so  long  as  they  cannot  tell  precisely  where,  we 
are  comparatively  safe.  Their  cries  do  us  good  service  as  land- 
marks, and  you  may  be  certain  I  shall  not  approach  the  spots 
where  they  are  heard.  Pray  Heaven  for  a  wind,  dearest  Miss 
Effingham,  pray  Heaven  for  a  wind  !  " 

Eve  silently,  but  fervently  did  pray,  while  the  young  man 
gave  all  his  attention  again  to  the  boat.  As  soon  as  they  were 
clear  of  the  lee  of  the  ship,  the  baffling  puffs  returned,  and 
there  were  several  minutes  of  a  steady  little  breeze,  during 
which  the  boat  sensibly  moved  away  from  the  noises  of  the 
ship.  On  the  reef,  however,  the  clamor  still  continued,  and 
the  gentlemen  were  soon  satisfied  that  the  Arabs  had  stationed 
themselves  along  the  whole  line  of  rocks,  wherever  the  latter 
were  bare  at  high  water,  as  was  now  nearly  the  case,  to  the 
northward  as  well  as  to  the  southward  of  the  opening. 

"The  tide  is  still  entering  by  the  inlet,"  said  Paul,  "and 
we  have  its  current  to  contend  with.  It  is  not  strong,  but  a 
trifle  is  important  at  a  moment  like  this !  " 

"  Would  it  not  be  possible  to  reach  the  bank  inside  of  us, 
and  to  shove  the  boat  ahead  by  means  of  these  light  spars  ? " 
asked  Mr.  Sharp. 

The  suggestion  was  a  good  one ;  but  Paul  was  afraid  the 
noise  in  the  water  might  reach  the  Arabs,  and  expose  the  party 
to  their  fire,  as  the  utmost  distance  between  the  reef  and  the 
inner  bank  at  that  particular  spot  did  not  exceed  a  hundred 
fathoms.  At  length  another  puff  of  air  from  the  land  pressed 
upon  their  sails,  and  the  water  once  more  rippled  beneath  the 
bows  of  the  boat.  Paul's  heart  beat  hard,  and  as  he  managed 
the  tiller-lines,  he  strained  his  eyes  uselessly  in  order  to  pene- 
trate the  massive-looking  darkness. 

"  Surely,"  he  said  to  Mr.  Sharp,  who  stood  constantly  at 
his  elbow,  "  these  cries  are  directly  ahead  of  us  !  We  are  steer- 
ing for  the  Arabs  ! " 

"We  have  got  wrong  in  the  dark, then.  Lose  not  a  moment 
to  keep  the  boat  away,  for  here  to  leeward  there  are  noises." 

As  all  this  was  self-evident,  though  confused  in  his  reckon- 
ing, Paul  put  up  the  helm,  and  the  boat  fell  off  nearly  dead  be- 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


297 


fore  the  wind.  Her  motion  being  now  comparatively  rapid,  a 
few  minutes  produced  an  obvious  change  in  the  direction  of 
the  different  groups  of  clamorous  Arabs,  though  they  also 
brought  a  material  lessening  in  the  force  of  the  air. 

"  I  have  it !  "  said  Paul,  grasping  his  companion  almost 
convulsively  by  the  arm.  "  We  are  at  the  inlet,  and  heading,  I 
trust,  directly  through  it !  You  hear  the  cries  on  our  right ; 
they  come  from  the  end  of  the  northern  reef,  while  these  on 
our  left  are  from  the  end  of  the  southern.  The  sounds  from 
the  ship,  the  direction  of  the  land  breeze,  our  distance — all 
confirm  it,  and  Providence  again  befriends  us  ! " 

"  It  will  be  a  fearful  error  should  we  be  mistaken !  " 

"  We  cannot  be  deceived,  since  nothing  else  will  explain 
the  circumstances.  There  ! — the  boat  feels  the  ground-swell — • 
a  blessed  and  certain  sign  that  we  are  at  the  inlet !  Would 
that  this  tide  were  done,  or  that  we  had  more  wind !  " 

Fifteen  feverish  minutes  succeeded.  At  moments  the  puffs 
of  night-air  would  force  the  boat  ahead,  and  then  again  it  was 
evident  by  the  cries  that  she  fell  astern  under  the  influence  of 
an  adverse  current.  Neither  was  it  easy  to  keep  her  on  the 
true  course,  for  the  slightest  variation  from  the  direct  line  in  a 
tide's  way  causes  a  vessel  to  sheer.  To  remedy  the  latter  dan* 
ger,  Paul  was  obliged  to  watch  his  helm  closely,  having  no 
other  guide  than  the  noisy  and  continued  vociferations  of  the 
Arabs. 

"  These  liftings  of  the  boat  are  full  of  hope,"  resumed  Paul ; 
"  I  think,  too,  that  they  increase." 

"  I  perceive  but  little  difference,  though  I  would  gladly  see 
all  you  wish." 

"  I  am  certain  the  swell  increases,  and  that  the  boat  rises 
and  falls  more  frequently.  You  will  allow  there  is  a  swell  ?  " 

"  Quite  obviously  :  I  perceived  it  before  we  kept  the  boat 
away.  This  variable  air  is  cruelly  tantalizing  !  " 

"  Sir  George  Templemore — Mr.  Powis,"  said  a  soft  voice 
at  a  window  beneath  them. 

"  Miss  Effingham !  "  said  Paul,  so  eager  that  he  suffered  the 
tiller-line  to  escape  him. 

"  These  are  frightful  cries ! — Shall  we  never  be  rid  o! 
them  !  " 

"  If  it  depended  on  me — on  either  of  us — they  should  distress 
you  no  more.  The  boat  is  slowly  entering  the  inlet,  but  has  to 
struggle  with  a  head-tide.  The  wind  baffles,  and  is  light,  or 
in  ten  minutes  we  should  be  out  of  danger." 

"  Out  of  this  danger,  but  only  to  encounter  another!" 


?98  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  Nay,  I  do  not  think  much  of  the  risk  of  the  ocean  in  so 
stout  a  boat.  At  the  most,  we  may  be  compelled  to  cut  away 
the  roof,  which  makes  our  little  bark  somewhat  clumsy  in  ap- 
pearance, though  it  adds  infinitely  to  its  comfort.  I  think  we 
shall  soon  get  the  trades,  before  which  our  launch,  with  its 
house  even,  will  be  able  to  make  good  weather." 

"  We  are  certainly  nearer  those  cries  than  before  !  " 

Paul  felt  his  cheek  glow,  and  his  hand  hurriedly  sought  the 
tiller-line,  for  the  boat  had  sensibly  sheered  towards  the  north- 
ern reef.  A  puff  of  air  helped  to  repair  his  oversight,  and 
all  in  the  launch  soon  perceived  that  the  cries  were  gradually 
but  distinctly  drawing  more  aft. 

"  The  current  lessens,"  said  Paul,  "  and  it  is  full  time  ;  for 
it  must  be  near  high  water.  We  shall  soon  fee>  it  in  our  favor, 
when  all  will  be  safe  !  " 

"  This  is  indeed  blessed  tidings  !  and  no  gratitude  can  ever 
repay  the  debt  we  owe  you,  Mr.  Powis  !  " 

The  puffs  of  air  now  required  all  the  attention  of  Paul, 
for  they  again  became  variable,  and  at  last  the  wind  drew  di- 
rectly ahead  in  a  continued  current  for  half  an  hour.  As  soon 
as  this  change  was  felt,  the  sails  were  trimmed  to  it,  and  the 
boat  began  to  stir  the  water  under  her  bows. 

"  The  shift  was  so  sudden,  that  we  cannot  be  mistaken  in 
its  direction,"  Paul  remarked ;  "  besides,  those  cries  still  serve 
as  pilots.  Never  was  uproar  more  agreeable." 

"  I  feel  the  bottom  with  this  spar  !  "  said  Mr.  Sharp  sud- 
denly. 

"  Merciful  Providence  protect  and  shield  the  weak  and 
lovely " 

"  Nay,  I  feel  it  no  longer:  we  are  already  in  deeper  water." 

"  It  was  the  rock  on  which  the  seamen  stood  when  we  en- 
tered !  "  Paul  exclaimed,  breathing  more  freely.  "  I  like  those 
voices  settling  more  under  our  lee,  too.  WTe  will  keep  this 
tack  "  (the  boat's  head  was  to  the  northward)  "  until  we  hit 
the  reef,  unless  warned  off  again  by  the  cries." 

The  boat  now  moved  at  the  rate  of  five  miles  in  the  hour, 
or  faster  than  a  man  walks,  even  when  in  quick  motion.  Its 
rising  and  falling  denoted  the  long  heavy  swell  of  the  ocean, 
and  the  wash  of  water  began  to  be  more  and  more  audible,  as 
she  settled  into  the  sluggish  swells. 

"  That  sounds  like  the  surf  on  the  reef,"  continued  Paul, 
*'  everything  denotes  the  outside  of  the  rocks." 

"  God  send  it  prove  so  1 " 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  299 

"  That  is  clearly  a  sea  breaking  on  a  rock  !  It  is  awkwardly 
near  and  to  leeward,  and  yet  it  is  sweet  to  the  ear  as  music." 

The  boat  stood  steadily  on,  making  narrow  escapes  from  jut 
ting  rocks,  as  was  evinced  by  the  sounds,  and  once  or  twice  by 
the  sight  even  ;  but  the  cries  shifted  gradually,  and  were  soon 
quite  astern.  Paul  knew  that  the  reef  trended  east  soon 
after  passing  the  inlet,  and  he  felt  the  hope  that  they  were  fast 
leaving  its  western  extremity,  or  the  part  that  ran  the  farthest 
into  the  ocean;  after  effecting  which,  there  would  be  more 
water  to  leeward,  his  own  course  being  nearly  north,  as  he 
supposed. 

The  cries  drew  still  farther  aft,  and  more  distant,  and  the  sul- 
len wash  of  the  surf  was  no  longer  so  near  as  to  seem  fresh 
and  tangible. 

"  Hand  me  the  lead  and  line,  that  lie  at  the  foot  of  the  mast, 
if  you  please,"  said  Paul.  "  Our  water  seems  sensibly  to 
deepen,  and  the  seas  have  become  more  regular." 

He  hove  a  cast,  and  found  six  fathoms  of  water  ;  a  proof 
he  thought,  that  they  were  quite  clear  of  the  reef. 

"  Now,  dear  Mr.  Effingham,  Miss  Effingham,  Mademoiselle," 
he  cried  cheerfully,  "  now  I  believe  we  may  indeed  deem  our- 
selves beyond  the  reach  of  the  Arabs,  unless  a  gale  force  us 
again  on  their  inhospitable  shores." 

"  Is  it  permitted  to  speak  ? "  asked  Mr.  Effingham,  who 
had  maintained  a  steady  but  almost  breathless  silence. 

"  Freely  :  we  are  quite  beyond  the  reach  of  the  voice  ; 
and  this  wind,  though  blowing  from  a  quarter  I  do  not  like,  is 
carrying  us  away  from  the  wretches  rapidly." 

It  was  not  safe  in  the  darkness,  and  under  the  occasional 
heaves  of  the  boat,  for  the  others  to  come  on  the  roof  ;  but 
they  opened  the  shutters,  and  looked  out  upon  the  gloomy 
water  with  a  sense  of  security  they  could  not  have  deemed  pos- 
sible for  their  situation.  The  worst  was  over  for  the  moment, 
and  there  is  a  relief  in  present  escape  that  temporarily  conceals 
future  danger.  They  could  converse  without  the  fear  of  alarming 
their  enemies,  and  Paul  spoke  encouragingly  of  their  prospects. 
It  was  his  intention  to  stand  to  the  northward  until  he  reached 
the  wreck,  when,  failing  to  get  any  tidings  of  their  friends,  they 
might  make  the  best  of  their  way  to  the  nearest  island  to  lee- 
ward. 

With  this  cheering  news  the  party  below  again  disposed 
themselves  to  sleep,  while  the  two  young  men  maintained  theii 
posts  on  the  roof. 

"  We  must  resemble  an  ark,"  said  Paul  laughing,   as  he 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

seated  himself  on  a  box  near  the  stem  of  the  boat,  "  and  1 
should  think  would  frighten  the  Arabs  from  an  attack,  had  they 
even  the  opportunity  to  make  one.  This  house  we- carry  will 
prove  a  troublesome  companion,  should  we  encounter  a  heavy 
and  a  head  sea." 

"  You  say  it  may  easily  be  gotten  rid  of." 

"  Nothing  would  be  easier,  the  whole  apparatus  being  made 
to  ship  and  unship.  Before  the  wind  we  might  carry  it  a  long 
time,  and  it  would  even  help  us  along  ;  but  on  a  wind  it  makes 
us  a  little  top-heavy,  besides  giving  us  a  leeward  set.  In  the 
event  of  rain,  or  of  bad  weather  of  any  sort,  it  would  be  a  treas- 
ure to  us  all,  more  especially  to  the  females,  and  I  think  we 
had  better  keep  it  as  long  as  possible." 

The  half  hour  of  breeze  already  mentioned  sufficed  to  carry 
the  boat  some  distance  to  the  northward,  when  it  failed,  and 
the  puffs  from  the  land  returned.  Paul  supposed  they  were 
quite  two  miles  from  the  inlet,  and,  trying  the  lead,  he  found 
ten  fathoms  of  water,  a  proof  that  they  had  also  gradually 
receded  from  the  shore.  Still  nothing  but  a  dense  d'arkness 
surrounded  them,  though  there  could  no  longer  be  the  smallest 
doubt  of  their  being  in  the  open  ocean. 

For  near  an  hour  the  light  baffling  air  came  in  puffs,  as 
before,  during  which  time  the  launch's  head  was  kept,  as  near  as 
the  two  gentlemen  could  judge,  to  the  northward,  making  but 
little  progress  ;  and  then  the  breeze  drew  gradually  round  into 
one  quarter,  and  commenced  blowing  with  a  steadiness  that 
they  had  not  experienced  before  that  night.  Paul  suspected 
this  change,  though  he  had  no  certain  means  of  knowing  it  ; 
for  as  soon  as  the  wind  baffled,  his  course  had  got  to  be  conject- 
ural again.  As  the  breeze  freshened,  the  speed  of  the  boat  neces- 
sarily augmented,  though  she  was  kept  always  on  the  wind  ;  and 
after  half  an  hour's  progress,  the  gentlemen  became  once  more 
uneasy  as  to  the  direction. 

"  It  would  be  a  cruel  and  awkward  fate  to  hit  the  reef 
again,"  said  Paul,  "  and  yet  I  cannot  be  sure  that  we  are  not 
running  directly  for  it." 

"  We  have  compasses  :  let  us  strike  a  light  and  look  into 
the  matter." 

"  It  were  better  had  we  done  this  more  early,  for  a  light 
might  now  prove  dangerous,  should  we  really  have  altered  the 
course  in  this  intense  darkness.  There  is  no  remedy,  however, 
and  the  risk  must  be  taken.  I  will  first  try  the  lead  again." 

A  cast  was  made,  and  the  result  was  two  and  a  half  fathoms 
of  water. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  30! 

"  Put  the  helm  down  !  "  cried  Paul,  springing  to  the  sheet  , 
"  lose  not  a  moment,  but  down  with  the  helm  !  " 

The  boat  did  not  work  freely  under  her  imperfect  sail  and 
with  the  roof  she  carried,  and  a  moment  of  painful  anxiety  suc- 
ceeded. Paul  managed,  however,  to  get  a  part  of  the  sail  aback, 
and  he  felt  more  secure. 

"  The  boat  has  stern-way  :  shift  the  helm,  Mr.  Sharp." 

This  was  done,  the  yard  was  dipped,  and  the  two  young 
men  felt  a  relief  almost  equal  to  that  they  had  experienced  on 
clearing  the  inlet,  when  they  found  the  launch  again  drawing 
ahead,  obedient  to  her  rudder. 

"  We  are  near  something,  reef  or  shore,"  said  Paul,  stand- 
ing with  the  headline  in  his  hand,  in  readiness  to  heave.  "  I 
think  it  can  hardly  be  the  first,  as  we  hear  no  Arabs." 

Waiting  a  few  moments,  he  hove  the  lead,  and,  to  his  infi- 
nite joy,  got  three  fathoms  fairly. 

"  That  is  good  news.  We  are  hauling  off  the  danger,  what- 
ever it  may  be,"  he  said,  as  he  felt  the  mark  :  "  and  now  for 
the  compass." 

Saunders  was  called,  a  light  was  struck,  and  the  compasses 
were  both  examined.  These  faithful  but  mysterious  guides, 
which  have  so  long  served  man  while  they  have  baffled  all  his 
ingenuity  to  discover  the  sources  of  their  power,  were,  as  usual, 
true  to  their  governing  principle.  The  boat  was  heading  north- 
northwest  ;  the  wind  was  at  northeast,  and  before  they  had 
tacked  they  had  doubtless  been  standing  directly  for  the  beach, 
from  which  they  could  not  have  been  distant  a  half  quarter  of 
a  mile,  if  so  much.  A  few  more  minutes  would  have  carried 
them  into  the  breakers,  capsized  the  boat,  and  most  probably 
drowned  all  below  the  roof,  if  not  those  on  it. 

Paul  shuddered  as  these  facts  forced  themselves  on  his  at- 
tention, and  he  determined  to  stand  on  his  present  course  for 
two  hours,  when  daylight  would  render  his  return  towards  the 
land  without  danger. 

"  This  is  the  trade,"  he  said,  "  and  it  will  probably  stand. 
We  have  a  current  to  contend  with,  as  well  as  a  head-wind  ; 
but  I  think  we  can  weather  the  cape  by  morning,  when  we  can 
get  a  survey  of  the  wreck  by  means  of  the  glass.  If  we  discover 
nothing,  I  shall  bear  up  at  once  for  the  Cape  de  Verds." 

The  two  gentlemen  now  took  the  helm  in  turns,  he  who 
slept  fastening  himself  to  the  mast,  as  a  precaution  against 
being  rolled  into  the  sea  by  the  motion  of  the  boat.  In  fifteen 
fathoms  water  they  tacked  again,  and  stood  to  the  east-south- 
east, having  made  certain,  by  a  fresh  examination  of  the  com 


^02  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

pass,  that  the  wind  stood  in  the  same  quarter  as  before.  The 
moon  rose  soon  after,  and,  although  the  morning  was  clouded 
and  lowering,  there  was  then  sufficient  light  to  remove  all  dan- 
ger from  the  darkness.  At  length  this  long  and  anxious  night 
terminated  in  the  usual  streak  of  day,  which  gleamed  across  the 
desert. 

Paul  was  at  the  helm,  steering  more  by  instinct  than  any- 
thing else,  and  occasionally  nodding  at  his  post ;  for  two  suc- 
cessive nights  of  watching  and  a  day  of  severe  toil  had  over- 
come his  sense  of  danger,  and  his  care  for  others.  Strange  fan- 
cies beset  men  at  such  moments  ;  and  his  busy  imagination 
was  running  over  some  of  the  scenes  of  his  early  youth,  when 
either  his  sense  or  his  wandering  faculties  made  him  hear  the 
usual  brief,  spirited  hail  of, 

"  Boat  ahoy  !  " 

Paul  opened  his  eyes,  felt  that  the  tiller  was  in  his  hand, 
and  was  about  to  close  the  first  again,  when  the  words  were 
more  sternly  repeated, 

"  Boat  ahoy  ! — what  craft's  that  ?  Answer,  or  expect  a 
shot !  " 

This  was  plain  English,  and  Paul  was  wide  awake  in  an  in- 
stant. Rubbing  his  eyes,  he  saw  a  line  of  boats  anchored 
directly  on  his  weather  bow,  with  a  raft  of  spars  riding  astern. 

"  Hurrah  !  "  shouted  the  young  man.  "  This  is  Heaven's 
own  tidings !  Are  these  the  Montauk's  ?  " 

"  Ay,  ay.     Who  the  devil  are  you  ?  " 

The  truth  is,  Captain  Truck  did  not  recognize  his  own  launch 
in  the  royal,  roof,  and  jigger.  He  had  never  before  seen  a  boat 
afloat  in  such  a  guise ;  and  in  the  obscurity  of  the  hour,  and 
fresh  awakened  from  a  profound  sleep,  like  Paul,  his  faculties 
were  a  little  confused.  But  the  latter  soon  comprehended  the 
whole  matter.  He  clapped  his  helm  down,  let  fly  the  sheet,  and 
in  a  minute  the  launch  of  the  packet  was  riding  alongside  of 
the  launch  of  the  Dane.  Heads  were  out  of  the  shutters,  and 
every  boot  gave  up  its  sleepers,  for  the  cry  was  general  through 
out  the  little  flotilla. 

The  party  just  arrived  alone  felt  joy.  They  found  those 
whom  they  had  believed  dead,  or  captives,  alive  and  free  ; 
whereas  the  others  now  learned  the  extent  of  the  misfortune 
that  had  befallen  them.  For  a  few  minutes  this  contrast  in 
feeling  produced  an  awkward  meeting;  but  the  truth  soon 
brought  all  down  to  the  same  sober  level.  Captain  Truck  re- 
ceived the  congratulations  of  his  friends  like  one  in  a  stupor : 
Toast  looked  amazed  as  his  friend  Saunders  shook  his  hand , 


0  HOMEWARD  BOUND.  2 03 

and  the  gentlemen  who  had  been  to  the  wreck  met  the  cheerful 
greetings  of  those  who  had  just  escaped  the  Arabs  like  men 
who  fancied  the  others  mad. 

We  pass  over  the  explanations  that  followed,  as  ever}'  one 
will  readily  understand  them.  Captain  Truck  listened  to  Paul 
like  one  in  a  trance,  and  it  was  some  time  after  the  young  man 
had  done  before  he  spoke.  With  a  wish  to  cheer  him.  he  was 
told  of  the  ample  provision  of  stores  that  had  been  brought  off 
in  the  launch,  of  the  trade  winds  that  had  now  apparently  set 
in,  and  of  the  great  probability  of  their  all  reaching  the  islands 
in  safety.  Still  the  old  man  made  no  reply  ;  he  got  on  the  roof 
of  his  own  launch,  and  paced  backwards  and  forwards  rapidly, 
heeding  nothing.  Even  Eve  spoke  to  him  unnoticed,  and  the 
consolations  offered  by  her  father  were  not  attended  to.  At 
length  he  stopped  suddenly  and  called  for  his  mate. 

"  Mr.  Leach  ?  " 

"  Sir." 

'*  Here  is  a  category  for  you  !  " 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir  ;  it's  bad  enough  in  its  way  ;  still  we  are  better 
off  than  the  Danes." 

"  You  tell  me,  sir,"  turning  to  Paul,  "  that  these  foul  black- 
guards were  actually  on  the  deck  of  the  ship  ? " 

"  Certainly,  Captain  Truck.  They  took  complete  posses- 
sion ;  for  we  had  no  means  of  keeping  them  off." 

"  And  the  ship  is  ashore  ? " 

"  Beyond  a  question." 

"  Bilged  ? " 

"  I  think  not.  There  is  no  swell  within  the  reef,  and  she 
lies  on  sand." 

"  We  might  have  spared  ourselves  the  trouble,  Leach,  of 
culling  these  cursed  spars,  as  if  they  had  been  so  many  tooth- 
picks." 

"  That  we  might,  sir  ;  for  they  will  not  now  serve  as  oven- 
wood,  for  want  of  the  oven." 

"  A  damnable  category,  Mr.  Effingham  !  I'm  glad  you  are 
safe,  sir ;  and  you,  too,  my  dear  young  lady — God  bless  you  i 
—God  bless  you  ! — It  were  better  the  whole  line  should  be  in 
their  power  than  one  like  you  !  " 

The  old  seaman's  eyes  filled  as  he  shook  Eve  by  the  hand, 
and  for  a  moment  he  forgot  the  ship. 

"  Mr.  Leach  ?  " 

"  Sir." 

"  Let  the  people  have  their  breakfasts,  and  bear  a  hand 
about  it.  We  are  likely  to  have  a  busy  morning,  sir.  Lift  the 


3°4 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


kedge,  too,  and  let  us  drift  down  towards  these  gentry,  and 
take  a  look  at  them.  We  have  both  wind  and  current  with  us 
now,  and  shall  make  quick  work  of  it." 

The  kedge  was  raised,  the  sails  were  all  set,  and,  with  the 
two  launches  lashed  together,  the  whole  line  of  boats  and  spars 
began  to  set  to  the  southward  at  a  rate  that  would  bring  them 
up  with  the  inlet  in  about  two  hours. 

"  This  is  the  course  for  the  Cape  de  Verds,  gentlemen," 
said  the  captain  bitterly.  "  We  shall  have  to  pass  before  our 
own  door  to  go  and  ask  hospitality  of  strangers.  But  let  the 
people  get  their  breakfasts,  Mr.  Leach  ;  just  let  the  boys  have 
one  comfortable  meal  before  they  take  to  their  oars." 

Eat  himself,  however,  Mr.  Truck  would  not.  He  chewed 
the  end  of  a  cigar,  and  continued  walking  up  and  down  the 
roof. 

In  half  an  hour  the  people  had  ended  their  meal,  the  day 
had  fairly  opened,  and  the  boats  and  raft  had  made  good 
progress. 

"  Splice  and  main-brace,  Mr.  Leach,"  said  the  captain,  "for 
we  are  a  littled  jammed.  And  you,  gentlemen,  do  me  the 
favor  to  step  this  way  for  a  consultation.  This  much  is  due  to 
your  situation." 

Captain  Truck  assembled  his  male  passengers  in  the  stern 
of  the  Dane's  launch,  where  he  commenced  the  following 
address  : 

"  Gentlemen,"  he  said,  "  everything  in  this  world  has  its 
nature  and  its  principles.  This  truth  I  hold  you  all  to  be  too 
well  informed  and  well  educated  to  deny.  The  nature  of  a 
traveller  is  to  travel,  and  see  curiosities  ;  the  nature  of  old  men 
is  to  think  on  the  past,  of  a  young  man  to  hope  for  the  future. 
The  nature  of  a  seaman  is  to  stick  by  his  ship,  and  of  a  ship  to 
be  treated  like  a  vessel,  and  not  to  be  ransacked  like  a  town 
taken  by  storm,  or  a  nunnery  that  is  rifled.  You  are  but 
passengers,  and  doubtless  have  your  own  wishes  and  occupa- 
tions, as  I  have  mine.  Your  wishes  are,  beyond  question,  to 
be  safe  in  New  York  among  your  friends  ;  and  mine  are  to  get 
the  Montauk  there  too,  in  as  little  time  and  with  as  little  injury 
as  possible.  You  have  a  good  navigator  among  you  ;  and  I 
now  propose  that  you  take  the  Montauk's  launch,  with  such 
stores  as  are  necessary,  and  fill  away  at  once  for  the  islands, 
where,  I  pray  God,  you  may  all  arrive  in  safety,  and  that  when 
you  reach  America  you  may  find  all  your  relations  in  good 
health,  and  in  no  manner  uneasy  at  this  little  delay.  Your 
effects  shall  be  safely  delivered  to  your  respective  orders,  should 


•  HOMEWARD  BOUND.  305 

it  please  God  to  put  it  in  the  power  of  the  line  to  honor  youi 
drafts." 

"  You  intend  to  attempt  recapturing  the  ship  !  "  exclaimed 
Paul. 

"  I  do,  sir,"  returned  Mr.  Truck,  who,  having  thus  far 
opened  his  mind,  for  the  first  time  that  morning  gave  a  vigor- 
ous hem  !  and  set  about  lighting  a  cigar.  "  We  may  do  it, 
gentlemen,  or  we  may  not  do  it.  If  we  do  it,  you  will  hear 
farther  from  me ;  if  we  fail,  why,  tell  fhem  at  home  that  we 
carried  sail  as  long  as  a  stitch  would  draw." 

The  gentlemen  looked  at  each  other,  the  young  waiting  in 
respect  for  the  counsel  of  the  old,  the  old  hesitating  in  defer- 
ence to  the  pride  and  feelings  of  the  young. 

"  We  must  join  you  in  this  enterprise,  captain,"  said  Mr. 
Sharp  quietly,  but  with  the  manner  of  a  man  of  spirit  and  nerve. 

"  Certainly,  certainly,"  cried  Mr.  Monday ;  "  we  ought  to 
make  a  common  "affair  of  it ;  as  I  daresay  Sir  George  Tem- 
plemore  will  agree  with  me  in  maintaining  ;  the  nobility  and 
gentry  are  not  often  backward  when  their  persons  are  to  be 
risked." 

The  spurious  baronet  acquiesced  in  the  proposal  as  readily 
as  if  it  had  been  made  by  him  whom  he  had  temporarily  deposed  ; 
for,  though  a  weak  and  a  vain  young  man,  he  was  far  from 
being  a  dastard. 

"  This  is  a  serious  business,"  observed  Paul,  "  and  it  ought 
to  be  ordered  with  method  and  intelligence.  If  we  have  a  ship 
to  care  for,  we  have  those,  also,  who  are  infinitely  more  pre- 
cious." 

"  Very  true,  Mr.  Blunt,  very  true,"  interrupted  Mr.  Dodge, 
a  little  eagerly.  "  It  is  my  maxim  to  let  well  alone  ;  and  I  am 
certain  shipwrecked  people  can  hardly  be  better  off  and  more 
comfortable  than  we  are  at  this  very  moment.  I  daresay 
these  gallant  sailors,  if  the  question  was  fairly  put  to  them, 
would  give  it  by  a  handsome  majority  in  favor  of  things  as  they 
are.  I  am  a  conservative,  captain — and  I  think  an  appeal 
ought  to  be  made  to  the  ballot-boxes  before  we  decide  on  a 
measure  of  so  much  magnitude." 

The  occasion  was  too  grave  for  the  ordinary  pleasantry, 
and  this  singular  proposition  was  heard  in  silence,  to  Mr. 
Dodge's  great  disgust. 

1(1 1  think  it  the  duty  of  Captain  Truck  to  endeavor  to  re- 
take his  vessel,"  continued  Paul;  "but  the  affair  will  be  se- 
rious, and  success  is  far  from  certain.  The  Montauk's  launch 
ought  to  be  left  at  a  safe  distance  with  all  the  females,  and  in 


306  HOMEWARD  BOUND.  * 

prudent  keeping ;  for  any  disaster  to  the  boarding  party  would 
probably  throw  the  rest  of  the  boats  into  the  hands  of  the 
barbarians,  and  endanger  the  safety  of  those  left  in  the  launch. 
— Mr.  Effingham  and  Mr.  John  Effingham  will  of  course  remain 
with  the  ladies." 

The  father  assented  with  the  simplicity  of  one  who  did  not 
distrust  his  own  motives,  but  the  eagle-shaped  features  of  his 
kinsman  curled  with  a  cool  and  sarcastic  smile. 

"  Will  you  remain  in  the  launch  ?  "  the  latter  asked  point- 
edly, turning  towards  Paul. 

"  Certainly  it  would  be  greatly  out  of  character  were  I  to 
think  of  it.  My  trade  is  war  ;  and  I  trust  that  Captain  Truck 
means  to  honor  me  with  the  command  of  one  of  the  boats." 

"  I  thought  as  much,  by  Jove !  "  exclaimed  the  captain, 
seizing  a  hand  which  he  shook  with  the  utmost  cordiality  ;  "  I 
should  as  soon  expect  to  see  the  sheet-anchor  wink,  or  the  best- 
bower  give  a  mournful  smile,  as  to  see  you  duck  !  Still, 
gentlemen,  I  am  well  aware  of  the  difference  in  our  situations. 
I  ask  no  man  to  forget  his  duties  to  those  on  shore  on  my  ac- 
count ;  and  I  fancy  that  my  regular  people,  aided  by  Mr. 
Blunt,  who  can  really  serve  me  by  his-  knowledge,  will  be  as 
likely  to  do  all  that  can  be  done  as  all  of  us  united.  It  is  not 
numbers  that  carry  ships  as  much  as  spirit,  promptitude,  and 
resolution." 

"  But  the  question  has  not  yet  been  put  to  the  people,"  said 
Mr.  Dodge,  who  was  yet  a  little  mystified  by  the  word  last 
used,  which  he  had  yet  to  learn  was  strictly  technical  as  ap- 
plied to  a  vessel's  crew. 

"  It  shall,  sir,"  returned  Captain  Truck,  "  and  I  beg  you  to 
note  the  majority.  My  lads,"  he  continued,  rising  on  a  thwart, 
and  speaking  aloud,  "  you  know  the  history  of  the  ship.  As  to 
the  Arabs,  now  they  have  got  her,  they  do  not  know  how  to 
sail  her,  and  it  is  no  more  than  a  kindness  to  take  her  out  of 
their  hands.  For  this  business  I  want  volunteers  ;  those  who 
are  for  the  reef,  and  an  attack,  will  rise  up  and  cheer  ;  while 
they  who  like  an  offing  have  only  to  sit  still  and  stay  where 
they  are." 

The  words  were  no  sooner  spoken  than  Mr.  Leach  jumped 
up  on  the  gunwale  and  waved  his  hat.  The  people  rose  as  one 
man,  and  taking  the  signal  from  the  mate,  they  gave  three  as 
hearty  cheers  as  ever  rung  over  the  bottle. 

"  Dead  against  you,  sir  !  "  observed  the  captain,  nodding 
to  the  editor  ;  "  and  I  hope  you  are  now  satisfied." 

"  The  ballot  might  have  given  it  the  other  way,"  muttered 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


307 


Mr.  Dodge ;  <c  there  can  be  no  freedom  of  election  without  the 
ballot." 

No  one,  however,  thought  any  longer  of  Mr.  Dodge  or  his 
scruples  ;  but  the  whole  disposition  for  the  attack  was  made 
with  promptitude  and  caution.  It  was  decided  that  Mr.  Effing- 
ham  and  his  own  servant  should  remain  in  the  launch  ;  while 
the  captain  compelled  his  two  mates  to  draw  lots  which  of  them 
should  stay  behind  also,  a  navigator  being  indispensable.  The 
chance  fell  on  the  second  mate,  who  submitted  to  his  luck  with 
an  ill  grace. 

A  bust  of  Napoleon  was  cut  up,  and  the  pieces  of  lead 
were  beaten  as  nearly  round  as  possible,  so  as  to  form  a  dozen 
leaden  balls,  and  a  quantity  of  slugs,  or  langrage.  The  latter 
were  put  in  canvas  bags ;  while  the  keg  of  powder  was  opened, 
a  flannel  shirt  or  two  were  torn,  and  cartridges  were  filled. 
Ammunition  was  also  distributed  to  the  people,  and  Mr.  Sharp 
examined  their  arms.  The  gun  was  got  off  the  roof  of  the 
Montauk's  launch,  and  placed  on  a  grating  forward  in  that  of 
the  Dane.  The  sails  and  rigging  were  cleared  out  of  the  boat 
and  secured  on  the  raft  when  she  was  properly  manned,  and 
the  command  of  her  was  given  to  Paul. 

The  three  other  boats  received  their  crews,  with  John 
Effingham  at  the  head  of  one,  the  captain  and  his  mate  com- 
manding the  others.  Mr.  Dodge  felt  compelled  to  volunteer 
to  go  in  the  launch  of  the  Dane,  where  Paul  had  now  taken 
his  station,  though  he  did  it  with  a  reluctance  that  escaped  the 
observation  of  no  one  who  took  the  pains  to  observe  him.  Mr. 
Sharp  and  Mr.  Monday  were  with  the  captain,  and  the  false 
Sir  George  Templemore  went  with  Mr.  Leach.  These  arrange- 
ments completed,  the  whole  party  waited  impatiently  for  the 
wind  and  current  to  set  them  down  towards  the  reef,  the  rocks 
of  which  by  this  time  were  plainly  visible,  even  from  the  thwarts 
of  the  several  boats. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Hark !  was  it  not  the  trumpet's  voice  I  heard? 
The  soul  of  battle  is  awake  within  me. 
The  fate  of  ages  and  of  empires  hangs 
On  this  dread  hour. 

MASSINGER. 

THE  two  launches  were  still  sailing  side  by  side,  and  Eve 
now  appeared  at  the  open  window  next  the  seat  of  Paul.  Hei 
face  was  pale  as  when  the  scene  of  the  cabin  occurred,  and  her 
lip  trembled. 

"  I  do  not  understand  these  warlike  proceedings,"  she  said  ; 
"  but  I  trust,  Mr.  Blunt,  we  have  no  concern  with  the  present 
movement." 

"  Put  your  mind  at  ease  on  this  head,  dearest  Miss  Effing- 
ham,  for  what  we  now  do  we  do  in  compliance  with  a  general 
law  of  manhood.  Were  your  interests  and  the  interests  of  those 
with  you  alone  consulted,  we  might  come  to  a  very  different 
decision :  but  I  think  you  are  in  safe  hands  should  our  adven- 
ture prove  unfortunate." 

"  Unfortunate  !  It  is  fearful  to  be  so  near  a  scene  like 
this  !  I  cannot  ask  you  to  do  anything  unworthy  of  yourself  ; 
but,  all  that  we  owe  you  impels  me  to  say,  I  trust  you  have  too 
much  wisdom,  too  much  true  courage,  to  incur  unnecessary 
risks." 

The  young  man  looked  volumes  of  gratitude  ;  but  the  pres- 
ence of  the  others  kept  its  expression  within  due  bounds. 

"  We  old  sea  dogs,"  he  answered,  smiling,  "  are  rather 
noted  for  taking  care  of  ourselves.  They  who  are  trained  to  a 
business  like  this  usually  set  about  it  too  much  in  a  business- 
like manner  to  hazard  anything  for  mere  show." 

"  And  very  wisely  ;  Mr.  Sharp,  too," — Eve's  color  deepened 
with  a  consciousness  that  Paul  would  have  given  worlds  to  un- 
derstand— "  he  has  a  claim  on  us  we  shall  never  forget.  My 
father  can  say  all  this  better  than  I." 

Mr.  Effingham  now  expressed  his  thanks  for  all  that  had 
passed,  and  earnestly  enjoined  prudence  on  the  young  men. 
After  which  Eve  withdrew  her  head,  and  was  seen  no  more. 
Most  of  the  next  hour  was  passed  in  prayer  by  those  in  the 
launch. 

By  this  time  the  boats  and  raft  were  within  half  a  mile  of 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  309 

the  inlet  ;  and  Captain  Truck  ordered  the  kedge,  which  had 
been  transferred  to  the  launch  of  the  Montauk,  to  be  let  go. 
As  soon  as  this  was  done,  the  old  seaman  threw  down  his  hat, 
and  stood  on  a  thwart  in  his  grey  hair. 

"  Gentlemen,  you  have  your  orders,"  he  said  with  dignity  ; 
for  from  that  moment  his  manner  rose  with  the  occasion,  and 
had  something  of  the  grandeur  of  the  warrior.  "  You  see 
the  enemy.  The  reef  must  first  be  cleared,  and  then  the  ship 
shall  be  carried.  God  knows  who  will  live  to  see  the  end  ;  but 
that  end  must  be  success,  or  the  bones  of  John  Truck  shall 
bleach  on  these  sands !  Our  cry  is  '  The  Montauk  and  our 
own  ! '  which  is  a  principle  Vattel  will  sustain  us  in.  Give  way, 
men  !  a  long  pull,  a  strong  pull,  and  a  pull  altogether ;  each 
boat  in  its  station  ! " 

He  waved  his  hand,  and  the  oars  fell  into  the  water  at  the 
same  instant.  The  heavy  launch  was  the  last,  for  she  had 
double-fasts  to  the  other  boat.  While  loosening  that  forward 
the  second  mate  deserted  his  post,  stepping  nimbly  on  board 
the  departing  boat,  and  concealing  himself  behind  the  foremost 
of  the  two  lug-sails  she  carried.  Almost  at  the  same  instant 
Mr.  Dodge  reversed  this  manoeuvre  by  pretending  to  be  left 
clinging  to  the  boat  of  the  Montauk,  in  his  zeal  to  shove  off. 
As  the  sails  were  drawing  hard,  and  the  oars  dashed  the  spray 
aside,  it  was  too  late  to  rectify  either  of  these  mistakes,  had  it 
been  desirable. 

A  few  minutes  of  a  stern  calm  succeeded,  each  boat  keep- 
ing its  place  with  beautiful  precision.  The  Arabs  had  left  the 
northern  reef  with  the  light ;  but,  the  tide  being  out,  hundreds 
were  strung  along  the  southern  range  of  rocks,  especially  near 
the  ship.  The  wind  carried  the  launch  ahead,  as  had  been  in- 
tended, and  she  soon  drew  near  the  inlet. 

"  Take  in  the  sails,"  said  Mr.  Blunt.  "  See  your  gun  clear 
forward." 

A  fine,  tall,  straight,  athletic  young  seaman  stood  near  the 
grating,  with  a  heated  iron  lying  in  a  vessel  of  live  coals  before 
him,  in  lieu  of  a  loggerhead,  the  fire  being  covered  with  a  tar- 
paulni.  As  Paul  spoke,  this  young  mariner  turned  towards  him 
with  the  peculiar  grace  of  a  man-of-war's  man,  and  touched  his 
hat 

••  Ay,  ay,  sir.     All  ready,  Mr.  Powis." 

Paul  started,  while  the  other  smiled  proudly,  like  one  who 
knew  more  than  his  companions. 

"  We  have  met  before,"  said  the  first. 

"  That  have  we  sir,  and  in  boat-duty,  too.     You  were  the 


310  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

first  on  board  the  pirate  on  the  coast  of  Cuba,  and  I  was 
second." 

A  look  of  recognition  and  a  wave  of  the  hand  passed  be- 
tween them,  the  men  cheering  involuntarily.  It  was  too  late 
for  more,  the  launch  being  fairly  in  the  inlet,  where  she  received 
a  general  but  harmless  fire  from  the  Arabs.  An  order  had 
been  given  to  fire  the  first  shot  over  the  heads  of  the  barbarians; 
but  this  assault  changed  the  plan. 

"  Depress  the  piece,  Brooks,"  said  Paul,  "  and  throw  in  a 
bag  of  slugs." 

"  All  ready,  sir,"  was  uttered  in  another  minute. 

"  Hold  water,  men — the  boat  is  steady — let  them  have  it." 

Men  fell  at  that  discharge  ;  but  how  many  was  never  known, 
as  the  bodies  were  hurried  off  the  reef  by  those  who  fled.  A 
few  concealed  themselves  along  the  rocks,  but  most  scampered 
towards  the  shore. 

"  Bravely  done  ! "  cried  Captain  Truck,  as  his  boat  swept 
past.  "  Now  for  the  ship,  sir !  " 

The  people  cheered  again,  and  dashed  their  oars  into  the 
water.  To  clear  the  reef  was  nothing  ;  but  to  carry  the  ship 
was  a  serious  affair.  She  was  defended  by  four  times  the 
number  of  those  in  the  boats,  and  there  was  no  retreat.  The 
Arabs,  as  has  already  been  seen,  had  suspended  their  labor 
during  the  night,  having  fruitlessly  endeavored  to  haul  the 
vessel  over  the  reef  before  the  tide  rose.  More  by  accident 
than  by  calculation,  they  had  made  such  arrangements  by  get- 
ting a  line  to  the  rocks  as  would  probably  have  set  the  ship  off 
the  sands,  when  she  floated  at  high  water ;  but  this  line  had  been 
cut  by  Paul  in  passing,  and  the  wind  coming  on  shore  again, 
during  the  confusion  and  clamor  of  the  barbarians,  or  at  a 
moment  when  they  thought  they  were  to  be  attacked,  no  atten- 
tion was  paid  to  the  circumstance,  and  the  Montauk  was 
suffered  to  drive  up  still  higher  on  the  sands,  where  she  effect- 
ually grounded  at  the .  very  top  of  the  tide.  As  it  was  now 
dead  low  water,  the  ship  had  sewed  materially,  and  was  now 
lying  on  her  bilge,  partly  sustained  by  the  water,  and  partly  by 
the  bottom. 

During  the  short  pause  that  succeeded,  Saunders,  who  was 
seated  in  the  captain's  boat  as  a  small-arms-man,  addressed 
his  subordinate  in  a  low  voice. 

"  Now,  Toast,"  he  said,  "  you  are  about  to  contend  in  battle 
for  the  first  time  ;  and  I  diwine,  from  experience,  that  the  ewent 
gives  you  some  sentiments  that  are  werry  original.  My  advice 
to  you  is,  to  shut  both  eyes  until  the  word  is  given  to  firei 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  311 

and  then  to  open  them  suddenly,  as  if  just  awaking  from  sleep ; 
after  which  you  may  present  and  pull  the  trigger.  Above  all, 
Toast,  take  care  not  to  kill  any  of  our  own  friends,  most  es- 
pecially not  Captain  Truck,  just  at  this  werry  moment." 

"  I  shall  do  my  endeavors,  Mr.  Saunders,"  muttered  Toast, 
with  the  apathy  and  submissive  dependence  on  others  with 
which  the  American  black  usually  goes  into  action.  "  If  I  do 
any  harm,  I  hope,  it  will  be  overlooked,  on  account  of  my 
want  of  experience." 

"  Imitate  me,  Toast,  in  coolness  and  propriety,  and  you'll 
be  certain  not  to  offend.  I  do  not  mean  that  you  too  are  to 
kill  the  werry  same  Afusrfe-meu  that  I  kill,  but  that  when  I  kill 
one  you  are  to  kill  another.  And  be  werry  careful  not  to  hurt 
Captain  Truck,  who'll  be  certain  to  run  right  afore  the  muzzles 
of  our  guns  if  he  sees  anything  to  be  done  there." 

Toast  growled  an  assent,  and  then  there  was  no  other  noise 
in  the  boat  than  that  which  was  produced  by  the  steady  and 
vigorous  falling  of  the  oars.  An  attempt  had  been  made  to 
lighten  the  vessel  by  unloading  her,  and  the  bank  of  sand  was 
already  covered  with  bales  and  boxes,  which  had  been  brought 
up  from  the  hold  by  means  of  a  stage,  and  by  sheer  animal 
force.  The  raft  had  been  extended  in  size,  and  brought 
round  to  the  bank  by  the  stern  of  the  vessel,  with  the  intention 
to  load  it,  and  to  transfer  the  articles  already  landed  to  the 
rocks. 

Such  was  the  state  of  things  about  the  Montauk  when  the 
boats  came  into  the  channel  that  ran  directly  up  to  the  bank. 
The  launch  led  again,  her  sails  having  been  set  as  soon  as  the 
reef  was  swept,  and  she  now  made  another  discharge  on  the 
deck  of  the  ship,  which,  inclining  towards  the  gun,  offered  no 
shelter.  The  effect  was  to  bring  every  Arab,  in  the  twinkling 
of  an  eye,  down  upon  the  bank. 

"  Hurrah  !  "  shouted  Captain  Truck ;  "  that  grist  has  puri- 
fied the  old  bark  !  And  now  to  see  who  is  to  own  her  !  '  The 
thieves  are  out  of  the  temple,'  as  my  good  father  would  have 
said." 

The  four  boats  were  in  a  line  abreast,  the  launch  under  one 
sail  only.  A  good  deal  of  confusion  existed  on  the  bank  but 
the  Arabs  sought  the  cover  of  the  bales  and  boxes,  and  opened 
a  sharp  though  irregular  fire.  Three  times,  as  they  advanced, 
the  second  mate  and  that  gallant-looking  young  seaman  called 
Brooks  discharged  the  gun,  and  at  each  discharge  the  Arabs 
were  dislodged  and  driven  to  the  raft.  The  cheers  of  the  sea- 
men became  animated,  though  they  still  plied  the  oars, 


3i2  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  Steadily,  men,"  said  Captain  Truck,  "  and  prepare  to 
board." 

At  this  moment  the  launch  grounded,  though  still  twenty 
yards  from  the  bank,  the  other  boats  passing  her  with  loud 
cheers. 

"  We  are  all  ready,  sir,"  cried  Brooks. 

"  Let  'em  have  it.     Take  in  the  sail,  boys." 

The  gun  was  fired,  and  the  tall  young  seaman  sprang  upon 
the  grating  and  cheered.  As  he  looked  backward,  with  a  smile 
of  triumph,  Paul  saw  his  eyes  roll.  He  leaped  into  the  air,  and 
fell  at  his  length  dead  upon  the  water ;  for  such  is  the  passage 
of  a  man  in  battle,  from  one  state  of  existence  to  another. 

"  Where  do  we  hang  ?  "  asked  Paul  steadily  ;  "  forward  of 
aft !  " 

It  was  forward,  and  deeper  water  lay  ahead  of  fhem.  The 
sail  was  set  again,  and  the  people  were  called  aft.  The  boat 
tipped,  and  shot  ahead  towards  the  sands,  like  a  courser  re- 
leased from  a»  sudden  pull. 

All  this  time  the  others  were  not  idle.  Not  a  musket  was 
fired  from  either  boat  until  the  whole  three  struck  the  bank, 
almost  at  the  same  instant,  though  at  as  many  different  points. 
Then  all  leaped  ashore,  and  threw  in  a  fire  so  close,  that  the 
boxes  served  as  much  for  a  cover  to  the  assailants  as  to  the 
assailed.  It  was  at  this  critical  moment,  when  the  seamen 
paused  to  load,  that  Paul,  just  clear  of  the  bottom,  with  his  own 
hand  applying  the  loggerhead,  swept  the  rear  of  the  bank  with 
a  most  opportune  discharge. 

"  Yardarm  and  yardarm !  "  shouted  Captain  Truck,  "  Lay 
'em  aboard,  boys,  and  give  'em  Jack's  play  ! " 

The  whole  party  sprang  forward,  and  from  that  moment  all 
order  ceased.  Fists,  handspikes,  of  which  many  were  on  the 
bank,  and  the  buts  of  muskets,  were  freely  used,  and  in  a  way 
that  set  the  spears  and  weapons  of  the  Arabs  at  defiance.  The 
Captain,  Mr.  Sharp,  John  Efrmgham,  Mr.  Monday,  the  soi- 
disant  Sir  George  Templemore,  and  the  chief  mate,  formed  a 
sort  of  Macedonian  phalanx,  which  penetrated  the  centre  of 
the  barbarians,  and  which  kept  close  to  the  enemy,  following 
up  its  advantages  with  a  spirit  that  admitted  of  no  rallying. 
On  their  right  and  left  pressed  the  men,  an  athletic,  hearty, 
well-fed  gang.  The  superiority  of  the  Arabs  was  in  their 
powers  of  endurance ;  for,  trained  to  the  whipcord  rigidity  of 
racers,  force  was  less  their  peculiar  merit  than  bottom.  Had 
they  acted  in  concert,  however,  or  had  they  been  on  their  own 
desert,  mounted,  and  with  room  for  their  subtle  evolutions,  the 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  313 

result  might  have  been  very  different ;  but  unused  to  contend 
with  an  enemy  who  brought  them  within  reach  of  the  arm, 
their  tactics  were  deranged,  aud  all  their  habits  violated.  Still, 
their  numbers  were  formidable,  and  it  is  probable  that  the 
accident  to  the  launch,  after  all,  decided  the  matter.  From 
the  moment  the  melee  began  not  a  shot  was  fired,  but  the  as- 
sailants pressed  upon  the  assailed,  until  a  large  body  of  the 
latter  had  coHected  near  the  raft.  This  was  just  as  the  launch 
reached  the  shore,  and  Paul  perceived  there  was  great  danger 
that  the  tide  might  roll  backward  from  sheer  necessity.  The 
gun  was  loaded,  and  filled  nearly  to  the  muzzle  with  slugs.  He 
caused  the  men  to  raise  it  on  their  oars,  and  to  carry  it  to  a 
large  box,  a  little  apart  from  the  confusion  of  the  fight.  All 
this  was  done  in  a  moment,  for  three  minutes  had  not  yet 
passed  since  the  captain  landed. 

Instead  of  firing,  Paul  called  aloud  to  his  friends  to  cease 
fighting.  Though  chafing  like  a  vexed  lion,  Captain  Truck 
complied,  surprise  effecting  quite  as  much  as  obedience.  The 
Arabs,  hardest  pressed  upon,  profited  by  the  pause  to  fall  back 
on  the  main  body  of  their  friends,  near  the  raft.  This  was  all 
Paul  could  ask,  and  he  ordered  the  gun  to  be  pointed  at  the 
centre  of  the  group,  while  he  advanced  himself  towards  the 
enemy,  making  a  sign  of  peace. 

"  Damn  'em,  lay  'em  aboard ! "  cried  the  captain  :  "  no 
quarter  to  the  blackguards  !  " 

"  I  rather  think  we  had  better  charge  again,"  added  Mr. 
Sharp,  who  was  thoroughly  warmed  with  his  late  employment. 

"  Hold,  gentlemen ;  you  risk  all  needlessly.  I  will  show 
these  poor  wretches  what  they  have  to  expect,  and  they  will 
probably  retire.  We  want  the  ship,  not  their  blood." 

"  Well,  well,"  returned  the  impatient  captain,  "  give  'em 
plenty  of  Vattel,  for  we  have  'em  now  in  a  category." 

The  men  of  the  wilderness  and  of  the  desert  seem  to  act  as 
much  by  instinct  as  by  reason.  An  old  sheik  advanced,  smil- 
ing, towards  Paul,  when  the  latter  was  a  few  yards  in  advance 
of  his  friends,  offering  his  hand  with  as  much  cordiality  as  if 
they  met  merely  to  exchange  courtesies.  Paul  led  him  quietly 
to  the  gun,  put  his  hand  in,  and  drew  out  a  bag  of  slugs,  re- 
placed it,  and  pointed  significantly  at  the  dense  crowd  of  ex- 
posed Arabs,  and  at  the  heated  iron  that  was  ready  to  dis- 
charge the  piece.  At  all  this  the  old  Arab  smiled,  and  seemed 
to  express  his  admiration.  He  was  then  showed  the  strong 
and  well-armed  party,  all  of  whom  by  this  time  had  a  musket 


314  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

or  a  pistol  ready  to  use.  Paul  then  signed  to  the  raft  and  to 
the  reef,  as  much  as  to  tell  the  other  to  withdraw  his  party. 

The  sheik  exhibited  great  coolness  and  sagacity,  and,  un- 
used to  frays  so  desperate,  he  signified  his  disposition  to  com- 
ply. Truces,  Paul  knew,  were  common  in  the  African  combats, 
which  are  seldom  bloody,  and  he  hoped  the  best  from  the 
manner  of  the  sheik,  who  was  now  permitted  to  return  to  his 
friends.  A  short  conference  succeeded  among  the  Arabs, 
when  several  of  them  smilingly  waved  their  hands,  and  most 
of  the  party  crowded  on  the  raft.  Others  advanced,  and  asked 
permission  to  bear  away  their  wounded,  and  the  bodies  of  the 
dead,  in  both  of  which  offices  they  were  assisted  by  the  sea- 
men, as  far  as  was  prudent ;  for  it  was  all-important  to  be  on 
the  guard  against  treachery. 

In  this  extraordinary  manner  the  combatants  separated, 
the  Arabs  hauling  themselves  over  to  the  reef  by  a  line,  their 
old  men  smiling,  and  making  signs  of  amity,  until  they  were 
fairly  on  the  rocks.  Here  they  remained  but  a  very  few  min- 
utes, for  the  camels  and  dromedaries  were  seen  trotting  off 
towards  the  Dane  on  the  shore ;  a  sign  that  the  compact  be- 
tween the  different  parties  of  the  barbarians  was  dissolved,  and 
that  each  man  was  about  to  plunder  on  his  own  account.  This 
movement  produced  great  agitation  among  the  old  sheiks  and 
their  followers  on  the  reef,  and  set  them  in  motion  with  great 
activity  towards  the  land.  So  great  was  their  hurry,  indeed, 
that  the  bodies  of  all  the  dead,  and  of  several  of  the  wounded, 
were  fairly  abandoned  on  the  rocks,  at  some  distance  from  the 
shore. 

The  first  step  of  the  victors,  as  a  matter  of  course,  was  to 
inquire  into  their  own  loss.  This  was  much  less  than  would 
have  otherwise  been,  on  account  of  their  good  conduct.  Every 
man,  without  a  solitary  exception,  had  ostensibly  behaved  well ; 
one  of  the  most  infallible  means  of  lessening  danger.  Several 
of  the  party  had  received  slight  hurts,  and  divers  bullets  had 
passed  through  hats  and  jackets.  Mr.  Sharp,  alone,  had  two 
through  the  former,  besides  one  through  his  coat.  Paul  had 
blood  drawn  on  an  arm,  and  Captain  Truck,  to  use  his  own 
language,  resembled  "  a  horse  in  fly-time,"  his  skin  having 
been  rased  in  no  less  than  five  places.  But  all  these  trifling 
hurts  and  hairbreadth  escapes  counted  for  nothing,  as  no  one 
was  seriously  injured  by  them,  or  felt  sufficient  inconvenience 
even  to  report  himself  wounded. 

The  felicitations  were  warm  and  general ;  even  the  seamen 
asking  leave  to  shake  their  sturdy  old  commander  by  the  hand. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  3!5 

Paul  and  Mr.  Sharp  fairly  embraced,  each  expressing  his  sin- 
cere pleasure  that  the  other  had  escaped  unharmed.  The  latter 
even  shook  hands  cordially  with  his  counterfeit,  who  had  acted 
with  spirit  from  the  first  to  the  last.  John  Effingham  alone 
maintained  the  same  cool  indifference  after  the  affair  that  he 
had  shown  in  it,  when  it  was  seen  that  he  had  played  his  part 
with  singular  coolness  and  discretion,  dropping  two  Arabs  with 
his  fowling-piece  on  landing,  with  a  sort  of  sportsman-like  cool- 
ness with  which  he  was  in  the  habit  of  dropping  woodcocks  at 
home. 

"  I  fear  Mr.  Monday  is  seriously  hurt,"  this  gentleman  said 
to  the  captain,  in  the  midst  of  his  congratulations  :  "  he  sits 
aloof  on  the  box  yonder,  and  looks  exhausted." 

"  Mr.  Monday  !  I  hope  not,  with  all  my  heart  and  soul. 
He  is  a  capital  diplomate,  and  a  stout  boarder.  And  Mr. 
Dodge,  too  !  I  miss  Mr.  Dodge." 

"  Mr.  Dodge  must  have  remained  behind  to  console  the 
ladies,"  returned  Paul,  "  finding  that  your  second  mate  had 
abandoned  them,  like  a  recreant  that  he  is." 

The  captain  shook  his  disobedient  mate  by  the  hand  a 
second  time,  and  swore  he  was  a  mutineer  for  violating  his 
orders,  and  ended  by  declaring  that  the  day  was  not  distant 
when  he  and  Mr.  Leach  should  command  two  as  good  liners  as 
ever  sailed  out  of  America. 

"  I'll  have  nothing  to  do  with  either  of  you  as  soon  as  we 
reach  home,"  he  concluded.  "  There  was  Leach  a  foot  or  two 
ahead  of  me  the  whole  time  ;  and  as  for  the  second  officer,  I 
should  be  justified  in  logging  him  as  having  run.  Well,  well ; 
young  men  will  be  young  men ;  and  so  would  old  men  too,  Mr. 
John  Effingham,  if  they  knew  how.  But  Mr.  Monday  does  look 
doleful ;  and  I  am  afraid  we  shall  be  obliged  to  overhaul  the 
medicine-chest  for  him." 

Mr.  Monday,  however,  was  beyond  the  aid  of  medicine.  A 
ball  had  passed  through  his  shoulder-blade  in  landing;  notwith- 
standing which  he  had  pressed  into  the  melee,  where,  unable  to 
parry  it,  a  spear  had  been  thrust  into  his  chest.  The  last  wound 
appeared  grave,  and  Captain  Truck  immediately  ordered  the 
sufferer  to  be  carried  into  the  ship ;  John  Effingham,  with  a 
tenderness  and  humanity  that  were  singularly  in  contrast  to  his 
ordinary  sarcastic  manner,  volunteering  to  take  charge  of  him. 

"  We  have  need  of  all  our  forces,"  said  Captain  Truck,  as 
Mr.  Monday  was  borne  away;  " and  yet  it  is  due  to  our  friends 
in  the  launch  to  let  them  know  the  result.  Set  the  ensign, 


3I6  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

Leach ;  that  will  tell  them  our  success,  though  a  verbal  commu 
nication  can  alone  acquaint  them  with  the  particulars." 

"  If,"  interupted  Paul,  eagerly,  "  you  will  lend  me  the  launch 
of  the  Dane,  Mr.  Sharp  and  myself  will  beat  her  up  to  the  raft, 
let  our  friends  know  the  result,  and  bring  the  spars  down  to  the 
inlet.  This  will  save  the  necessity  of  any  of  the  men's  being 
absent.  We  claim  the  privilege,  too,  as  belonging  properly  to 
the  party  that  is  now  absent." 

"  Gentlemen,  take  any  privilege  you  please.  You  have  stood 
by  me  like  heroes ;  and  I  owe  you  all  more  than  the  heel  of  a 
worthless  old  life  will  ever  permit  me  to  pay." 

The  two  young  men  did  not  wait  for  a  second  invitation,  but 
in  five  minutes  the  boat  was  stretching  through  one  of  the  chan- 
nels that  led  landward  ;  and  in  five  more  it  was  laying  out  of  the 
inlet  with  a  steady  breeze. 

The  instant  Captain  Truck  retrod  the  deck  of  his  ship  was 
one  of  uncontrollable  feeling  with  the  weatherbeaten  old  sea- 
man. The  ship  had  sewed  too  much  to  admit  of  walking  with 
ease,  and  he  sat  down  on  the  combings  of  the  main  hatch,  and 
fairly  wept  like  an  infant.  So  high  had  his  feelings  been 
wrought  that  this  outbreaking  was  violent,  and  the  men  won- 
dered to  see  their  grey-headed,  stern,  old  commander,  so  com 
pletely  unmanned.  He  seemed  at  length  ashamed  of  the  weak 
ness  himself,  for,  rising  like  a  worried  tiger,  he  began  to  issue 
his  orders  as  sternly  and  promptly  as  was  his  wont. 

"  What  the  devil  are  you  gaping  at,  men !  "  he  growled ; 
"  did  you  never  see  a  ship  on  her  bilge  before  ?  God  knows, 
and  for  that  matter  you  all  know,  there  is  enough  to  do,  that  you 
stand  like  so  many  marines,  with  their  '  eyes  right ! '  and  *  pipe- 
clay.' " 

"  Take  it  more  kindly,  Captain  Truck,"  returned  an  old  sea 
dog,  thrusting  out  a  hand  that  was  all  knobs,  a  fellow  whose 
tobacco  had  not  been  displaced  even  by  the  fray  ;  "  take  it  kind- 
ly, and  look  upon  all  these  boxes  and  bales  as  so  much  cargo 
that  is  to  be  struck  in,  in  dock.  We'll  soon  stow  it,  and,  baring 
a  few  slugs,  and  one  fourpounder,  that  has  cut  up  a  crate  of 
crockery  as  if  it  had  been  a  cat  in  a  cupboard,  no  great  harm 
is  done.  I  look  upon  this  matter  as  no  more  than  a  sudden 
squall,  that  has  compelled  us  to  bear  up  for  a  little  while,  but 
which  will  answer  for  a  winch  to  spin  yarns  on  all  the  rest  of 
our  days.  I  have  fit  the  French,  and  the  English,  and  the  Turks, 
in  my  time ;  and  now  I  can  say  I  have  had  a  brush  with  the 
niggers." 

"  D n  me,  but  you're  right,  old  Tom !  and  I'll  make  no 


HOMEWARD  BOUN&. 


317 


more  account  of  the  matter.  Mr.  Leach,  give  the  people  a  little 
encouragement.  There  is  enough  left  in  the  jug  that  you'll  find 
in  the  stern  sheets  of  the  pinnace ;  and  then  turn-to,  and  strike 
in  all  this  dunnage,  that  the  Arabs  have  been  scattering  on  the 
sands.  We'll  stow  it  when  we  get  the  ship  into  an  easier  bed 
than  the  one  in  which  she  is  now  lying." 

This  was  the  signal  for  commencing  work ;  and  these 
straightforward  tars,  who  had  just  been  in  the  confusion  and 
hazards  of  a  fight,  first  took  their  grog,  and  then  commenced 
their  labor  in  earnest.  As  they  had  only,  with  their  knowledge 
and  readiness,  to  repair  the  damage  done  by  the  ignorant  and 
hurried  Arabs,  in  a  short  time  everything  was  on  board  the 
ship  again,  when  their  attention  was  directed  to  the  situation  of 
the  vessel  itself.  Not  to  anticipate  events,  however,  we  will 
now  return  to  the  party  in  the  launch. 

The  reader  will  readily  imagine  the  feelings  with  which  Mr. 
Effingham  and  his  party  listened  to  the  report  of  the  first  gun. 
As  they  all  remained  below,  they  were  ignorant  who  the  in- 
dividual really  was  that  kept  pacing  the  roof  over  their  heads, 
though  it  was  believed  to  be  the  second  mate,  agreeably  to  the 
arrangement  made  by  Captain  Truck. 

"  My  eyes  grow  dim,"  said  Mr.  Effingham,  who  was  looking 
through  a  glass  ;  "  will  you  try  to  see  what  is  passing,  Eve  ? " 

<c  Father,  I  cannot  look,"  returned  the  pallid  girl.  "  It  is 
misery  enough  to  hear  these  frightful  guns." 

"  It  is  awful !  "  said  Nanny,  folding  her  arms  about  her 
child,  "  and  I  wonder  that  such  gentlemen  as  Mr.  John  and 
Mr.  Powis  should  go  on  an  enterprise  so  wicked  !  " 

"  Voulez-vous  avoir  la  complaisance,  monsieur  ?  "  said  Made- 
moiselle Viefville,  taking  the  glass  from  the  unresisting  hand 
of  Mr.  Effingham.  "  Ha  !  le  combat  commence  en  effet !  " 

"  Is  it  the  Arabs  who  now  fire  ?  "  demanded  Eve,  unable, 
in  spite  of  terror,  to  repress  her  interest. 

"  Non,  <?est  cet  admirable  jeune  homme,  Monsieur  Blunt,  qut 
devance  tous  les  autres  !  " 

"And  now,  mademoiselle,  that  must  surely  be  the  bar- 
barians ?  " 

"  Du  tout.  Les  sauvages  fuient.  Cest  encore  du  bateau  de 
Monsieur  Blunt  qu'on  tire.  Quel  beau  courage !  son  bateau  est 
toujours  des  premiers  !  " 

"  That  shout  is  frightful  !     Do  they  close  ?  " 

"  On  crie  des  deux  parts,  je  crois.  Le  vieux  capitaine  (st  en 
avant  a  present*  et  Monsieur  Blunt  s*arrete  /" 


318  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  May  Heaven  avert  the  danger  !  Do  you  see  the  gentle* 
men  at  all,  Mademoiselle  ?  " 

"  Lafumee  est  trop  epaisse.  Ah  !  les  viola  /  On  tire  encort 
de  son  bateau" 

"  Eh  bien,  mademoiselle  ?  "  said  Eve  tremulously,  after  a 
long  pause. 

"  Cest  dejafini.  Les  Arabes  se  retirent  et  nos  amis  sesont  em- 
pares  du  bailment .  Cele  a  ete  V affaire  d'un  moment,  et  que  le  com- 
bat a  ete  glorieux  !  Ces  jeunes  gens  sont  v  raiment  digues  d'etre 
Francais,  et  le  vieux  capit^ine,  aussi" 

"  Are  there  no  tidings  for  us,  mademoiselle  ?  "  asked  Eve, 
after  another  long  pause,  during  which  she  had  poured  out  her 
gratitude  in  trembling,  but  secret  thanksgivings. 

"  Non,  pas  encore.     Us  se  felicitent,  je  crois" 

"  It's  time,  I'm  sure,  ma'am,''  said  the  meek-minded  Ann, 
"  to  send  forth  the  dove,  that  it  may  find  the  olive  branch. 
War  and  strife  are  too  sinful  to  be  long  indulged  in." 

"  There  is  a  boat  making  sail  in  this  direction,"  said  Mr. 
Effingham,  who  had  left  the  glass  with  the  governess,  in  com- 
plaisance to  her  wish. 

"  Out,  c'est le  bateau  de  Monsieur  Blunt" 

"  And  who  is  in  it  ?"  demanded  the  father,  for  the  meed 
of  a  world  could  not  have  enabled  Eve  to  speak. 

"Je  vois  Monsieur  Sharp — out,  c'est  bien  lui" 

"  Is  he  alone  ?  " 

"  Non,  il  y  en  a  deux — mais — out— c'est  Monsieur  Blunt, — 
noire  jeune  heros  !  " 

Eve  bowed  her  face,  and  even  while  her  soul  melted  in 
gratitude  to  God,  the  feelings  of  her  sex  caused  the  telltale 
blood  to  suffuse  her  features  to  the  brightness  of  crimson. 

Mr.  Efringham  now  took  the  glass  from  the  spirited  French- 
woman, whose  admiration  of  brilliant  qualities  had  overcome 
her  fears,  and  he  gave  a  more  detailed  and  connected  account 
of  the  situation  of  things  near  the  ship,  as  they  presented  them- 
selves to  a  spectator  at  that  distance. 

Notwithstanding  they  already  knew  so  much,  it  was  a  pain- 
ful and  feverish  half  hour  to  those  in  the  launch,  the  time  that 
intervened  between  this  dialogue  and  the  moment  when  the 
boat  of  the  Dane  came  alongside  of  their  own.  Every  face  was 
at  the  windows,  and  the  young  men  were  received  like  deliv- 
erers, in  whose  safety  all  felt  a  deep  concern. 

"  But,  cousin  Jack,"  said  Eve,  across  whose  speaking  coun- 
tenance apprehension  and  joy  cast  their  shadows  and  gleams 
like  April  clouds  driving  athwart  a  brilliant  sky,  "  my  father  has 


HOMEWARD  BOVND. 


319 


not  been  able  to  discover  his  form  among  those  who  move  about 
on  the  bank." 

The  gentlemen  explained  the  misfortune  of  Mr.  Monday, 
and  related  the  manner  in  which, John  Effingham  had  assumed 
the  office  of  nurse.  A  few  delicious  minutes  passed  ;  for  noth- 
ing is  more  grateful  than  the  happiness  that  first  succeeds  a 
victory,  and  the  young  men  proceeded  to  lift  the  kedge,  assisted 
by  the  servant  of  Mr.  Effingham.  The  sails  were  set ;  and  in 
fifteen  minutes  the  raft — the  long-desired  and  much  coveted-raft 
— approached  the  inlet. 

Paul  steered  the  larger  boat,  and  gave  to  Mr.  Sharp  direc- 
tions how  to  steer  the  other.  The  tide  was  flowing  into  the 
passage  ;  and,  by  keeping  his  weatherly  position,  the  young  man 
carried  his  long  train  of  spars  with  so  much  precision  into  its 
opening,  that,  favored  by  the  current,  it  was  drawn  through 
without  touching  a  rock,  and  brought  in  triumph  to  the  very 
margin  of  the  bank.  Here  it  was  secured,  the  sails  and  cord- 
age were  brought  ashore,  and  the  whole  party  landed. 

The  last  twenty  hours  seemed  like  a  dream  to  all  the  females 
as  they  again  walked  the  solid  sand  in  security  and  hope.  They 
had  now  assembled  every  material  of  safety,  and  all  that  remained 
was  to  get  the  ship  off  the  shore,  and  to  rig  her ;  Mr.  Leach 
having  already  reported  that  she  was  as  tight  as  the  day  she 
left  London. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Would  I  were  in  an  ale-house  in  London ! 

I  would  give  all  my  fame  for  a  pot  of  ale  and  safety. 

Henry  Vth. 

MADEMOISELLE  VIEFVILLE,  with  a  decision  and  intelligence 
that  rendered  her  of  great  use  in  moments  of  need,  hastened  to 
offer  her  services  to  the  wounded  man,  while  Eve,  attended  by 
Ann  Sidley,  ascended  the  ship  and  made  her  way  into  the  cab- 
ins, in  the  best  manner  the  leaning  position  of  the  vessel  al- 
lowed. Here  they  found  less  confusion  than  might  have  been 
expected,  the  scene  being  ludicrous,  rather  than  painful,  for  Mr 
Monday  was  in  his  stateroom  excluded  from  sight. 

In  the  first  place,  the  soi-disant  Sir  George  Templemore  was 
counting  over  his  effects,  among  which  he  had  discovered  a  sad 


320 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


deficiency  in  coats  and  pantaloons.  The  Arabs  had  respected 
the  plunder,  by  compact,  with  the  intention  of  making  a  fair 
distribution  on  the  reef ;  but,  with  a  view  to  throw  a  sop  to  the 
more  rapacious  of  their  associates,  one  room  had  been  sacked  by 
the  permission  of  the  sheiks.  This  unfortuate  room  happened  to 
be  that  of  Sir  George  Templemore,  and  the  patent  razors,  the 
East  Indian  dressing-case,  the  divers  toys,  to  say  nothing  of  in- 
numerable vestments  which  the  young  man  had  left  paraded  in 
his  room,  for  the  mere  pleasure  of  feasting  his  eyes  on  them, 
had  disappeared. 

"  Do  me  the  favor,  Miss  Effingham,"  he  said,  appealing  to 
Eve,  of  whom  he  stood  habitually  in  awe,  from  the  pure  neces- 
sity of  addressing  her  in  his  distress,  or  of  addressing  no  one, 
"  do  me  the  favor  to  look  into  my  room,  and  see  the  unprinci- 
pled manner  in  which  I  have  been  treated.  Not  a  comb  nor  a 
razor  left ;  not  a  garment  to  make  myself  decent  in  !  I'm  sure 
such  conduct  is  quite  a  disgrace  to  the  civilization  of  barbarians 
even,  and  I  shall  make  it  a  point  to  have  the  affair  duly  repre- 
sented to  his  majesty's  minister  the  moment  I  arrive  in  New 
York.  I  sincerely  hope  you  have  been  better  treated,  though  I 
think,  after  this  specimen  of  their  principles,  there  is  little  hope 
for  any  one  :  I'm  sure  we  ought  to  be  grateful  they  did  not 
strip  the  ship.  I  trust  we  shall  all  make  common  cause  against 
them  the  moment  we  arrive." 

4<  We  ought  indeed,  sir,"  returned  Eve,  who,  while  she  had 
known  from  the  beginning  of  his  being  an  impostor,  was  willing 
to  ascribe  his  fraud  to  vanity,  and  who  now  felt  charitable  to- 
wards him  on  account  of  the  spirit  he  had  shown  in  the  combat ; 
"  though  I  trust  we  shall  have  escaped  better.  Our  effects  were 
principally  in  the  baggage-room,  and  that,  I  understand  froir 
Captain  Truck,  has  not  been  touched." 

"  Indeed  you  are  very  fortunate,  and  I  can  only  wish  that 
the  same  good  luck  had  happened  to  myself.  But  then,  you 
know,  Miss  Effingham,  that  one  has  need  of  his  little  comforts, 
and,  as  for  myself,  I  confess  to  rather  a  weakness  in  that  way." 

"  Monstrous  prodigality  and  wastefulness  !  "  cried  Saunders, 
as  Eve  passed  on  towards  her  own  cabin,  willing  to  escape  any 
more  of  Sir  George's  complaints.  "  Just  be  so  kind,  Miss  Ef- 
fingham, ma'am,  to  look  into  this  here  pantry,  once  !  Them 
niggers,  I  do  believe,  have  had  their  fingers  in  everything,  and 
it  will  take  Toast  and  me  a  week  to  get  things  decorous  and 
orderly  again.  Some  of  the  shrieks  "  (for  so  the  steward  styled 
the  chiefs)  "have  been  yelling  well  in  this  place,  I'll  engage, 
as  you  may  see,  by  the  manner  in  which  they  have  spilt  the 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

mustard  and  mangled  that  cold  duck.  I've  a  most  mortal  awer- 
sion  to  a  man  that  cuts  up  poultry  against  the  fibers ;  and, 
would  you  think  it,  Miss  Effingham,  ma'am,  that  the  last  gun 
Mr.  Blunt  fired,  dislocated,  or  otherwise  diwerted,  about  half  a 
dozen  of  the  fowls  that  happened  to  be  in  the  way  ;  for  I  let  all 
the  poor  wretches  out  of  the  coops,  that  they  might  make  their 
own  livings  should  we  never  come  back.  I  should  think  that 
as  polite  and  experienced  a  gentleman  as  Mr.  Blunt  might  have 
shot  the  Arabs  instead  of  my  poultry  !  " 

"  So  it  is,"  thought  Eve,  as  she  glanced  into  the  pantry  and 
proceeded.  "What  is  considered  happiness  to-day  gets  to  be 
misery  to-morrow,  and  the  rebukes  of  adversity  are  forgotten 
the  instant  prosperity  resumes  its  influence.  Either  of  these 
men,  a  few  hours  since,  would  have  been  most  happy  to  have 
been  in  this  vessel,  as  a  home,  or  a  covering  for  their  heads, 
and  now  they  quarrel  with  their  good  fortune  because  it  is  want- 
ing in  some  accustomed  superfluity  or  pampered  indulgence." 

We  shall  leave  her  with  this  wholesome  reflection  uppermost, 
to  examine  into  the  condition  of  her  own  room,  and  return  to 
the  deck. 

As  the  hour  was  still  early,Captain  Truck  having  once  quieted 
his  feelings,  went  to  work  with  zeal,  to  turn  the  late  success  to 
the  best  account.  The  cargo  that  had  been  discharged  was 
soon  stowed  again,  and  the  next  great  object  was  to  get  the  ship 
afloat  previously  to  hoisting  in  the  new  spars.  As  the  kedges 
still  lay  on  the  reef,  and  all  the  anchors  remained  in  the  places 
where  they  had  originally  been  placed,  there  was  little  to  do 
but  to  get  ready  to  heave  upon  the  chains  as  soon  as  the  tide 
rose.  Previously  to  commencing  this  task,  however,  the  inter- 
vening time  was  well  employed  in  sending  down  the  imperfect 
hamper  that  was  aloft,  and  in  getting  up  shears  to  hoist  out  the 
remains  of  the  foremast,  as  well  as  the  jury  mainmast,  the  latter 
of  which,  it  will  be  remembered,  was  only  fitted  two  days  before. 
All  the  appliances  used  on  that  occasion  being  still  on  deck, 
and  everybody  lending  a  willing  hand,  this  task  was  completed 
by  noon.  The  jury-mast  gave  little  trouble,  but  was  soon  lying 
on  the  bank  ;  and  then  Captain  Truck,  the  shears  having  been 
previously  shifted,  commenced  lifting  the  broken  foremast,  and 
just  as  the  cooks  announced  that  the  dinner  was  ready  for  the 
people,  the  latter  safely  deposited  the  spar  on  the  sands. 

" '  Here,  a  sheer  hulk,  lies  poor  Tom  Bowline,'  "  said  Cap- 
tain Truck  to  Mr.  Blunt,  as  the  crew  came  up  the  staging  in 
their  way  to  the  galley,  in  quest  of  their  meal.  "  I  have  not 
beheld  the  Montauk  without  a  mast  since  the  day  she  lay  a 


322 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


new-born  child  at  the  shipyards.  I  see  some  half  a  dozen  of 
these  mummified  scoundrels  dodging  about  on  the  shore  yet? 
though  the  great  majority,  as  Mr.  Dodge  would  say,  have  man- 
ifested a  decided  disposition  to  amuse  themselves  with  a  further 
acquaintance  with  the  Dane.  In  my  humble  opinion,  sir,  that 
poor  deserted  ship  will  have  no  more  inside  of  her  by  night, 
than  one  of  Saunders'  ducks  that  have  been  dead  an  hour.  That 
hearty  fellow,  Mr.  Monday,  is  hit,  I  fear  between  wind  and 
water,  Leach  ? " 

"  He  is  in  a  bad  way,  indeed,  as  I  understand  from  Mr. 
John  Effingham,  who  very  properly  allows  no  "one  to  disturb 
him,  keeping  the  stateroom  door  closed  on  all  but  himself  and 
his  own  man." 

"  Ay,  ay,  that  is  merciful ;  a  man  likes  a  little  quiet  when 
he  is  killed.  As  soon  as  the  ship  is  more  fit  to  be  seen,  how- 
ever, it  will  become  my  duty  to  wait  on  him  in  order  to  see  that 
nothing  is  wanting.  We  must  offer  the  poor  man  the  consola- 
tion of  religion,  Mr.  Blunt." 

"  They  would  certainly  be  desirable  had  we  one  qualified 
for  the  task." 

"  I  can't  say  as  much  in  that  way  for  myself  perhaps,  as  I 
might,  seeing  that  my  father  was  a  priest.  But  then,  we  masters 
of  packets  have  occasion  to  turn  our  hands  to  a  good  many  odd 
jobs.  As  soon  as  the  ship  is  snug,  I  shall  certainly  take  a 
look  at  the  honest  fellow.  Pray,  sir,  what  became  of  Mr.  Dodge 
in  the  skirmish  ?  " 

Paul  smiled,  but  he  prudently  answered,  "  I  believe  he  oc- 
cupied himself  in  taking  notes  of  the  combat,  and  I  make  no 
doubt  will  do  you  full  justice  in  the  Active  Inquirer,  as  soon 
as  he  gets  its  columns  again  at  his  command." 

"  Too  much  learning,  as  my  good  father  used  to  say,  has 
made  him  a  little  mad.  But  I  have  a  grateful  heart  to-day,  Mr. 
Blunt,  and  will  not  be  critical.  I  did  not  perceive  Mr.  Dodge 
in  the  conflict,  as  Saunders  calls  it,  but  there  were  so  many  of 
those  rascally  Arabs,  that  one  had  not  an  opportunity  of  seeing 
much  else.  We  must  get  the  ship  outside  of  this  reef  with  as 
little  delay  as  possible,  for  to  tell  you  a  secret " — here  the  cap- 
tain dropped  his  voice  to  a  whisper — "  there  are  but  two 
rounds  apiece  left  for  the  small  arms,  and  only  one  cartridge 
for  the  four-pounder.  I  own  to  you  a  strong  desire  to  be  in 
the  offing." 

"  They  will  hardly  attempt  to  board  us,  after  the  specimen 
they  have  had  of  what  we  can  do." 

"  No  one  knows,  sir  ;  no  one  knows.     They  keep  pouring 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  323 

down  upon  the  coast,  like  crows  on  the  scent  of  a  carrion,  and 
once  done  with  the  Dane,  we  shall  see  them  in  hundreds  prowl- 
ing around  us  like  wolves.  How  much  do  we  want  of  high' 
water  ? " 

''  An  hour,  possibly.  I  do  not  think  there  is  much  time  to 
lose  before  the  people  get  to  work  at  the  windlass." 

Captain  Truck  nodded,  and  proceeded  to  look  into  the  condi- 
tion of  his  ground  tackle.  It  was  a  joyous  but  anxious  moment 
when  the  handspikes  were  first  handled,  and  the  slack  of  one 
of  the  chains  began  to  come.  The  ship  had  been  upright 
several  hours,  and  no  one  could  tell  how  hard  she  would  hang 
on  the  bottom.  As  the  chain  tightened,  the  gentlemen,  the 
officers  included,  got  upon  the  bows  and  looked  anxiously  at  the 
effect  of  each  heave ;  for  it  was  a  nervous  thing  to  be  stranded 
on  such  a  coast,  even  after  all  that  had  occurred. 

"  She  winks,  by  George  !  "  cried  the  captain ;  "  heave 
together,  men,  and  you  will  stir  the  sand  !  " 

The  men  did  heave,  gaining  inch  by  inch,  until  no  effort 
could  cause  the  ponderous  machine  to  turn.  The  mates,  and 
then  the  captain,  applied  their  strength  in  succession  and  but 
half  a  turn  more  was  gained.  Everybody  was  now  summoned, 
even  to  the  passengers,  and  the  enormous  strain  seemed  to 
threaten  to  tear  the  fabric  asunder ;  but  still  the  ship  was  im- 
movable. 

"  She  hangs  hardest  forward,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Leach  :  "  suppose 
we  run  up  the  stern-boat  ?  " 

This  expedient  was  adopted,  and  so  nearly  were  the  count- 
eracting powers  balanced,  that  it  prevailed.  A  strong  heave 
caused  the  ship  to  start,  and  an  inch  more  of  tide  aided  the  ef- 
fort, and  then  the  vast  hull  yielded  slowly  to  the  purchase, 
gradually  turning  towards  the  anchor,  until  the  quick  blows  of 
the  pall  announced  that  the  vessel  was  fairly  afloat  again. 

"  Thank  God  for  that,  as  for  all  his  mercies  !  "  said  Captain 
Truck.  "  Heave  the  hussy  up  to  her  anchor,  Mr.  Leach,  when 
we  will  cast  an  eye  to  her  moorings." 

All  this  was  done,  the  ship  being  effectually  secured,  with 
due  attention  to  a  change  in  the  wind,  that  now  promised  to  be 
permanent.  Not  a  moment  was  lost ;  but,  the  sheers  being 
still  standing,  the  foremast  of  the  Dane  was  floated  alongside, 
fastened  to,  and  hove  into  its  new  berth,  with  as  much  rapidity 
as  comported  with  care.  When  the  mast  was  fairly  stepped, 
Captain  Truck  rubbed  his  hands  with  delight,  and  immediately 
commanded  his  subordinate  to  rig  it,  although  by  this  time  the 
turn  of  the  day  had  considerably  passed. 


224  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  This  is  the  way  with  us  seamen,  Mr.  Effingham,"  he  ob- 
served ;  "  from  the  fall  to  the  fight,  and  then  again  from  the 
fight  to  the  fall.  Our  work,  like  women's,  is  never  done  ; 
•  whereas  you  landsmen  knock  off  with  the  sun,  and  sleep  while 
the  corn  grows.  I  have  always  owed  my  parents  a  grudge  for 
bringing  me  up  to  a  dog's  life." 

"  I  had  understood  it  was  a  choice  of  your  own,  captain." 

"  Ay- — so  far  as  running  away  and  shipping  without  their 
knowledge  was  concerned,  perhaps  it  was  ;  but  then  it  was 
their  business  to  begin  at  the  bottom,  and  to  train  me  up  in 
such  a  manner  that  I  would  not  run  away.  The  Lord  forgive 
me,  too,  for  thinking  amiss  of  the  two  dear  old  people ;  for,  to 
be  candid  with  you,  they  were  much  too  good  to  have  such  a 
son ;  and  I  honestly  believe  they  loved  me  more  than  I  loved 
myself.  Well,  I've  the  consolation  of  knowing  I  comforted  the 
old  lady  with  many  a  pound  of  capital  tea  after  I  got  into  the 
China  trade,  ma'amselle." 

"  She  was  fond  of  it  ?  "  observed  the  governess  politely. 

"  She  relished  it  very  much,  as  a  horse  takes  to  oats,  or  a 
child  to  custard.  That  and  snuff  and  grace,  composed  her 
principal  consolations." 

"  Quoi  f  "  demanded  the  governess,  looking  towards  Paul  for 
an  explanation. 

"  Grace,  mademoiselle  /  la  grace  de  Dieu." 

"  Bien!" 

"  It's  a  sad  misfortune,  after  all,  to  lose  a  mother,  ma'am- 
selle. It  is  like  cutting  all  the  headfasts,  and  riding  altogether 
by  the  stern  ;  for  it  is  letting  go  the  hold  of  what  has  gone  be- 
fore to  grapple  with  the  future.  It  is  true  that  I  ran  away  from 
my  mother  when  a  youngster,  and  thought  little  of  it !  but 
when  she  took  her  turn  and  ran  away  from  me,  I  began  to  feel 
that  I  had  made  a  wrong  use  of  my  legs.  What  are  the  tidings 
from  poor  Mr.  Monday  ? " 

"  I  understand  he  does  not  suffer  greatly,  but  that  he  grows 
weaker  fast,"  returned  Paul.  "  I  fear  there  is  little  hope  of 
his  surviving  such  a  hurt." 

The  captain  had  got  out  a  cigar,  and  had  beckoned  to  Toast 
for  a  coal ;  but  changing  his  mind  suddenly,  he  broke  the  to- 
bacco into  snuff,  and  scattered  it  about  the  deck. 

"  Why  the  devil  is  not  that  rigging  going  up,  Mr.  Leach  ?  " 
he  cried,  fiercely.  "  It  is  not  my  intention  to  pass  the  winter 
at  these  moorings,  and  I  solicit  a  little  more  expedition." 

"  Ay  ay,  sir,"  returned  the  mate,  one  of  a  class  habitually 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  325 

patient  and  obedient ;  "  bear  a  hand,  my  lads,  and  get  the 
strings  into  their  places." 

"  Leach,"  continued  the  captain,  more  kindly,  and  still 
working  his  fingers  unconsciously,  "  come  this  way,  my  good 
friend,  I  have  not  expressed  to  you,  Mr.  Leach,  all  I  wish  to 
say  of  your  good  conduct  in  this  late  affair.  You  have  stood 
by  me  like  a  gallant  fellow  throughout  the  whole  business,  and 
I  shall  not  hesitate  about  saying  as  much  when  we  get  in.  It 
is  my  intention  to  write  a  letter  to  the  owners,  which  no  doubt 
they'll  publish;  for  whatever  they  have  got  to  say  against 
America,  no  one  will  deny  it  is  easy  to  get  anything  published. 
Publishing  is  victuals  and  drink  to  the  nation.  You  may  de- 
pend on  having  justice  done  you." 

"  I  never  doubted  it,  Captain  Truck." 

"  No,  sir ;  and  you  never  winked.  The  mainmast  does  not 
stand  up  in  a  gale  firmer  than  you  stood  up  to  the  niggers." 

"  Mr.  Effingham,  sir — and  Mr.  Sharp — and  particularly  Mr0 
Blunt—" 

"  Let  me  alone  to  deal  with  them.  Even  Toast  acted  like 
a  man.  Well,  Leach,  they  tell  me  poor  Monday  must  slip, 
after  all." 

"  J  am  very  sorry  to  hear  it,  sir  ;  Mr.  Monday  laid  about  him 
like  a  soldier  !  " 

"  He  did,  indeed  ;  but  Bona'parte  himself  has  been  obliged 
to  give  up  the  ghost,  and  Wellington  must  follow  him  some 
day  ;  even  old  Putnam  is  dead.  Either  you  or  I,  or  both  of  us, 
Leach,  will  have  to  throw  in  some  of  the  consolations  of  religion 
on  this  mournful  occasion." 

"  There  is  Mr.  Effingham,  sir,  or  Mr.  John  Effingham  ; 
elderly  gentlemen  with  more  scholarship." 

"  That  will  never  do.  All  they  can  offer,  no  doubt,  will  be 
acceptable,  but  we  owe  a  duty  to  the  ship.  The  officers  of  a 
packet  are  not  graceless  horse-jockeys,  but  sober,  discreet  men, 
and  it  becomes  them  to  show  that  they  have  some  education, 
and  the  right  sort  of  stuff  in  them  on  an  emergency.  I  expect 
you  will  stand  by  me,  Leach,  on  this  melancholy  occasion,  as 
stoutly  as  you  stood  by  me  this  morning." 

"  I  humbly  hope,  sir,  not  to  disgrace  the  vessel,  but  it  is 
likely  Mr,  Monday  is  a  Church  of  England  man,  and  we  both 
belong  to  the  Saybrook  Platform  ! ' 

"  Ah  !  the  devil ! — I  forgot  that !  But  religion  is  religion  ; 
old  line  or  new  line  ;  and  I  question  if  a  man  so  near  unmoor- 
ing will  be  very  particular.  The  great  thing  is  consolation, 
and  that  we  must  contrive  to  give  him,  by  hook  or  by  crook, 


326  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

when  the  proper  moment  comes;  and  now.  Mr.  Leach,  let  the 
people  push  matters,  and  we  shall  have  everything  up  forward, 
and  that  mainmast  stepped  yet  by  '  sunset ; J  or  it  would  be 
more  literal  so  say  *  sun-down  ;  '  "  Captain  Truck,  like  a  true 
New-England-man,  invariably  using  a  provincialism  that  Las 
got  to  be  so  general  in  America. 

The  work  proceeded  with  spirit,  for  every  one  was  anxious 
to  get  the  ship  out  of  a  berth  that  was  so  critical,  as  well  from 
the  constant  vicinity  of  the  Arabs  as  from  the  dangers  of  the 
weather.  The  wind  baffled  too,  as  it  is  usual  on  the  margin  of 
the  trades,  and  at  times  it  blew  from  the  sea,  though  it  con- 
tinued light,  and  the  changes  were  of  short  continuance.  As 
Captain  Truck  hoped,  when  the  people  ceased  work  at  night, 
the  fore  and  fore-top-sail-yards  were  in  their  places,  the  top-gal- 
lant-mast was  fitted,  and,  with  the  exception  of  the  sails,  the  ship 
•was  what  is  called  a-tanto,  forward.  Aft.  less  had  been  done, 
though  by  the  assistance  of  the  supernumeraries,  who  con- 
tinued to  lend  their  aid,  the  two  lower  masts  were  stepped, 
though  no  rigging  could  be  got  over  them.  The  men  volun- 
teered to  work  by  watches  through  the  night,  but  to  this  Cap- 
tain Truck  would  not  listen,  affirming  that  they  had  earned 
their  suppers  and  a  good  rest,  both  of  which  they  should  have. 

The  gentlemen,  who  merely  volunteered  an  occasional  drag, 
cheerfully  took  the  look-outs,  and  as  there  were  plenty  of  fire' 
arms,  though  not  much  powder,  little  apprehension  was  enter- 
tained of  the  Arabs.  As  was  expected,  the  night  passed  away 
tranquilly,  and  every  one  arose  with  the  dawn  refreshed  and 
strengthened. 

The  return  of  day,  however,  brought  the  Arabs  down  upon 
the  shore  in  crowds  ;  for  the  last  gale,  which  had  been  un- 
usually severe,  and  the  tidings  of  the  wrecks,  which  had  been 
spread  by  means  of  the  dromedaries  far  and  wide,  had  col- 
lected a  force  on  the  coast  that  began  to  be  formidable  through 
sheer  numbers.  The  Dane  had  been  effectually  emptied,  and 
plunder  had  the  same  effect  on  these  rapacious  barbarians  that 
blood  is  known  to  produce  on  the  tiger.  The  taste  had  be- 
gotten an  appetite,  and  from  the  first  appearance  of  the  light, 
those  in  the  ship  saw  signs  of  a  disposition  to  renew  the  at- 
tempt on  their  liberty. 

Happily,  the  heaviest  portion  of  the  work  was  done,  and 
Captain  Truck  determined,  rather  than  risk  another  conflict 
with  a  force  that  was  so  much  augmented,  to  get  the  spars  on 
board,  and  to  take  the  ship  outside  of  the  reef,  without  waiting 
to  complete  her  equipment.  His  first  orders,  therefore,  when 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  327 

all  hands  were  mustered,  were  for  the  boats  to  get  in  the 
kedges  and  the  stream  anchor,  and  otherwise  to  prepare  to 
move  the  vessel.  In  the  mean  time  other  gangs  were  busy  in 
getting  the  rigging  over  the  mastheads,  and  in  setting  it  up. 
As  the  lifting  of  the  anchors  with  boats  was  heavy  work,  by 
the  time  they  were  got  on-  board  and  stowed  it  was  noon,  and 
all  the  yards  were  aloft,  though  not  a  sail  was  bent  in.  the 
vessel. 

Captain  Truclj:,  while  the  people  were  eating,  passed 
through  the  ship  examining  every  stay  and  shroud  :  there  were 
some  makeshifts  it  is  true,  but  on  the  whole  he  was  satisfied, 
though  he  plainly  saw  that  the  presence  of  the  Arabs  had 
hurried  matters  a  little,  and  that  a  good  many  drags  would 
have  to  be  given  as  soon  as  they  got  beyond  danger,  and  that 
some  attention  must  be  paid  to  seizings ;  still,  what  had  been 
done  would  answer  very  well  for  moderate  weather,  and  it  was 
too  late  to  stop  to  change. 

The  trade  wind  had  returned,  and  blew  steadily  as  if  finally 
likely  to  stand  ;  and  the  water  outside  of  the  reef  was  smooth 
enough  to  permit  the  required  alterations,  now  that  the  heavier 
spars  were  in  their  places. 

The  appearance  of  the  Montauk  certainly  was  not  »as 
stately  and  commanding  as  before  the  wreck,  but  there  was  an 
air  of  completeness  about  it  that  augured  well.  It  was  that  of 
a  ship  of  seven  hundred  tons,  fitted  with  spars  intended  for  a 
ship  of  five  hundred.  The  packet  a  little  resembled  a  man  of 
six  feet,  in  the  coat  of  a  man  of  five  feet  nine,  and  yet  the 
discrepancy  would  not  be  apt  to  be  noticed  by  any  but  the 
initiated.  Everything  essential  was  in  its  place,  and  reason- 
ably well  secured,  and,  as  the  Dane  had  been  rigged  for  a 
stormy  sea,  Captain  Truck  felt  satisfied  he  might,  in  his  present 
plight,  venture  on  the  American  coast  even  in  winter,  without 
incurring  unusual  hazard. 

As  soon  as  the  hour  of  work  arrived,  therefore,  a  boat  was 
sent  to  drop  a  kedge  as  near  the  inlet  as  it  would  be  safe  to 
venture,  and  a  little  to  windward  of  it.  By  making  a  calcula- 
tion, and  inspecting  his  buoys,  which  still  remained  where  he 
had  placed  them,  Captain  Truck  found  that  he  could  get  a  nar- 
row channel  of  sufficient  directness  to  permit  the  ship  to  be 
warped  as  far  as  this  point  in  a  straight  line.  Everything  but 
the  boats  was  now  got  on  board,  the  anchor  by  which  they  rode 
was  hove  up,  and  the  warp  was  brought  to  the  capstan,  when 
the  vessel  slowly  began  to  advance  towards  the  inlet. 

This  movement  was  a  signal  to  the  Arabs,  who  poured  down 


328  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

on  both  reefs  in  hundreds,  screaming  and  gesticulating  like 
maniacs.  It  required  good  nerves  and  some  self-reliance  to 
advance  in  the  face  of  such  a  danger;  and  this  so  much  the 
more,  as  the  barbarians  showed  themselves  in  the  greatest 
force  on  the  northern  range  of  rocks,  which  offered  a  good 
shelter  for  their  persons,  completely  raked  the  channel,  and, 
moreover,  lay  so  near  the  spot  where  the  kedge  had  been 
dropped,  that  one  might  have  jerked  a  stone  from  the  one  to  the 
other.  To  add  to  the  awkwardness  of  the  affair,  the  Arabs 
began  to  fire  with  those  muskets  that  are  of  so  little  service  in 
close  encounters,  but  which  are  notorious  for  sending  their 
shot  with  great  precision  from  a  distance.  The  bullets  came 
thick  upon  the  ship,  though  the  stoutness  of  the  bulwarks  for- 
ward, and  their  height,  as  yet  protected  the  men. 

In  this  dilemma,  Captain  Truck  hesitated  about  continuing 
to  haul  ahead,  and  he  sent  for  Mr.  Blunt  and  Mr.  Leach  for  a 
consultation.  Both  these  gentlemen  advised  perseverance,  and 
as  the  counsel  of  the  former  will  succinctly  show  the  state  of 
things,  it  shall  be  given  in  his  own  words. 

"  Indecision  is  always  discouraging  to  one's  friends,  and  en- 
couraging to  one's  enemies,"  he  said,  "  and  I  recommend  per- 
se.verance.  The  nearer  we  haul  to  the  rocks,  the  greater  will 
be  our  command  of  them,  while  the  more  the  chances  of  the 
Arabs'  throwing  their  bullets  on  our  decks  will  be  diminished. 
Indeed,  so  long  as  we  ride  head  to  wind,  they  cannot  fire  low 
enough  to  effect  their  object  from  the  northern  reef,  and  on  the 
southern  they  will  not  venture  very  near,  for  want  of  cover.  It 
is  true  it  will  be  impossible  for  us  to  bend  our  sails  or  to  send 
out  a  boat  in  the  face  of  so  heavy  a  fire,  while  our  assailants 
are  so  effectually  covered  ;  but  we  may  possibly  dislodge  them 
with  the  gun,  or  with  our  small-arms,  from  the  decks.  If  not, 
I  will  head  a  party  into  the  tops,  from  which  I  will  undertake 
to  drive  them  out  of  the  reach  of  our  muskets  in  five  minutes." 

"  Such  a  step  would  be  very  hazardous  to  those  who  ven- 
tured aloft." 

"  It  would  not  be  without  danger,  and  some  loss  must  be 
expected  ;  but  they  who  fight  must  expect  risks." 

"  In  which  case  it  will  be  the  business  of  Mr.  Leach  and 
myself  to  head  the  parties  aloft.  If  we  are  obliged  to  console 
the  dying,  damn  me,  but  we  are  entitled  to  the  privilege  of 
fighting  the  living." 

"Ay,  ay,  sir,"  put  in  the  mate  ;  "  that  stands  to  reason.",. 

"  There  are  three  tops,  gentlemen,"  returned  Paul,  mildly, 
"  and  I  respect  your  rights  too  much  to  wish  to  interfere  with 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


329 


them.  We  can  each  take  one,  and  the  effect  will  be  in  propor- 
tion to  the  greater  means  we  employ, — one  vigorous  assault  be- 
ing worth  a  dozen  feints." 

Captain  Truck  shook  Paul  heartily  by  the  hand,  and  adopted 
his  advice.  When  the  young  man  had  retired,  he  turned  to  the 
mate,  and  said, — 

"  After  all,  these  men-of-war's  men  are  a  little  beyond  us  in 
the  science  of  attack  and  defence,  though  I  think  I  could  give 
him  a  hint  in  the  science  of  signs.  I  have  had  two  or  three 
touches  at  privateering  in  my  time,  but  no  regular  occupation 
in  your  broadside  work.  Did  you  see  how  Mr.  Blunt  handled 
his  boat  yesterday  ?  As  much  like  two  double  blocks  and  a 
steady  drag,  as  one  belaying-pin  is  like  another,  and  as  coolly  as 
a  great  lady  in  London  looks  at  one  of  us  in  a  state  of  nature. 
For  my  pan,  Leach,  I  was  as  hot  as  mustard,  and  ready  to  cut  the 
throat  of  the  best  friend  I  had  on  earth  ;  whereas  he  was  smil- 
ing as  I  rowed  past  him,  though  I  could  hardly  see  his  face  for 
the  smoke  of  his  own  gun." 

"Yes,  sir,  that's  the  way  with  your  regular  builts.  I'll 
warrant  you  he  began  young,  and  had  kicked  all  the  passion 
out  of  himself  on  old  salts,  by  the  time  he  was  eighteen.  He 
doesn't  seem,  neither,  like  one  of  the  true  d — n-my-eye  breed ; 
but  it's  a  great  privilege  to  a  man  in  a  passion  to  be  allowed  to 
kick  when  and  whom  he  likes." 

"  Not  he.  I  say,  Leach,  perhaps  he  might  lend  us  a  hand 
when  it  comes  to  the  pinch  with  poor  Monday.  I  have  a  great 
desire  that  the  worthy  fellow  should  take  his  departure  de- 
cently." 

"Well,  sir,  I  think  you  had  better  propose  it.  For  my  part, 
I'm  quite  willing  to  go  into  all  three  of  the  tops  alone,  rather 
than  disappoint  a  dying  man." 

The  captain  promised  to  look  to  the  matter,  and  then  they 
turned  their  attention  to  the  ship,  which  in  a  few  more  minutes 
was  up  as  near  the  kedge  as  it  was  prudent  to  haul  her. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Speed,  gallant  bark,  the  tornado  is  past ; 
Staunch  and  secure  thou  hast  weather'd  the  blast ; 
Now  spread  thy  full  sails  to  the  wings  of  the  morn, 
And  soon  the  glad  haven  shall  greet  thy  return. 

PARK. 

THE  Montauk  now  lay  close  to  the  inlet,  and  even  a  little 
to  windward  of  its  entrance  ;  but  the  channel  was  crooked,  not 
a  sail  was  bent,  nor  was  it  possible  to  bend  one  properly  with- 
out exposing  the  men  to  the  muskets  of  the  Arabs,  who,  from 
firing  loosely,  had  got  to  be  more  wary  and  deliberate,  aiming 
at  the  places  where  a  head  or  an  arm  was  occasionally  seen. 
To  prolong  this  state  of  things  was  merely  to  increase  the  evil, 
and  Captain  Truck  determined  to  make  an  effort  at  once  to 
dislodge  his  enemies. 

With  this  view  the  gun  was  loaded  in-board,  filled  nearly 
to  the  muzzle  with  slugs,  and  then  it  was  raised  with  care  to 
the  top-gallant-forecastle,  and  cautiously  pushed  forward  near 
the  gunwale.  Had  the  barbarians  understood  the  construction 
of  a  vessel,  they  might  have  destroyed  half  the  packet's  crew 
while  they  were  thus  engaged  about  the  forecastle  by  firing 
through  the  planks ;  but,  ignorant  of  the  weakness  of  the  de- 
fences, they  aimed  altogether  at  the  openings,  or  over  the 
rails. 

By  lowering  the  gaff  the  spanker  was  imperfectly  bent ;  that 
is  to  say,  it  was  bent  on  the  upper  leach.  The  boom  was  got 
in  under  cover  of  *the  hurricane-house,  and  of  the  bundle  of  the 
sails ;  -the  outhauler  was  bent,  the  boom  replaced,  the  sail 
being  hoisted  with  a  little  and  a  hurried  lacing  to  the  luff.  This 
was  not  effected  without  a  good  deal  of  hazard,  though  the 
nearness  of  the  bows  of  the  vessel  to  the  rocks  prevented  most 
of  the  Arabs  from  perceiving  what  passed  so  far  aft.  Still, 
others  nearer  to  the  shore  caught  glimpses  of  the  actors,  and 
several  narrow  escapes  were  the  consequences.  The  second 
mate,  in  particular,  had  a  shot  through  his  hat  within  an  inch 
of  his  head.  By  a  little  management,  notwithstanding,  the 
luff  of  the  spanker  was  made  to  stand  tolerably  well ;  and  the 
5hip  had  at  least  the  benefit  of  this  one  sail. 

The  Dane  had  been  a  seaman  of  the  old  school ;  and,  in« 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  3^ 

stead  of  the  more  modern  spenser,  his  ship  had  been  fitted  with 
old-fashioned  stay-sails.  Of  these  it  was  possible  to  bend  the 
main  and  mizzen  stay-sails  in  tolerable  security,  provided  the 
ends  of  the  halyards  could  be  got  down.  As  this,  however, 
would  be  nearly  all  aftersail,  the  captain  determined  to  make 
an  effort  to  overhaul  the  buntlines  and  leachlines  of  the  fore- 
sail, at  the  same  time  that  men  were  sent  aloft  after  the  ends 
of  the  halyards.  He  also  thought  it  possible  to  set  a  fore- 
topmast  staysail  flying. 

No  one  was  deceived  in  this  matter.  The  danger  and  the 
mode  of  operating  were  explained  clearly,  and  then  Captain 
Truck  asked  for  volunteers,  These  were  instantly  found  ;  Mr. 
Leach  and  the  second  mate  setting  the  example  by  stepping 
forward  as  the  first  two.  In  order  that  the  whole  procedure 
may  be  understood,  however,  it  shall  be  explained  more  fully. 

Two  men  were  prepared  to  run  up  on  the  foreyard  at  the 
word.  Both  of  these,  one  of  whom  was  Mr.  Leach,  carried 
three  small  balls  of  marline,  to  the  end  of  each  of  which  was 
attached  a  cod-hook,  the  barb  being  filed  off  in  order  to  pre- 
vent its  being  caught.  By  means  of  these  hooks  the  balls  were 
fastened  to  the  jackets  of  the  adventurers.  Two  others  stood 
ready  at  the  foot  of  the  main  and  mizzen  riggings.  By  the 
gun  lay  Paul  and  three  men  ;  while  several  of  the  passengers, 
and  a  few  of  the  best  shots  among  the  crew,  were  stationed  on 
the  forecastle,  armed  with  muskets  and  fowling-pieces. 

"  Is  everybody  ready  ?  "  called  out  the  captain  from  the 
quarter-deck. 

"  All  reader !  "  and  "  Ay  !  ay,  sir !  "  were  answered  from  the 
different  points  of  the  ship. 

;t  Haul  out  the  spanker  !  " 

As  soon  as  this  sail  was  set,  the  stern  of  the  ship  swung 
round  towards  the  inlet,  so  as  to  turn  the  bow  on  which  the  gun 
was  placed  towards  the  part  of  the  reef  where  the  Arabs  were 
in  greatest  numbers. 

"  Be  steady,  men  !  and  do  not  hurry  yourselves,  though 
active  as  wild-cats  !  Up,  and  away  !  " 

The  two  fore-yard  men,  and  the  two  by  the  after-masts, 
sprang  into  the  rigging  like  squirrels,  and  were  running  aloft 
before  the  captain  had  done  speaking.  At  the  same  instant  one 
of  the  three  by  the  gun  leaped  on  the  bowsprit,  and  ran  out  to- 
wards the  stay.  Paul,  and  the  other  two,  rose  and  shoved  the 
gun  into  its  berth ;  and  the  small-arms  men  showed  themselves 
at  the  rails. 

So  many,  all  in  swift  motion,  appearing  at  the  same  moment 


332  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

in  the  rigging,  distracted  the  attention  of  the  Arabs  for  an  in- 
stant, though  scattering  shots  were  fired.  Paul  knew  that  the 
danger  would  be  greatest  when  the  men  aloft  were  stationary, 
and  he  was  in  no  haste.  Perhaps  for  half  a  minute  he  was 
busy  in  choosing  his  object,  and  in  levelling  the  gun,  and  then 
it  was  fired.  He  had  chosen  the  moment  well  ;  for  Mr.  Leach 
and  his  fellow-adventurers  were  already  on  the  fore-yard,  and 
the  Arabs  had  arisen  from  their  covers  in  the  eagerness  of 
taking  aim.  The  small-arms  men  poured  in  their  volley,  and 
then  little  more  could  be  done  in  the  way  of  the  offensive, 
nearly  all  the  powder  in  the  ship  having  been  expended. 

It  remains  to  tell  the  result  of  this  experiment.  Among  the 
Arabs  a  few  fell,  and  those  most  exposed  to  the  fire  from  the 
ship  were  staggered,  losing  near  a  minute  in  their  confusion ; 
but  those  more  remote  maintained  hot  discharges  after  the 
first  surprise.  The  whole  time  occupied  in  what  we  are  going 
to  relafe  was  about  three  minutes  ;  the  action  of  the  several 
parts  going  on  simultaneously. 

The  adventurer  forward,  though  nearest  to  the  enemy,  was 
least  exposed.  Partly  covered  by  the  bowsprit,  he  ran  nimbly 
out  on  that  spar  till  he  reached  the  stay.  Here  he  cut  the  stop 
of  the  fore-topmast  halyards,  overhauled  the  running  part,  and 
let  the  block  swing  in.  He  then  hooked  a  block  that  he  had 
carried  out  with  him,  and  in  which  the  bight  of  a  rope  had  been 
rove  through  the  thimble,  and  ran  in  as  fast  as  possible.  This 
duty,  which  had  appeared  the  most  hazardous  of  all  different 
adventures,  on  account  of  the  proximity  of  the  bowsprit  to  the 
reef,  was  the  first  done,  and  with  the  least  risk  ;  ihe  man  being 
partly  concealed  by  the  smoke  of  the  gun,  as  well  as  by  the 
bowsprit.  He  escaped  uninjured. 

As  the  two  men  aft  pursued  exactly  the  same  course,  the 
movements  of  one  will  explain  those  of  the  other.  On  reaching 
the  yard,  the  adventurer  sprang  on  it,  caught  the  hook  of  the 
halyard-block,  and  threw  himself  off  without  an  instant's  hesi- 
tation, overhauling  the  halyards  by  his  weight.  Men  stood  in 
readiness  below  to  check  the  fall  by  easing  off  the  other  end  of 
the  rope,  and  the  hardy  fellow  reached  trie  deck  in  safety.  This 
seemed  a  nervous  undertaking  to  the  landsmen  ;  but  the  sea- 
men who  so  well  understood  the  machinery  of  their  vessel,  made 
light  of  it. 

On  the  fore-yard,  Mr.  Leach  passed  out  on  one  yard-arm, 
and  his  co-adventurer,  a  common  seaman,  on  the  other.  Each 
left  a  hook  in  the  knot  of  the  inner  buntline,  as  he  went  out, 
and  dropped  the  ball  of  marline  on  deck.  The  same  was  done 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  233 

at  the  outer  buntlines,  and  af  the  leachlines.  Here  the  mate 
returned,  according  to  his  orders,  leaped  upon  the  rigging,  and 
thence  upon  a  backstay,  when  he  slid  on  deck  with  a  velocity 
that  set  aim  at  defiance.  Notwithstanding  the  quickness  of  his 
motions,  Mr.  Leach  received  a  trifling  hit  on  the  shoulder,  and 
several  bullets  whizzed  near  him. 

The  seaman  on  the  other  yard-arm  succeeded  equally  well, 
escaping  the  smallest  injury,  until  he  had  secured  the  leachline, 
when,  knowing  the  usefulness  of  obtaining  it,  for  he  was  on  the 
weather  side  of  the  ship,  he  determined  to  bring  in  the  end  of 
the  reef  tackle  with  him.  Calling  out  to  let  go  the  rope  on  the 
deck,  he  ran  out  to  the  lift,  bent  over  and  secured  the  desired 
end,  and  raised  himself  erect,  with  the  intention  to  make  a  run 
in,  on  the  top  of  the  yard.  Captain  Truck  and  the  second 
mate  had  both  commanded  him  to  desist  in  vain,  for  impunity 
from  harm  had  rendered  him  foolhardy.  In  this  perilous  posi- 
tion he  even  paused  to  give  a  cheer.  The  cry  was  scarcely 
ended  when  he  sprang  off  the  yard  several  feet  upwards  and  fell 
perpendicularly  towards  the  sea,  carrying  the  rope  in  his  hand. 
At  first,  most  on  board  believed  the  man  had  jumped  into  the 
water  as  the  least  hazardous  means  of  getting  down,  depending 
on  the  rope,  and  oh  swimming,  for  his  security ;  but  Paul  point- 
ed out  the  spot  of  blood  that  stained  the  surface  of  the  sea,  at 
the  point  where  he  had  fallen.  The  reef  tackle  was  rounded 
cautiously  in,  and  its  end  rose  to  the  surface  without  the  hand 
that  had  so  lately  grasped  it.  The  man  himself  never  re- 
appeared. 

Captain  Truck  had  now  the  means  of  setting  three  stay-sails, 
the  spanker,  and  the  fore-course  ;  sails  sufficient,  he  thought,  to 
answer  his  present  purposes.  The  end  of  the  reef  tackle,  that 
had  been  so  dearly  bought,  was  got  in,  by  means  of  a  light 
line,  which  was  thrown  around  it. 

The  order  was  now  given  to  brail  the  spanker,  and  to  clap  on 
and  weigh  the  kedge,  which  was  done  by  the  run.  As  soon  as 
the  ship  was  free  of  the  bottom,  the  fore-topmast  staysail  was 
set  flying,  like  a  jib-topsail,  by  hauling  out  the  tack,  and  sway- 
ing upon  the  halyards.  The  sheet  was  hauled  to  windward,  and 
the  helm  put  down ;  of  course  the  bows  of  the  ship  began  to 
fall  off,  and  as  soon  as  her  head  was  sufficiently  near  her  course, 
the  sheet  was  drawn,  and  the  wheel  shifted. 

Captain  Truck  now  ordered  the  foresail,  which,  by  this  time 
was  ready,  to  be  set.  This  important  sail  was  got  on  the  ves- 
sel,  by  bending  the  buntlines  and  leachlines  to  its  head,  and  by 
hauling  out  the  weather-head  cringle  by  means  of  the  reef  tackle. 


334  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

As  soon  as  this  broad  sprea'd  of  canvas  was  on  the  ship,  hei 
motion  was  accelerated,  and  she  began  to  move  away  from  the 
spot,  followed  by  the  furious  cries  and  menaces  of  the  Arabs. 
To  the  latter  no  one  paid  any  heed,  but  they  were  audible  until 
drowned  in  distance.  Although  aided  by  all  her  spars,  and  the 
force  of  the  wind  on  her  hull,  a  body  as  large  as  the  Montauk 
required  some  little  time  to  overcome  the"  vis  inertia,  and  seve- 
ral anxious  minutes  passed  before  she  was  so  far  from  the  cover 
of  the  Arabs  as  to  prevent  their  clamor  from  seeming  to  be  in 
the  very  ears  of  those  on  board.  When  this  did  occur,  it 
brought  inexpressible  relief,  though  it  perhaps  increased  the 
danger,  by  increasing  the  chances  of  the  bullets  hitting  objects 
on  deck. 

The  course  at  first  was  nearly  before  the  wind,  when  the  flat 
rock,  so  often  named,  being  reached,  the  ship  was  compelled  to 
haul  up  on  an  easy  bowline,  in  order  to  pass  to  windward  of  it. 
Here  the  staysails  aft  and  the  spanker  were  set,  which  aided  in 
bringing  the  vessel  to  the  wind,  and  the  foretack  was  brought 
down.  By  laying  straight  out  of  the  pass,  a  distance  of  only  a 
hundred  yards,  the  vessel  would  be  again  clear  of  everything, 
and  beyond  all  the  dangers  of  the  coast,  so  long  as  the  present 
breeze  stood.  But  the  tide  set  the  vessel  bodily  towards  the 
rock,  and  her  condition  did  not  admit  of  pressing  hard  upon  a 
bowline.  Captain  Truck  was  getting  to  be  uneasy,  for  he  soon 
perceived  that  they  were  nearing  the  danger,  though  very  grad- 
ually, and  he  began  to  tremble  for  his  copper.  Still  the  ves- 
sel drew  steadily  ahead,  and  he  had  hopes  of  passing  the  outer 
edge  of  the  rocks  in  safety.  The  outer  edge  was  a  broken, 
ragged,  and  pointed  fragment,  that  would  break  in  the  planks 
should  the  vessel  rest  upon  it  an  instant,  while  falling  in  that 
constant  heaving  and  settling  of  the  ocean,  which  now  began  to 
be  very  sensibly  felt.  After  all  his  jeopardy,  the  old  mariner 
saw  that  his  safety  was  at  a  serious  hazard,  by  one  of  those  un- 
foreseen but  common  risks  that  environ  the  seaman's  life. 

"Luff!  luff!  you  can,"  cried  Captain  Truck,  glancing  his 
eye  from  the  rock  to  the  sails,  and  from  the  sails  to  the  rock. 
u  Luff,  sir — you  are  at  the  pinch  !  " 

"  Luff  it  is,  sir  !  "  answered  the  man  at  the  wheel, who  stood 
abaft  the  hurricane-house,  covered  by  its  roof,  over  which  he. 
was  compelled  to  look,  to  get  a  view  of  the  sails.  "  Luff  I  may, 
and  luff  it  is,  sir." 

Paul  stood  at  the  captain's  side,  the  crew  being  ordered  to 
keep  themselves  as  much  covered  as  possible,  on  account  of 
the  bullets  of  the  Arabs,  which  were  at  this  time  pattering 
against  the  vessel,  like  hail  at  the  close  of  a  storm. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  ^$ 

"  We  shall  not  weather  that  point  of  ragged  rock,"  exclaimed 
the  young  man,  quickly ;  "  and  if  we  touch  it  the  ship  will  be 
lost." 

"  Let  her  claw  off,"  returned  the  old  man  sternly.  "  Her 
cutwater  is  up  with  it  already.  Let  her  claw  off." 

The  bows  of  the  ship  were  certainly  up  with  the  danger, 
and  the  vessel  was  slowly  drawing  ahead ;  but  every  moment 
its  broadside  was  set  nearer  to  the  rock,  which  was  now  within 
fifty  feet  of  them.  The  fore-chains  were  past  the  point,  though 
little  hope  remained  of  clearing  it  abaft.  A  ship  turns  on  her 
centre  of  gravity  as  on  a  pivot,  the  two  ends  inclining  in  opposite 
directions  ;  and  Captain  Truck  hoped  that  as  the  bows  were 
past  the  danger,  it  might  be  possible  to  throw  the  after-part  of 
the  vessel  up  to  the  wind,  by  keeping  away,  and  thus  clear  the 
spot  entirely. 

"  Hard  up  with  your  helm!"  he  shouted;  "hard  up!  — 
Haul  down  the  mizzen-staysail,  and  give  her  sheet !  " 

The  sails  were  attended  to,  but  no  answer  came  from  the 
wheel,  nor  did  the  vessel  change  her  course. 

"  Hard  up,  I  tell  you,  sir — hard  up !  hard  up,  and  be  d — d 
to  you  !  " 

The  usual  reply  was  not  made.  Paul  sprang  through  the 
narrow  gangway  that  led  to  the  wheel.  All  that  passed  took 
but  a  minute,  and  yet  it  was  the  most  critical  minute  that  had 
yet  befallen  the  Montauk  ;  for  had  she  touched  that  rock  but 
for  an  instant,  human  art  could  hardly  have  kept  her  above 
water  an  hour. 

"  Hard  up,  and  be  d — d  to  you  !  "  repeated  Captain  Truck, 
in  a  voice  of  thunder,  as  Paul  darted  round  the  corner  of  the 
hurricane-house. 

The  seaman  stood  at  the  wheel,  grasping  its  spokes  firmly, 
his  eyes  aloft  as  usual,  but  the  turns  of  the  tiller  rope  showed 
that  the  order  was  not  obeyed. 

"  Hard  up,  man,  hard  up  !  are  yoti  mad  ?  "  Paul  uttered 
these  words  as  he  sprang  to  the  wheel,  which  he  made  whirl 
with  his  own  hands  in  the  required  direction.  As  for  the  sea- 
man, he  yielded  his  hold  without  resistance,  and  fell  like  a  log, 
as  the  wheel  flew  round.  A  ball  had  entered  his  back,  and 
passed  through  his  heart,  and  yet  he  had  stood  steadily  to  the 
spokes,  as  the  true  mariner  always  clings  to  the  helm  while 
life  lasts. 

The  bows  of  the  ship  fell  heavily  off,  and  her  stern  pressed 
up  towards  the  wind ;  but  the  trifling  delay  so  much  augmented 


336  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

the  risk  that  nothing  saved  the  vessel  but  the  formation  of  the 
run  and  counter,  which,  by  receding  as  usual,  allowed  room  to 
escape  the  dangerous  point,  as  the  Montauk  hove  by  on  a  swell. 
Paul  could  not  see  the  nearness  of  the  escape,  but  the  purity 
of  the  water  permitted  Captain  Truck  and  his  mates  to  observe 
it  with  a  distinctness  that  almost  rendered  them  breathless 
Indeed  there  was  an  instant  when  the  sharp  rock  was  hid  be 
neath  the  counter,  and  each  momentarily  expected  to  hear  the 
grating  of  the  fragment,  as  it  penetrated  the  vessel's  bottom. 

"  Relieve  that  man  at  the  wheel,  and  send  him  hither  this 
moment,"  said  Captain  Truck,  in  a  calm  stern  voice,  that  was 
more  ominous  than  an  oath. 

The  mate  called  a  seaman,  and  passed  aft  himself  to  exe- 
cute the  order.  In  a  minute  he  and  Paul  returned,  bearing  the 
body  of  the  dead  mariner,  when  all  was  explained. 

"  Lord,  thy  ways  are  unsearchable ! "  muttered  the  old 
master,  uncovering  himself,  as  the  corpse  was  carried  past,  "  and 
we  are  but  as  grains  of  seed,  and  as  the  vain  butterflies  in  thy 
hand  !  " 

The  rock  once  cleared,  an  open  ocean  lay  to  leeward  of  the 
packet,  and  bringing  the  wind  a  little  abaft  the  beam,  she  moved 
steadily  from  those  rocks  that  had  been  the  witnesses  of  all 
her  recent  dangers.  It  was  not  long  before  she  was  so  distant 
that  all  danger  from  the  Arabs  ceased.  The  barbarians, 
notwithstanding,  confined  a  dropping  fire  and  furious  gesticu- 
lations, long  after  their  bullets  and  menaces  became  matters  of 
indifference  to  those  on  board. 

The  body  of  the  dead  man  was  laid  between  the  masts,  and 
(he  order  was  passed  to  bend  the  sails.  As  all  was  ready,  in 
half  an  hour  the  Montauk  was  standing  off  the  land  under  her 
three  topsails,  the  reef  now  distant  nearly  a  league.  The 
courses  came  next,  when  the  top-gallant  yards  were  crossed 
and  the  sails  set ;  the  lighter  canvas  followed,  and  some  time 
before  the  sun  disappeared,  the  ship  was  under  studding-sails, 
standing  to  the  westward,  before  the  trades. 

For  the  first  time  since  he  received  the  intelligence  that 
the  Arabs  were  the  masters  of  the  ship,  Captain  Truck  now  felt 
real  relief.  He  was  momentarily  happy  after  the  combat,  but 
new  cares  had  pressed  upon  him  so  soon,  that  he  could  scarcely 
be  said  to  be  tranquil.  Matters  were  now  changed.  His  vesse/ 
was  in  good  order,  if  not  equipped  for  racing,  and,  as  he  was  in 
a  low  latitude,  had  the  trade  winds  to  befriend  him,  and  no 
longer  entertained  any  apprehension  of  his  old  enemy  the 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


337 


Foam,  he  felt  as  if  a  mountain  had  been  removed  from  his 
breast. 

"  Thank  God,"  he  observed  to  Paul,  "  I  shall  sleep  to- 
night without  dreaming  of  Arabs  or  rocks,  or  scowling  faces  at 
New  York.  They  may  say  that  another  man  might  have  shown 
more  skill  in  keeping  clear  of  such  a  scrape,  but  they  will 
hardly  say  that  another  man  could  have  got  out  of  it  better. 
All  this  handsome  outfit,  too,  will  cost  the  owners  nothing — lit- 
erally nothing  ;  and  I  question  if  the  poor  Dane  will  ever  appear 
to  claim  the  sails  and  spars.  I  do  not  know  that  we  are  in 
possession  of  them  exactly  according  to  the  law  of  Africa,  for 
of  that  code  I  know,  little  ;  or  according  to  the  law  of  nations, 
for  Vattel,  I  believe,  has  nothing  on  the  subject ;  but  we  are  in 
possession  so  effectually,  that,  barring  the  nor'westers  on  the 
American  coast,  I  feel  pretty  certain  of  keeping  them  until  we 
make  the  East  River." 

"  It  might  be  better  to  bury  the  dead,"  said  Paul ;  for  he 
knew  Eve  would  scarcely  appear  on  deck  as  long  as  the  body 
remained  in  sight.  "  Seamen,  you  know,  are  superstitious  on 
the  subject  of  corpses." 

"  I  have  thought  of  this,  but  hoped  to  cheat  those  two  ras- 
cals of  sharks  that  are  following  in  our  wake,  as  if  they  scented 
their  food.  It  is  an  extraordinary  thing,  Mr.  Blunt,  that  these 
fish  should  know  when  there  is  a  body  in  a  ship,  and  that  they 
will  follow  it  a  hundred  leagues  to  make  sure  of  their  prey." 

"  It  would  be  extraordinary,  if  true ;  but  in  what  manner 
has  the  fact  been  ascertained  ?  " 

"  You  see  the  two  rascally  pirates  astern  !  "  observed  Mr. 
Leach. 

"  Very  true  ;  but  we  might  also  see  them  were  there  no  dead 
body  about  the  ship.  Sharks  abound  in  this  latitude,  and  I  have 
seen  several  about  the  reef  since  we  went  in." 

"  They'll  be  disappointed  as  to  poor  Tom  Smith,"  said  the 
mate,  "  unless  they  dive  deep  for  him.  I  have  lashed  one  of 
Napoleon's  busts  to  the  fine  fellow's  feet,  and  he'll  not  fetch 
up  until  he's  snugly  anchored  on  the  bottom." 

"  This  is  a  fitting  hour  for  solemn  feelings,"  said  the  cap- 
tain, gazing  about  him  at  the  heavens  and  the  gathering  gloom 
of  twilight.  "  Call  all  hands  to  bury  the  dead,  Mr.  Leach.  I 
confess  I  should  feel  easier  myself  as  to  the  weather,  were  the 
body  fairly  out  of  the  ship." 

While  the  mate  went  forward  to  muster  the -people  the  cap- 
tain took  Paul  aside  with  a  request  that  he  would  perform  the 
last  offices  for  the  deceased. 


33 8  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  I  will  read  a  chapter  in  the  Bible  myself,"  he  said,  "for 
I  should  not  like  the  people  to  see  one  of  the  crew  go  over- 
board, and  the  officers  have  no  word  to  say  in  the  ceremonies  ; 
it  might  beget  disrespect,  and  throw  a  slur  on  our  kno.wledge  ; 
but  you  man-of-war's-men  are  generally  more  regularly  brought 
up  to  prayers  than  us  linersj  and  if  you  have  a  proper  book  by 
you,  I  should  feel  infinitely  obliged  if  you  would  give  us  a  lift 
on  this  melancholy  occasion." 

Paul  proposed  that  Mr.  Effingham  should  be  asked  to  offi- 
ciate, as  he  knew  that  gentleman  read  prayers  in  his  cabin,  to 
his  own  party,  night  and  morning. 

"  Does  he  ?  "  said  the  captain  ;  "  then  he  is  my  man,  for  he 
must  have  his  hand  in,  and  there  will  be  no  stammering  or  bog- 
gling. Ay,  ay ;  he  will  fetch  through  on  one  tack.  Toast,  go 
below,  and  present  my  compliments  to  Mr.  Effingham,  and  say 
I  should  like  to  speak  to  him  ;  and,  harkee,  Toast,  desire  him 
to  put  a  prayer-book  in  his  pocket,  and  then  step  into  my  state- 
room, and  bring  up  the  Bible  you  will  find  under  the  pillow. 
The  Arabs  had  a  full  chance  at  the  plunder ;  but  there  is  some- 
thing about  the  book  that  always  takes  care  of  it.  Few  rogues, 
I've  often  remarked,  care  about  a  Bible.  They  would  sooner 
steal  ten  novels  than  one  copy  of  the  sacred  writ.  This  of  mine 
was  my  mother's,  Mr.  Blunt,  and  I  should  have  been  a  better 
man  had  I  overhauled  it  oftener." 

We  pass  over  most  of  the  arrangements,  and  come  at 
once  to  the  service,  and  to  the  state  of  the  ship,  just  as  her 
inmates  were  aesembled  on  an  occasion  which  no  wantof  for- 
nality  can  render  anything  but  solemn  and  admonitory.  The 
courses  were  hauled  up,  and  the  main-topsail  had  been  laid  to 
the  mast,  a  position  in  which  a  ship  has  always  an  air  of  stately 
repose.  The  body  was  stretched  on  a  plank  that  lay  across  a 
rail,  the  leaden  bust  being  enclosed  in  the  hammock  that  en- 
veloped it.  A  spot  of  blood  on  the  cloth  alone  betrayed  the 
nature  of  the  death.  Around  the  body  were  grouped  the  crew, 
while  Captain  Truck  and  his  mates  stood  at  the  gangway.  The 
passengers  were  collected  on  the  quarter-deck,  with  Mr.  Effing- 
ham, holding  a  prayerbook,  a  little  in  advance. 

The  sun  had  just  dipped  into  the  ocean,  and  the  whole 
western  horizon  was  glorious  with  those  soft,  pearly,  rainbow 
hues  that  adorn  the  evening  and  the  morning  of  a  low  latitude, 
during  the  soft  weather  of  the  autumnal  months.  To  the  east- 
ward, the  low  line  of  coast  was  just  discernible  by  the  hillocks 
of  sand,  leaving  the  imagination  to  portray  its  solitude  and 
wastes.  The  sea  in  all  other  directions  was  dark  and  gloomy, 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  339 

and  the  entire  character  of  the  sunset  was  that  of  a  grand 
picture  of  ocean  magnificence  and  extent,  relieved  by  a  sky  in 
which  the  tints  came  and  went  like  the  well-known  colors  of 
the  dolphin  ;  to  this  must  be  added  the  gathering  gloom  of 
twilight. 

Eve  pressed  the  arm  of  John  Effingham,  and  gazed  with 
admiration  and  awe  at  the  imposing  scene. 

"  This  is  the  seaman's  grave  ! "  she  whispered. 

"  And  worthy  it  is  to  be  the  tomb  of  so  gaUant  a  fellow* 
The  man  died  clinging  to  his  post ;  and  Powis" tells  me  that 
his  hand  was  loosened  from  the  wheel  with  difficulty."  . 

They  were  silent,  for  Captain  Truck  uncovered  himself,  as 
did  all  around  him,  placed  his  spectacles,  and  opened  the 
sacred  volume.  The  old  mariner  was  far  from  critical  in  his 
selections  of  readings,  and  he  usually  chose  some  subject  that 
he  thought  would  most  interest  his  hearers,  which  were  ordi- 
narily those  that  most  interested  himself.  To  him  Bible  was 
Bible,  and  he  now  turned  to  the  passage  in  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles  in  which  the  voyage  of  St.  Paul  from  Judea  to  Rome 
is  related.  This  he  read  with  steadiness,  some  quaintness  of 
pronunication,  and  with  a  sort  of  breathing  elasticity,  whenever 
he  came  to  those  verses  that  touched  particularly  on  the  naviga- 
tion. 

Paul  maintained  his  perfect  self-command  during  this  ex- 
traordinary exhibition,  but  an  unbidden  smile  lingered  around 
the  handsome  and  chiselled  month  of  Mr.  Sharp.  John  Effing- 
ham's  curved  face  was  sedate  and  composed,  while  the  females 
were  too  much  impressed  to  exhibit  any  levity.  As  to  the 
crew,  they  listened  in  profound  attention,  occasionally  exchang- 
ing glances  whenever  any  of  the  nautical  expedients  struck 
them  as  being  out  of  rule. 

As  soon  as  this  edifying  chapter  was  ended,  Mr.  Effingham 
commenced  the  solemn  rites  for  the  dead.  At  the  first  sound 
of  his  voice,  a  calm  fell  on  the  vessel  as  if  the  Spirit  of  God 
had  alighted  from  the  clouds,  and  a  thrill  passed  through  the 
frames  of  the  listeners.  Those  solemn  words  of  the  Apostle 
commencing  with  "  I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life,  saith  the 
Lord,  he  that  believeth  in  me,  though  he  were  dead,  yet  he 
shall  live :  and  whosever  liveth  and  believeth  in  me,  he  shall 
never  die,"  could  not  have  been  better  delivered.  The  voice, 
intonation,  utterance,  and  manner,  of  Mr.  Effingham,  were 
eminently  those  of  a  gentleman  ;  without  pretension,  quiet, 
simple,  and  mellow,  while,  on  the  other  hand,  they  were  feeling, 
dignified,  distinct,  and  measured. 


340  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

When  he  pronounced  the  words  "  I  know  that  my  Redeemei 
liveth,  and  that  he  shall  stand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth  : 
and  though,  after  my  skin,  worms  destroy  my  body,  yet  in  my 
flesh  shall  I  see  God."  &c.  &c.  the  men  stared  about  them  as 
if  a  real  voice  from  heaven  had  made  the  declaration,  and 
Captain  Truck  looked  aloft  like  one  expecting  a  trumpet-blast. 
The  tears  of  Eve  began  to  flow  as  she  listened  to  the  much-loved 
tones  ;  and  the  stoutest  heart  in  that  much-tried  ship  quailed. 
John  Effingham  made  the  responses  of  the  psalm  steadily,  and 
Mr.  Sharp  and  Paul  soon  joined  him.  But  the  profoundest 
effect  was  produced  when  the  office  reached  those  consoling 
but  startling  words  from  the  Revelations,  commencing  with, 
"  I  heard  a  voice  from  Heaven  saying  unto  me  write,  from 
henceforth  blessed  are  the  dead  who  die  in  the  Lord,"  &c.Captain 
Truck  afterwards  confessed  that  he  thought  he  heard  the  very 
voice,  and  the  men  actually  pressed  together  in  their  alarm. 
The  plunge  of  the  body  was  also  a  solemn  instant.  It  went 
off  the  end  of  the  plank  feet  foremost,  and,  carried  rapidly 
down  by  the  great  weight  of  the  lead,  the  water  closed  above 
it,  obliterating  every  trace  of  the  seaman's  grave.  Eve  thought 
that  its  exit  resembled  the  few  brief  hours  that  draw  the  veil 
of  oblivion  around  the  mass  of  mortals  when  they  disappear 
from  earth. 

Instead  of  asking  for  the  benediction  at  the  close  of  the 
ceremony,  Mr.  Effingham  devoutly  and  calmly  commenced  the 
psalm  of  thanksgiving  for  victory,  "  if  the  Lord  had  not  been  on 
our  side,  now  may  we  say,  if  the  Lord  himself  had  not  been  on 
our  side,  when  men  rose  up  against  us,  they  would  have  swal- 
lowed us  up  quick,  when  they  were  so  wrathfully  displeased 
with  us."  Most  of  the  gentlemen  joined  in  the  responses,  and  the 
silvery  voice  of  Eve  sounded  sweet  and  holy  amid  the  breath- 
ings of  the  ocean.  Te  Deum  Laudamus,  "  We  praise  thee,  O 
God  !  we  acknowledge  thee  to  be  the  Lord  !  All  the  earth 
both  worship  thee,  the  Father  everlasting  ;  "  closed  the  offices, 
when  Mr.  Effingham  dismissed  the  congregation  with  the  usual 
layman's  request  for  the  benediction. 

Captain  Truck  had  never  been  so  deeply  impressed  with 
any  religious  ceremony,  and  when  it  ceased  he  looked  wistfully 
over  the  side  at  the  spot  where  the  body  had  fallen,  or  whera 
it  might  be  supposed  to  have  fallen — for  the  ship  had  drifted 
some  distance — as  one  takes  a  last  look  at  the  grave  of  a  friend. 

"  Shall  we  fill  the  main-topsail,  sir  ?  "  demanded  Mr.  Leach, 
after  waiting  a  minute  or  two  in  deference  to  his  commander'* 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


34* 


feelings  ;  4'  or  shall  we  hook  on  the  yardtackles,  and  stow  the 
launch  ? " 

"  Not  yet,  Leach  ;  not  yet.  It  will  be  unkind  to  poor  Jack 
to  hurry  away  from  his  grave  so  indecently.  I  have  observed 
that  the  people  about  the  river  always  keep  in  sight  till  the 
last  sod  is  stowed,  and  the  rubbish  is  cleared  away.  The  fine 
fellow  stood  to  those  spokes  as  a  close-reefed  topsail  in  a  gale 
stands  the  surges  of  the  wind,  and  we  owe  him  this  little  re- 
spect." 

"  The  boats,  sir  ?  " 

"  Let  them  tow  a  while  longer.  It  will  seem  like  deserting 
him  to  be  rattling  the  yard-tackles,  and  stowing  boats  di- 
rectly over  his  head.  Your  gran'ther  was  a  priest,  Leach,  and 
I  wonder  you  don't  see  the  impropriety  of  hurrying  away  from 
a  grave.  A  little  reflection  will  hurt  none  of  us." 

The  mate  admired  at  a  mood  so  novel  for  his  commander, 
but  he  was  fain  to  submit.  The  day  was  fast  closing  notwith- 
standing, and  the  skies  were  losing  their  brilliancy  in  hues  that 
were  still  softer  and  more  melancholy,  as  if  nature  delighted, 
too,  in  sympathizing  with  the  feelings  of  these  lone  mariners  ! 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

,  'tis  my  occupation  to  be  plain. 


Ltar. 


THE  barbarians  had  done  much  less  injury  to  the  ship  and 
her  contents  than  under  the  circumstances  could  have  been 
reasonably  hoped,  The  fact  that  nothing  could  be  effectually 
landed,  where  she  lay  was  probably  the  cause,  the  bales  that 
had  actually  been  got  out  of  the  ship,  having  been  put  upon  the 
bank  with  a  view  to  lighten  her,  more  than  for  any  other  reason. 
The  compact,  too,  between  the  chiefs  had  its  influence  proba- 
bly, though  it  could  not  have  lasted  long  with  so  strong  temp- 
tations to  violate  it  constantly  before  the  eyes  of  men  habit- 
ually rapacious. 

Of  course,  one  of  the  first  things  after  each  individual  had 
ascertained  his  own  losses,  was  to  inquire  into  those  of  his 
neighbors,  and  the  usual  party  in  the  ladies'  cabin  was  seated 
around  the  sofa  of  Eve,  about  nine  in  the  evening,  conversing 


342 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


on  this  topic,  after  having  held  a  short  but  serious  discourse 
on  their  recent  escape. 

"  You  tell  me',  John,  that  Mr.  Monday  has  a  desire  to 
sleep  ?  "  observed  Mr.  Effingham,  in  the  manner  in  wriich  one 
puts  an  interrogation. 

"  He  is  easier,  and  dozes.  I  have  left  my  man  with  him, 
with  orders  to  summon  me  the  instant  he  awakes." 

A  melancholy  pause  succeeded,  and  then  the  discourse  took 
the  channel  from  which  it  had  been  diverted. 

"  Is  the  extent  of  our  losses  in  effects  known  ?  "  asked  Mr. 
Sharp.  "  My  man  reports  some  trifling  deficit,  but  nothing  of 
any  value." 

"Your  counterfeit,"  returned  Eve,  smiling,  "has  been  the 
principal  sufferer.  One  would  think  by  his  plaints,  that  not  a 
toy  is  left  in  Christendom." 

"  So  long  as  they  have  not  stolen  from  him  his  good  name 
I  shall  not  complain,  as  I  may  have  some  use  for  it  when  we 
reach  America,  of  which  now,  God  be  praised  there  are  some 
flattering  prospects." 

"  I  understand  from  my  connections  that  the  person  who  is 
known  in  the  main  cabin  as  Sir  George  Templemore,  is  not 
the  person  who  is  known  as  such  in  this,"  observed  John 
Effingham,  bowing  to  Mr.  Sharp,  who  returned  his  salute  as 
one  acknowledges  an  informal  introduction.  "  There  are  cer- 
tainly weak  men  to  be  found  in  high  stations  all  over  the  world, 
but  you. will  probably  think  I  am  doing  honor  to  my  own  saga- 
city, when  I  say,  that  I  suspected  from  the  first  that  he  was  not 
the  true  Amphitryon.  I  had  heard  of  Sir  George  Templemore, 
and  had  been  taught  to  expect  more  in  him  than  even  a  man  of 
fashion — a  man  of  the  world — while  this  poor  substitute  can 
scarcely  lay  claim  to  be  either." 

John  Effingham  so  seldom  complimented  that  his  kind  words 
usually  told,  and  Mr.  Sharp  acknowledged  the  politeness,  more 
gratified  than  he  was  probably  willing  to  acknowledge  to  him- 
self. The  other  could  have  heard  of  him  only  from  Eve  and 
her  father,  and  it  was  doubly  grateful  to  be  spoken  of  favorably 
in  such  a  quarter  :  he  thought  there  was  a  consciousness  in  the 
slight  suffusion  that  appeared  on  the  face  of  the  daughter, 
which  led  him  to  hope  that  even  the  latter  had  not  considered 
him  unworthy  of  recollection  ;  for  he  cared  but  little  for  the 
remembrances  of  Mr.  Effingham,  if  they  could  all  be  transferred 
to  his  child. 

"  This  persom,  who  does  me  the  honor  to  relieve  me  frona 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  343 

the  trouble  of  bearing  my  own  name,"  he  resumed,  "cannot  be 
of  very  lofty  pretensions,  or  he  would  have  aspired  higher.  1 
suspect  him  of  being  merely  one  of  those  silly  young  country- 
men of  mine,  of  whom  so  many  crowd  stage-coaches  and 
packets,  to  swagger  over  their  less  ambitious  fellow-mortals 
with  the  strut  and  exactions  of  the  hour." 

"  And  yet,  apart  from  his  folly  in  *  sailing  under  false 
colors/  as  our  worthy  captain  would  call  it,  the  man  seems  well 
enough." 

"  A  folly,  cousin  Jack,"  said  Eve  with  laughing  eyes, 
though  she  maintained  a  perfect  demureness  with  her  beautiful 
features — "  that  he  shares  in  common  with  so  many  others  ! ;> 

"  Very  true,  though  I  suspect  he  has  climbed  to  commit  it, 
while  others  have  been  content  to  descend.  The  man  himself 
behaved  well  yesterday,  showing  steadiness  as  well  as  spirit  in 
the  fray." 

"  I  forgive  him  his  usurpation  for  his  conduct  on  that  occa- 
s  on,"  returned  Mr.  Sharp,  "  and  wish  with  all  my  heart  the 
Arabs  had  discovered  less  affection  for  his  curiosities.  I 
should  think  that  they  must  find  themselves  embarrassed  to 
ascertain  the  uses  of  some  of  their  prizes  ;  such  for  instance, 
as  the  button-hooks,  the  shoe-horn,  knives  with  twenty  blades, 
and  other  objects  that  denote  a  profound  civilization." 

"  You  have  not  spoken  of  your  luck,  Mr.  Powis,"  added 
Mr.  Effingham  ;  "I  trust  you  have  fared  as  well  as  most  of  us, 
though,  had  they  visited  their  enemies  according  to  the  injury 
received  from  them,  you  would  be  among  the  heaviest  of  the 
sufferers. 

"  My  loss,"  replied  Paul  mournfully,  "is  not  much  in  pe- 
cuniary value,  though  irreparable"  to  me." 

A  look  of  concern  betrayed  the  general  interest,  for  as  he 
really  seemed  sad,  there  was  a  secret  apprehension  that  his  loss 
even  exceeded  that  which  his  words  would  give  them  reason  to 
suppose.  Perceiving  the  curiosity  that  was  awakened,  and 
which  was  only  suppressed  by  politeness,  the  young  man 
added, — 

"  I  miss  a  miniature  that,  to  me,  is  of  inestimable  value." 

Eve's  heart  throbbed,  while  her  eyes  sunk  to  the  carpet. 
The  others  seemed  amazed,  and,  after  a  brief  pause,  Mr.  Sharp 
observed, — 

"  A  painting  on  its  own  account  would  hardly  possess  much 
value  with  such  barbarians.  Was  the  setting  valuable  ? " 

"  It  was  of  gold,  of  course,  and  had  some  merit  in  the  way 
of  workmanship.  It  has  probably  been  taken  as  curious  rather 


344 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


than  for  its  specific  value  ;  though  to  me,  as  I  have  just  said, 
the  ship  itself  could  scarcely  be  of  more  account — certainly  not 
as  much  prized." 

"Many  light  articles  have  been  merely  mislaid  ;  taken  away 
through  curiosity  or  idleness,  and  left  where  the  individual  hap- 
pened to  be  at  the  moment  of  changing  his  mind,"  said  John 
ErHngham ;  "  several  things  of  mine  have  been  scattered 
through  the  cabins  in  this  manner,  and  I  understand  that  divers 
vestments  of  the  ladies  have  found  their  way  into  the  state- 
rooms of  the  other  cabin  ;  particularly  a  night-cap  of  Mademoi- 
selle Viefville's,  that  has  been  discovered  in  Captain  Truck's 
room,  and  which  that  gallant  seaman  has  forthwith  condemned 
as  a  lawful  waif.  As  he  never  uses  such  a  device  on  his  head, 
he  will  be  compelled  to  wear  it  next  his  heart.  He  will  be  com- 
pelled to  convert  it  into  a  /Merfy-cap." 

"  del !  if  the  excellent  captain  will  carry  us  safe  to  New 
York."  coolly  returned  the  governess,  "he  shall  have  the  prize, 
de  tout  mon  cosnr  ;  c'est  un  homme  brave,  et  c'est  aussi  un  brave, 
homme,  a  safacon" 

"  Here  are  two  hearts  concerned  in  the  affair  already,  and 
no  one  can  foresee  the  consequences,  but,"  turning  to  Paul, 
"  describe  this  miniature,  if  you  please,  for  there  are  many  in 
the  vessel,  and  yours  is  not  the  only  one  that  has  been  mislaid." 

"  It  was  a  miniature  of  a  female,  and  one,  too,  I  think,  that 
would  be  remarked  for  her  beauty." 

Eve  felt  a  chill  at  her  heart. 

"  If,  sir,  it  is  the  miniature  of  an  elderly  lady,"  said  Ann 
Sidley,  "  perhaps  it  is  this  which  I  found  in  Miss  Eve's  room, 
and  which  I  intended  to  give  to  Captain  Truck  in  order  that  it 
might  reach  the  hands  of  its  right  owner." 

Paul  took  the  miniature,  which  he  regarded  coldly  for  a  mo- 
ment, and  then  returned  to  the  nurse. 

"  Mine  is  the  miniature  of  a  female  under  twenty,"  he  said, 
coloring  as  he  spoke  ;  "  and  is  every  way  different  from  this." 

This  was  the  painful  and  humiliating  moment  when  Eve 
Efnngham  was  made  to  feel  the  extent  and  the  nature  of  the 
interest  she  took  in  Paul  Powis.  On  all  the  previous  occasions 
in  which  her  feelings  had  been  strongly  awakened  on  his  account 
she  had  succeeded  in  deceiving  herself  as  to  the  motive,  but  now 
the  truth  was  felt  in  that  overwhelming  form  that  no  sensitive 
heart  can  distrust. 

No  one  had  seen  the  miniature,  though  all  observed  the 
emotion  with  which  Paul  spoke  of  it,  and  all  secretly  wondered 
of  whom  it  could  be. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  345 

"  The  Arabs  appear  to  have  some  such  taste  for  the  fine 
arts  as  distinguishes  the  population  of  a  mushroom  American 
city,"  said  John  Effingham  ;  "  or  one  that  runs  to  portraits, 
which  are  admired  while  the  novelty  lasts,  and  then  are  con- 
signed to  the  first  spot  that  offers  to  receive  them." 

"  Are  your  miniatures  all  safe,  Eve  ? "  Mr.  Effingham  in- 
quired with  interest ;  for  among  them  was  one  of  her  mother 
that  he  had  yielded  to  her  only  through  strong  parental  affec- 
tion, but  which  it  would  have  given  him  deep  pain  to  discover 
was  lost,  though  John  Efringham,  unknown  to  him,  possessed  a 
copy. 

"  It  is  with  the  jewelry  in  the  baggage-room,  dearest  father, 
and  untouched  of  course.  We  are  fortunate  that  our  passing 
wants  did  not  extend  beyond  our  comforts,  and  luckily  they  are 
not  of  a  nature  to  be  much  prized  by  barbarians.  Coquetry 
and  a  ship  have  little  in  common,  and  Mademoiselle  Viefville 
and  myself  had  not  much  out  to  tempt  the  marauders." 

As  Eve  uttered  this,  both  the  young  men  involuntarily 
turned  their  eyes  towards  her,  each  thinking  that  a  being  so 
fair  stood  less  in  need  than  common  of  the  factitious  aid  of 
ornaments.  She  was  dressed  in  a  dark  French  chintz,  that  her 
maid  had  fitted  to  her  person*  in  a  manner  that  it  would  seem 
none  but  a  French  assistant  can  accomplish,  setting  off  her 
falling  shoulders,  finely  moulded  bust,  and  slender,  rounded 
waist,  in  a  way  to  present  a  modest  outline  of  their  perfection. 
The  dress  had  that  polished  medium  between  fashion  and  its 
exaggeration,  that  always  denotes  a  high  association,  and  per- 
haps a  cultivated  mind — certainly  a  cultivated  taste — offending 
neither  usage  on  the  one  hand,  nor  self-respect  and  a  chaste 
appreciation  of  beauty  on  the  other.  Indeed  Eve  was  distin- 
guished for  that  important  acquisition  to  a  gentlewoman,  an 
intellectual  or  refined  toilette  ;  not  intellect  and  refinement  in 
extravagance  and  caricature,  but  as  they  are  displayed  in  fit- 
ness, simplicity,  elegance,  and  the  proportions.  This  much, 
perhaps,  she  owed  to  native  taste,  as  the  slight  air  of  fashion, 
and  the  high  air  of  a  gentlewoman,  that  were  thrown  about  her 
person  and  attire,  were  the  fruits  of  an  intimate  connection 
with  the  best  society  of  half  the  capitals  of  the  European  con- 
tinent. As  an  unmarried  female,  modesty,  the  habits  of  the 
part  of  the  world  in  which  she  had  so  long  dwelt,  and  her  own 
sense  of  propriety,  caused  her  to  respect  simplicity  of  appear- 
ance ;  but  through  this,  as  it  might  be  in  spite  of  herself,  shone 
qualities  of  a  superior  order.  The  little  hand  and  foot,  so 
beautiful  and  delicate,  the  latter  just  peeping  from  the  dress 


346  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

under  which  -it  was  usually  concealed,  appeared  as  if  formed 
expressly  to  adorn  a  taste  that  was  every  way  feminine  and 
alluring. 

"It  is  one  of  the  mysteries  of  the  grand  designs  of  Provi- 
dence, that  men  should  exist  in  conditions  so  widely  distant 
from  each  other,"  said  John  Effingham  abruptly,  "  with  a  com- 
mon nature  that  can  be  so  much  varied  by  circumstances  It 
is  almost  humiliating  to  find  one's-self  a  man,  when  beings  like 
these  Arabs  are  to  be  classed  as  fellows." 

"  The  most  instructed  and  refined,  cousin  Jack,  may  get  a 
useful  lesson,  notwithstanding  your  disrelish  for  the  con- 
sanguinity, from  this  very  identity  of  nature,"  said  Eve,  who 
made  a  raMy  to  overcome  feelings  that  she  deemed  girlish  and 
weak.  "  By  showing  us  what  we  might  be  ourselves,  we  get  an 
admonition  of  humility  ;  or  by  reflecting  on  the  difference  that 
is  made  by  education,  does  it  not  strike  you  that  there  is  an 
encouragement  to  persevere  until  better  things  are  attained  ! " 

"  This  globe  is  but  a  ball,  and  a  ball,  too,  insignificant,  even 
when  compared  with  the  powers  of  man,"  continued  the  other. 
"  How  many  navigators  now  circle  it !  even  you,  sir,  may  have 
clone  this,  young  as  you  still  are,"  turning  to  Paul,  who  made 
a  bow  of  assent :  "  and  yet,  within  these  narrow  limits,  what 
wonderful  varieties  of  physical  appearance,  civilization,  laws, 
and  even  of  color,  do  we  find,  all  mixed  up  with  points  of  start- 
ling affinity." 

"  So  far  as  a  limited  experience  has  enabled  me  to  judge, 
observed  Paul,  "  I  have  everywhere  found,  not  only  the  same 
nature,  but  a  common  innate  sentiment  of  justice  that  seems 
universal ;  for  even  amidst  the  wildest  scenes  of  violence,  or 
of  the  most  ungovernable  outrages,  this  sentiment  glimmers 
through  the  more  brutal  features  of  the  being.  The  rights  of 
property,  for  instance,  are  everywhere  acknowledged  ;  the  very 
wretch  who  steals  whenever  he  can,  apearing  conscious  of  his 
crime,  by  doing  it  clandestinely,  and  as  a  deed  that  shuns  ob- 
servation. All  seem  to  have  the  same  general  notions  of 
natural  justice,  and  they  are  forgotten  only  through  the  policy 
of  systems,  irresistible  temptation,  the  pressure  of  want,  or  the 
result  of  contention." 

"  Yet,  as  a  rule,  man  everywhere  oppresses  his  weaker 
fellow." 

"  True  ;  but  he  betrays  consciousness  of  his  error,  directly 
or  indirectly.  One  can  show  his  sense  of  the  magnitude  of  his 
crime  even  by  the  manner  of  defending  it.  As  respects  our 
late  enemies,  I  cannot  say  I  felt  any  emotion  of  animosity 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  347 

while  the  hottest  engaged  against  them,  for  their  usages  have 
rendered  their  proceedings  lawful." 

"They  tell  me,"  interrupted  Mr.  Effingham,  "that  it  is 
owing  to  your  presence  of  mind  and  steadiness  tha.t  more  blood 
was  not  shed  unnecessarily." 

"  It  may  be  questioned,"  continued  Paul,  noticing  this 
compliment  merely  by  an  inclination  of  the  head,  "  if  civilized 
people  have  not  reasoned  themselves,  under  the  influences  of 
interest,  into  the  commission  of  deeds  quite  as  much  opposed 
to  natural  justice  as  anything  done  by  these  barbarians.  Per- 
haps no  nation  is  perfectly  free  from  the  just  imputation  of 
having  adopted  some  policy  quite  as  unjustifiable  in  itself  as 
the  system  of  plunder  maintained  among  the  Arabs." 

"  Do  you  count  the  rights  of  hospitality  as  nothing  ?  " 

"  Look  at  France,  a  nation  distinguished  for  refinement, 
among  its  rulers  at  least.  It  was  but  the  other  day  that  the 
effects  of  the  stranger  who  died  in  her  territory  were  appro- 
priated to  the  uses  of  a  monarch  wallowing  in  luxury.  Compare 
this  law  with  the  treaties  that  invited  strangers  to  repair  to  the 
country,  and  the  wants  of  the  monarch  who  exhibited  the 
rapacity,  to  the  situation  of  the  barbarians  from  whom  we  have 
escaped,  and  the  magnitude  of  the  temptation  we  offered,  and 
it  does  not  appear  that  the  advantage  is  much  with  Christians. 
But  the  fate  of  shipwrecked  mariners  all  over  the  world  is 
notorious,  in  countries  the  most  advanced  in  civilization  they 
are  plundered,  if  there  is  an  opportunity,  and,  at  need,  fre- 
quently murdered." 

"  This  is  a  frightful  picture  of  humanity,"  said  Eve  shud- 
dering. "I  do  not  think  that  this  charge  can  be  justly 
brought  against  America." 

"  That  is  far  from  certain.  America  has  many  advantages 
to  weaken  the  temptation  to  crime,  but  she  is  very  far  from 
perfect.  The  people  on  some  of  her  coasts  have  been  accused 
of  resorting  to  the  old  English  practice  of  showing  false  lights, 
with  a  view  to  mislead  vessels,  and  of  committing  cruel  depreda- 
tions on  the  wrecked.  In  all  things  I  believe  there  is  a  disposi- 
tion in  man  to  make  misfortune  weigh  heaviest  on  the  unfor- 
tunate. Even  the  coffin  in  which  we  inter  a  friend  costs  more 
than  any  other  piece  of  work  of  the  same  amount  of  labor  and 
materials." 

"  This  is  a  gloomy  picture  of  humanity,  to  be  drawn  by  one 
so  young,"  Mr.  Effingham  mildly  rejoined. 

"  I  think  it  true.  All  men  do  not  exhibit  their  selfishness 
and  ferocity  in  the  same  way  ;  but  there  are  few  who  do  not 


348  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

exhibit  both.  As  for  America,  Miss  Effingham,  she  is  fast 
getting  vices  peculiar  to  herself  and  her  system,  and,  I  think, 
vices  which  bid  fair  to  bring  her  down,  ere  long,  to  the  common 
level,  altough  I  do  not  go  quite  so  far  in  describing  her  de- 
merits as  some  of  the  countrymen  of  Mademoiselle  Viefville 
have  gone." 

"  And  what  may  that  have  been  ?"  asked  the  governess 
eagerly,  in  English. 

"  Pourrie  avant  d'etre  mure.  Mure  America  is  certainly  far 
from  being  ;  but  I  am  not  disposed  to  accuse  her  yet  of  being 
quite  pourrie" 

"  We  had  flattered  ourselves,"  said  Eve,  a  little  reproach- 
fully, **  with  having  at  last  found  a  countryman  in  Mr.  Powis." 

"  And  how  would  that  change  the  question  ?  Or,  do  you 
admit  that  an  American  can  be  no  American,  unless  blind  to 
the  faults  of  the  country,  however  great  ?  " 

"  Would  it  be  generous  for  a  child  to  turn  upon  a  parent  thaf 
all  others  assail  ?  " 

"  You  put  the  case  ingeniously,  but  scarrely  with  fairness 
It  is  the  duty  of  the  parents  to  educate  and  correct  the  child, 
but  it  is  the  duty  of  the  citizen  to  reform  and  improve  the 
character  of  his  country.  How  can  the  latter  be  done,  if  noth- 
ing but  eulogies  are  dealt  in  ?  With  foreigners,  one  should 
not  deal  too  freely  with  the  faults  of  his  country,  though  even 
with  the  liberal  among  them  one  would  wish  to  be  liberal,  for 
foreigners  cannot  repair  the  evil  ;  but  with  one's  countrymen  I 
see  little  use  and  much  danger,  in  observing  a  silence  as  to 
faults.  The  American,  of  all  others,  it  appears  to  me,  should 
be  the  boldest  in  denouncing  the  common  and  national  vices, 
since  he  is  one  of  those  who,  by  the  institutions  themselves, 
has  the  power  to  apply  the  remedy." 

"  But  America  is  an  exception,  I  think,  or  perhaps  it  would 
be  better  to  say  I  feel,  since  all  other  people  deride  at,  mock 
her,  and  dislike  her.  You  will  admit  this  yourself,  Sir  George' 
Templemore  ?  " 

"  By  no  means  ;  in  England,  now,  I  consider  America  to  be 
particularly  ^vell  esteemed." 

Eve  held  up  her  pretty  hands,  and  even  Mademoiselle 
Viefville,  usually  so  well-toned  and  self-restrained,  gave  a 
visible  shrug. 

"  Sir  George  means  in  his  county,"  dryly  observed  John 
Effingham. 

"  Perhaps  the  parties  would  better  understand  -each  other," 
said  Paul,  coolly,  "  were  Sir  George  Templemore  to  descend  to 


HOMEWARD   BOUND. 


349 


particulars.     He  belongs  himself  to  the  liberal  school,  and  may 
be  considered  a  safe  witness." 

"  I  shall  be  compelled  to  protest  against  a  cross-examina- 
tion on  such  a  subject,"  returned  the  baronet,  laughing.  "  You 
will  be  satisfied,  I  am  certain,  with  my  simple  declaration. 
Perhaps  we  still  regard  the  Americans  as  tant  soit peu  rebels  ; 
but  that  is  a  feeling  that  will  soon  cease." 

"That  is  precisely  the  point  on  which  I  think  liberal 
Englishmen  usually  do  great  justice  to  America,  while  it  is  on 
other  points  that  they  betray  a  national  dislike." 

"  England  believes  America  hostile  to  herself ;  and  if  love 
creates  love,  dislike  creates  dislike." 

"  This  is  at  least  something  like  admitting  the  truth  of  the 
charge,  Miss  Effingham,"  said  John  Effingham,  smiling,  "and 
we  may  dismiss  the  accused.  It  is  odd  enough  that  England 
should"  consider  America  as  rebellious,  as  is  the  case  with  many 
Englishmen,  I  acknowledge,  while,  in  truth,  England  herself 
was  the  rebel,  and  this,  too,  in  connection  with  the  very  questions 
that  produced  the  American  revolution." 

"  This  is  quite  new,"  said  Sir  George,  "  and  I  confess  some 
curiosity  to  see  how  it  can  be  made  out." 

John  Effingham  did  not  hesitate  about  stating  his  case. 

"  In  the  first  place  you  are  to  forget  professions  and  names," 
he  said,  "  and  to  look  only  at  facts  and  things.  When  America 
was  settled,  a  compact  was  made,  either  in  the  way  of  charters 
or  of  organic  laws,  by  which  all  the  colonies  had  distinct  rights, 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  they  confessed  allegiance  to  the  .king. 
But  in  that  age  the  English  monarch  was  a  king.  He  used  his 
veto  on  the  laws,  for  instance,  and  otherwise  exercised  his  pre- 
rogatives. Of  the  two,  he  influenced  parliament  more  than 
parliament  influenced  him.  In  such  a  state  of  things,  countries 
separated  by  an  ocean  might  be  supposed  to  be  governed 
equitably,  the  common  monarch  feeling  a  common  parental 
regard  for  all  his  subjects.  Perhaps  distance  might  render 
him  even  more  tender  of  the  interest  of  those  who  were  not 
present  to  protect  themselves." 

"  This  is  putting  the  case  loyally,  at  least,"  said  Sir  George, 
as  the  other  paused  for  a  moment. 

"  It  is  precisely  in  that  light  that  I  wish  to  present  it.  The 
degree  of  power  that  parliament  possessed  over  the  colonies 
was  a  disputed  point ;  but  I  am  willing  to  allow  that  parliament 
had  all  power." 

"  In  doing  which,  I  fear,  you  will  concede  all  the  merits/ 
said  Mr.  Effingham. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  I  think  not.  Parliament  then  ruled  the  colonies  absolutely 
and  legally,  if  you  please,  under  the  Stuarts  ;  but  the  English 
rebelled  against  these  Stuarts,  dethroned  them,  and  gave  the 
crown  to  an  entirely  new  family, — one  with  only  a  remote 
alliance  with  the  reigning  branch.  Not  satisfied  with  this,  the 
king  was  curtailed  in  his  authority;  the  prince,  who  might  with 
justice  be  supposed  to  feel  a  common  interest  in  all  his  sub- 
jects, became  a  mere  machine  in  the  hands  of  a  body  who  re- 
presented little  more  than  themselves,  in  fact,  or  a  mere  frag- 
ment of  the  empire,  even  in  theory ;  transferring  the  control  of 
the  colonial  interest  from  the  sovereign  himself  to  a  portion  of 
his  people,  and  that,  too,  a  small  portion.  This  was  no  longer 
a  government  of  a  prince  who  felt  a  parental  concern  for  all 
his  subjects,  but  a  government  of  a  clique  of  his  subjects,  who 
felt  a  selfish  concern  only  for  their  own  interests." 

"  And  did  the  Americans  urge  this  reason  for  the  revolt  ?  " 
asked  Sir  George.  "  It  sounds  new  to  me." 

"They  quarrelled  with  the  results,  rather*  than  with  the 
cause.  When  they  found  that  'legislation  was  to  be  chiefly  in 
the  interests  of  England,  they  took  the  alarm,  and  seized  their 
arms,  without  stopping  to  analyze  causes.  They  probably  were 
mystified  too  much  with  names  and  professions  to  see  the  real 
truth,  though  they  got  some  noble  glimpses  of  it." 

"  I  have  never  before  heard  this  case  put  so  strongly,"  cried 
Paul  Powis,  "  and  yet  I  think  it  contains  the  whole  merit  of  the 
controversy  as  a  principle." 

"  It  is  extraordinary  how  nationality  blinds  us,"  observed 
Sir  George,  laughing.  "  I  confess,  Powis," — the  late  events 
had  produced  a  close  intimacy  and  a  sincere  regard  between 
these  two  fine  young  men, — "  that  I  stand  in  need  of  an  ex- 
planation." 

"You  can  conceive  of  a  monarch,"    continued  John  Effing- 
ham,  "  who  possesses  an  extensive  and  efficient  power  ?  " 
"Beyond  doubt ;  nothing  can  be  plainer  than  that." 
"  Fancy  this   monarch  to   fall  into  the  hands  of   a  fragment 
of  his  subjects,  who  reduce  his  authority  to   a  mere  profession, 
and  begin  to  wield  it  for  their  own  especial   benefit,  no  longer 
leaving  him  a  free  agent,  though  always  using  the   authority  in 
his  name." 

"  Even  that  is  easily  imagined." 

"  History  is  full  of  such  instances.  A  part  of  the  subjects, 
unwilling  to  be  the  dupes  of  such  a  fraud,  revolt  against  the 
monarch  in  name,  against  the  cabal  in  fact.  Now  who  are  the 
real  rebels  ?  Profession  is  nothing.  Hyder  Ally  never  seated 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


35* 


himself  in  the  presence  of  the 'prince  he  had  deposed,  though 
he  held  him  captive  during  life."  . 

"  But  did  not  America  acquiesce  in  the  dethronement  of  the 
Stuarts  ?  "  asked  Eve,  in  whom  the  love  of  the  right  was 
stronger  even  than  the  love  of  country. 

"  Beyond  a  doubt,  though  America  neither  foresaw  nor  ac- 
quiesced in  all  the  results.  The  English  themselves,  probably, 
did  not  foresee  the  consequences  of  their  own  revolution  ;  for 
we  now  find  England  almost  in  arms  against  the  consequences 
of  the  very  subversion  of  the  kingly  power  of  which  I  have 
spoken.  In  England  it  placed  a  portion  of  the  higher  classes 
in  possession  of  authority,  at  the  expense  of  all  the  rest  of  the 
nation ;  whereas,  as  respects  America,  it  set  a  remote  people 
to  rule  over  her,  instead  of  a  prince,  who  had  the  same  con- 
nection with  his  colonies  as  with  all  the  rest  of  his  subjects. 
The  late  English  reform  is  a  peaceable  revolution  ;  and  Amer 
ica  would  very  gladly  have  done  the  same  thing,  could  she  have 
extricated  herself  from  the  consequences,  by  mere  acts  of  con- 
gress. The  whole  difference  is,  that  America,  pressed  upon  by 
peculiar  circumstances,  preceded  England  in  the  revolt  about 
sixty  years,  and  that  this  revolt  was  against  an  usurper,  and 
not  against  the  legitimate  monarch,  or  against  the  sovereign 
himself." 

"  I  confess  all  this  is  novel  to  me,"  exclaimed  Sir  George. 

"  I  have  told  you,  Sir  George  Templemore,  that,  if- you  stay 
long  enough  in  America,  many  novel  ideas  will  suggest  them- 
selves. You  have  too  much  sense  to  travel  through  the  country 
seeking  for  petty  exceptions  that  may  sustain  your  aristocrati- 
cal  prejudices,  or  opinions,  if  you  like  that  better ;  but  will  be 
disposed  to  judge  a  nation,,  not  according  to  preconceived  no- 
tions, but  according  to  visible  facts." 

"  They  tell  me  there  is  a  strong  bias  to  aristocracy  in  Amer- 
ica ;  at  least  such  is  the  report  of  most  European  travellers." 

"  The  report  of  men  who  do  not  reflect  closely  on  the 
meaning  of  words.  That  there  are  real  aristocrats  in  opinion 
in  America  is  very  true ;  there  are  also  a  few  monarchists,  or 
those  who  fancy  themselves  monarchists." 

"  Can  a  man  be  deceived  on  such  a  point  ?  " 

"Nothing  is  more  easy.  He  who  would  set  up  a  king 
merely  in  name,  for  instance;  is  not  a  monarchist,  but  a  vision- 
ary, who  confounds  names  with  things." 

"  I  see  you  will  not  admit  of  a  balance  in  the  state." 

"  I  shall  contend  that  there  must  be  a  preponderating 
authority  in  every  government,  from  which  it  derives  its  char- 


35* 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


acter ;  and  if  this  be  not  the  king,  that  government  is  not  a 
real  monarchy,  let  the  laws  be  administered  in  whose  name 
they  may.  Calling  an  idol  Jupiter  does  not  convert  it  into  a 
God.  I  question  if  there  be  a  real  monarchist  left  in  the  Eng- 
lish empire  at  this  very  moment.  They  who  make  the  loudest 
professions  that  way  strike  me  as  being  the  rankest  aristocrats, 
and  a  real  political  aristocrat  is,  and  always  has  been,  the  most 
efficient  enemy  of  kings." 

"  But  we  consider  loyalty  to  the  prince  as  attachment  to 
the^system." 

"  That  is  another  matter ;  for  in  that  you  may  be  right 
enough,  though  it  is  ambiguous  as  to  terms." 

"Sir — gentlemen — Mr.  John  Effingham,  sir,"  interrupted 
Saunclers,  "Mr.  Monday  is  awake,  and  so  werry  conwalescent 
— I  fear  he  will  not  live  long.  The  ship  herself  is  not  so  much 
conwerted  by  these  new  spars  as  poor  Mr.  Monday  is  con- 
werted  since  he  went  to  sleep." 

"  I  feared  this,  sir,"  observed  John  Effingham,  rising.  "  Ac- 
quaint Captain  Truck  with  the  fact,  steward :  he  desired  to  be 
sent  for  at  any  crisis." 

He  then  quitted  the  cabin,  leaving  the  rest  of  the  party 
wondering  that  they  could  have  been  already  so  lost  to  the 
situation -of  one  of  their  late  companions,  however  different 
from  themselves  he  might  be  in  opinions  and  character.  But  in 
this  they,  merely  showed  their  common  connection  with  all  the 
rest  of  the  great  family  of  man,  who  uniformly  forget  sorrows 
that  do  not  press  too  hard  on  self,  in  the  reaction  of  their  feel- 
ings. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

Watchman,  what  of  the  night  ?    Watchman,  what  of  the  night  ? 

Isaiah. 

THE  principal  hurt  of  Mr.  Monday  was  one  of  those  wounds 
that  usually  produce  death  within  eight-and-forty  hours.  He 
had  borne  the  pain  with  resolution  ;  and,  as  yet,  had  discovered 
no  consciousness  of  the  imminent  danger  that  was  so  apparent 
to  all  around  him.  But  a  film  had  suddenly  passed  from  before 
his  senses  ;  and,  a  man  of  mere  habits,  prejudices,  and  animal 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


353 


enjoyment,  he  had  awakened  at  the  very  termination  of  his 
brief  existence  to  something  like  a  consciousness  of  his  true 
position  in  the  moral  world,  as  well  as  of  his  real  physical  con- 
dition. Under  the  first  impulse  of  such  an  alarm,  John  Effing- 
ham  had  been  sent  for ;  and  he,  as  has  been  seen,  ordered 
Captain  Truck  to  be  summoned.  In  consequence  of  the  pre- 
vious understanding,  these  two  gentlemen  and  Mr.  Leach  ap- 
peared at  the  stateroom  door  at  the  same  instant.  The  apart- 
ment being  small,  it  was  arranged  between  them  that  the  former 
should  enter  first,  having  been  expressly  sent  for ;  and  that  the 
others  should  be  introduced  at  the  pleasure  of  the  wounded 
man. 

"  I  have  brought  my  Bible,  Mr.  Leach,"  said  the  captain 
when  he  and  the  mate  were  left  alone,  "  for  a  chapter  is  the  very 
least  we  can  give  a  cabin-passenger,  though  I  am  a  little  at  a 
loss  to  know  what  particular  passage  will  be  the  most  suitable 
for  the  occasion.  Something  from  the  book  of  Kings  would 
be  likely  to  suit  Mr.  Monday,  as  he  is  a  thorough-going  king's 
man." 

"  It  is  so  long  since  I  read  that  particular  book,  sir,"  re- 
turned the  mate,  diligently  thumbing  his  watch  key,  "  that  I 
should  be  diffident  about  expressing  an  opinion.  I  think,  how- 
ever, a  little  Bible  might  do  him  good." 

"  It  is  not  an  easy  matter  to  hit  a  conscience  exactly  be- 
tween wind  and  water.  I  once  thought  of  producing  an  im- 
pression on  the  ship's  company  by  reading  the  account  of  Jonah 
and  the  whale  as  a  subject  likely  to  attract  their  attention,  and 
to  show  them  the  hazards  we  seamen  run ;  but,  in  the  end,  I 
discovered  that  the  narration  struck  them  all  aback  as  a  thing 
not  likely  to  be  true.  Jack  can  stand  anything  but  a  fish  story, 
you  know,  Leach." 

"  It  is  always  better  to  keep  clear  of  miracles  at  sea,  I  be- 
lieve, sir,  when  the  people  are  to  be  spoken  to  :  I  saw  some  of 
the  men  this  evening  wince  about  that  ship  of  St.  Paul's  carry- 
ing out  anchors  in  a  gale." 

"  The  graceless  rascals  ought  to  be  thankful  they  are  not  at 
this  very  moment  trotting  through  the  great  desert  lashed  to 
dromedaries'  tails !  Had  I  known  that,  Leach,  I  would  have 
read  the  verse  twice  !  But  Mr.  Monday  is  altogether  a  different 
man,  and  will  listen  to  reason.  There  is  the  story  of  Absalom, 
which  is  quite  interesting;  and  perhaps  the  account  of  the 
battle  might  be  suitable  for  one  who  dies  in  consequence  of  a 
battle ;  but,  on  the  whole,  I  remember  my  worthy  old  father 


354  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

used  to  say  that  a  sinner  ought  to  be  well  shaken  up  at  such  a 
moment." 

"  I  fancy,  sir,  Mr.  Monday  has  been  a  reasonably  steady 
man  as  the  world  goes.  Seeing  that  he  is  a  passenger,  I  should 
try  and  ease  him  off  handsomely  and  without  any  of  those 
Methodist  surges." 

"  You  may  be  right,  Leach,  you  may  be  right ;  do  as  you 
would  be  done  by  is  the  golden  rule  after  all.  But,  here  comes 
Mr.  John  Effingham  ;  so  I  fancy  we  may  enter." 

The  captain  was  not  mistaken,  for  Mr.  Monday  had  just 
taken  a  restorative,  and  had  expressed  a  desire  to  see  the  two 
officers.  The  stateroom  was  a  small,  neat,  and  even  beautifully 
finished  apartment,  about  seven  feet  square.  It  had  originally 
been  fitted  with  two  berths  ;  but,  previously  to  taking  posses- 
sion of  the  place,  John  Effingham  had  caused  the  carpenter  to 
remove  the  upper,  and  Mr.  Monday  now  lay  in  what  had  been 
the  lower  bed.  The  situation  placed  him  below  his  attendant, 
and  in  a  position  where  he  might  be  the  more  easily  assisted. 
A  shaded  lamp  lighted  the  room,  by  means  of  which  the  cap 
tain  caught  the  anxious  expression  of  the  dying  man's  eye,  as 
he  took  a  seat  himself. 

"  I  am  grieved  to  see  you  in  this  state,  Mr.  Monday,"  said 
the  master,  "  and  this  all  the  more  since  it  has  happened  in 
consequence  of  your  bravery  in  fighting  to  regain  my  ship.  By 
rights  this  accident  ought  to  have  befallen  one  of  the  Montauk's 
people,  or  Mr.  Leach,  here,  or  even  myself,  before  it  befel 
you." 

Mr.  Monday  looked  at  the  speaker  as  if  the  intended  con- 
solation had  failed  of  its  effect,  and  the  captain  began  to  sus- 
pect that  he  should  find  a  difficult  subject  for  his  new  ministra- 
tions. By  way  of  gaining  time,  he  thrust  an  elbow  into  the 
mate's  side  as  a  hint  that  it  was  now  his  turn  to  offer  some- 
thing. 

"  It  might  have  been  worse,  Mr.  Monday,"  observed  Leach, 
shifting  his  attitude  like  a  man  whose  moral  and  physical  action 
moved  part  pas su  :  "  it  might  have  been  much  worse.  I  once 
saw  a  man  shot  in  the  under  jaw,  and  he  lived  a  fortnight  with- 
out any  sort  of  nourishment !  " 

Still  Mr.  Monday  gazed  at  the  mate  as  if  he  thought  matters 
could  not  be  much  worse. 

"That  was  a  hard  case,"  put  in  the  captain  ;  "why,  the 
poor  fellow  had  no  opportunity  to  recover  without  victuals." 

"  No,  sir,  nor  any  drink.     He  never  swallowed  a  mouthful 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

of  liquor  of  any  sort  from  the  time  he  was  hit,  until  he  took 
the  plunge  when  we  threw  him  overboard." 

Perhaps  there  is  truth  in  saying  that  "  misery  loves  com- 
pany," for  the  eye  of  Mr.  Monday  turned  towards  the  table  on 
which  the  bottle  of  cordial  still  stood,  and  from  which  John 
Effingham  had  just  before  helped  him  to  a  swallow  under  the 
impression  that  it  was  of  no  moment  what  he  took.  The  cap- 
tain understood  the  appeal,  and  influenced  by  the  same  opinion 
concerning  the  hopelessness  of  the  patient's  condition,  besides 
being  kindly  anxious  to  console  him,  he  poured  out  a  small 
glass,  all  of  which  he  permitted  the  other  to  drink.  The  effect 
was  instantaneous,  for  it  would  seem  this  treacherous  friend  is 
ever  to  produce  a  momentary  pleasure  as  a  poor  compensation 
for  its  lasting  pains. 

"  I  don't  feel  so  bad,  gentlemen,"  returned  the  wounded 
man  with  a  force  of  voice  that  startled  his  visitors.  "  I  feel 
better — much  better,  and  am  very  glad  to  see  you.  Captain 
Truck,  I  have  the  honor  to  drink  your  health." 

The  captain  looked  at  the  mate  as  if  he  thought  their  visit 
was  twenty-four  hours  too  soon,  for  live,  all  felt  sure,  Mr.  Mon- 
day could  not.  But  Leach,  better  placed  to  observe  the  coun- 
tenance of  the  patient,  whispered  his  commander  that  it  was 
merely  a  "  catspaw,  and  will  not  stand." 

"  I  am  very  glad  to  see  you  both,  gentlemen,"  continued 
Mr.  Monday,  "  and  beg  you  to  help  yourselves." 

The  captain  changed  his  tactics.  Finding  his  patient  so 
strong  and  cheerful,  he  thought  consolation  would  be  more 
easily  received  just  at  that  moment,  than  it  might  be  even  half 
an  hour  later. 

"  We  are  all  mortal,  Mr.  Monday " 

"  Yes,  sir  ;  all  very  mortal." 

"  And  even  the  strongest  and  boldest  ought  occasionally  to 
think  of  their  end." 

"  Quite  true,  sir ;  quite  true.  The  strongest  and  boldest. 
When  do  you  think  we  shall  get  in,  gentlemen  ? " 

Captain  Truck  afterwards  affirmed  that  he  was  "  never  be- 
fore taken  so  flat  aback  by  a  question  as  by  this."  Still  he  ex- 
tricated himself  from  the  dilemma  with  dexterity,  the  spirit  of 
proselytism  apparently  arising  within  him  in  proportion  as  the 
other  manifested  indifference  to  his  offices. 

u  There  is  a  port  to  which  we  are  all  steering,  my  dear  sir," 
he  said  ;  "  and  of  which  we  ought  always  to  bear  in  mind  the 
landmarks  and  beacons,  and  that  port  is  Heaven." 


356  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  Yes,"  added  Mr.  Leach,  "  a  port  that,  sooner  or  lattert 
•will  fetch  us  all  up." 

Mr.  Monday  gazed  from  one  to  the  other,  and  something 
like  the  state  of  feeling,  from  which  he  had  been  aroused  by 
the  cordial,  began  to  return. 

"  Do  you  think  me  so  bad,  gentlemen  ? "  he  inquired,  with 
a  little  of  the  eagerness  of  a  startled  man. 

"  As  bad  as  one  bound  direct  to  so  good  a  place  as  I  hope 
and  trust  is  the  case  with  you,  can  be,"  returned  the  captain,  de- 
termined to  follow  up  the  advantage  he  had  gained.  "  Your 
wound,  we  fear,  is  mortal,  and  people  seldom  remain  long  in 
this  wicked  world  with  such  sort  of  hurts." 

"  If  he  stands  that,"  thought  the  captain,  "  I  shall  turn  him 
over,  at  once,  to  Mr.  Effingham." 

Mr.  Monday  did  not  stand  it.  The  illusion  produced  by  the 
liquor,  although  the  latter  still  sustained  his  pulses,  had  begun 
to  evaporate,  and  the  melancholy  truth  resumed  its  power. 

"  I  believe,  indeed,  that  I  am  near  my  end,  gentlemen,"  he 
said  faintly  ;  "  and  am  thankful — for — for  this  consolation." 

"  Now  will  be  a  good  time  to  throw  in  the  chapter,"  whis- 
pered Leach  ;  "he  seems  quite  conscious,  and  very  contrite." 

Captain  Truck,  in  pure  despair,  and  conscious  of  his  own 
want  of  judgment,  had  determined  to  leave  the  question  of  the 
selection  of  this  chapter  to  be  decided  by  chance.  Perhaps  a 
little  of  that  mysterious  dependence  on  Providence,  which  ren- 
ders all  men  more  or  less  superstitious,  influenced  him  ;  and 
that  he  hoped  a  wisdom  surpassing  his  own  might  direct  him  to 
a  choice.  Fortunately,  the  book  of  Psalms  is  near  the  middle 
of  a  sacred  volume,  and  a  better  disposition  of  this  sublime  re- 
pository of  pious  praise  and  spiritual  wisdom  could  not  have 
been  made ;  for  the  chance-directed  peruser  of  the  Bible  will 
perhaps  oftener  open  among  its  pages  than  at  any  other 
place. 

If  we  should  say  that  Mr.  Monday  felt  any  very  profound 
spiritual  relief  from  the  reading  of  Captain  Truck,  we  should  both 
overrate  the  manner  of  the  honest  sailor,  and  the  intelligence 
of  the  dying  man.  Still  the  solemn  language  of  praise  and  ad- 
monition had  an  effect,  and,  for  the  first  time  since  childhood, 
the  soul  of  the  latter  was  moved.  God  and  judgment  passed 
before  his  imagination,  and  he  gasped  for  breath  in  a  way  that 
induced  the  two  seamen  to  suppose  the  fatal  moment  had  come, 
even  sooner  than  they  expected.  The  cold  sweet  stood  upon 
the  forehead  of  the  patient,  and  his  eyes  glared  wildly  from 
one  to  the  other.  The  paroxysm,  however,  was  transient,  and 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


357 


he  soon  settled  down  into  a  state  of  comparative  calmness, 
pushing  away  the  glass  that  Captain  Truck  offered,  in  mistaken 
kindness,  with  a  manner  of  loathing. 

"  We  must  comfort  him,  Leach,"  whispered  the  captain  ; 
"  for  I  see  he  is  fetching  up  in  the  old  way,  as  was  duly  laid 
down  by  our  ancestors  in  the  platform.  First,  groanings  and 
views  of  the  devil,  and  then  consolation  and  hope.  We  have 
got  him  into  the  first  category,  and  we  ought  now,  in  justice,  to 
bring-to,  and  heave  a  strain  to  help  him  through  it." 

"  They  generally  give  'em  prayer,  in  the  river,  in  this  stage 
of  the  attack,"  said  Leach.  **  If  you  can  remember  a  short 
prayer,  sir,  it  might  ease  him  off." 

Captain  Truck  and  his  mate,  notwithstanding  the  quaint- 
ness  of  their  thoughts  and  language,  were  themselves  solemnly 
impressed  with  the  scene,  and  actuated  by  the  kindest  motives. 
Nothing  of  levity  mingled  with  their  notions,  but  they  felt  the 
responsibility  of  officers  of  a  packet,  besides  entertaining  a  gen- 
erous interest  in  the  fate  of  a  stranger  who  had  fallen,  fighting 
manfully  at  their  side.  The  old  man  looked  awkwardly  about 
him,  turned  the  key  of  the  door,  wiped  his  eyes,  gazed  wistfully 
at  the  patient,  gave  his  mate  a  nudge  with  his  elbow  to  fol- 
low his  example,  and  knelt  down  with  a  heart  momentarily  as 
devout  as  is  often  the  case  with  those  who  minister  at  the  altar. 
He  retained  the  words  of  the  Lord's  prayer,  and  these  he  re- 
peated aloud,  distinctly,  and  with  fervor,  though  not  with  a 
literal  conformity  to  the  text.  Once  Mr.  Leach  had  to  help 
him  to  the  word.  When  he  rose,  perspiration  stood  on  his 
forehead,  as  if  he  had  been  engaged  in  severe  toil. 

Perhaps  nothing  could  have  occurred  more  likely  to  strike 
the  imagination  of  Mr.  Monday  than  to  see  one,  of  the  known 
character  and  habits  of  Captain  Truck,  thus  wrestling  with  the 
Lord  in  his  own  behalf.  Always  obtuse  and  dull  of  thought, 
the  first  impression  was  that  of  wonder ;  awe  and  contrition 
followed.  Even  the  mate  was  touched,  and  he  afterwards  told 
his  companion  on  deck,  that  "  the  hardest  day's  work  he  had 
ever  done,  was  lending  a  hand  to  rouse  the  captain  through 
that  prayer." 

"  I  thank  you,  sir,"  gasped  Mr.  Monday,  "  I  thank  you — 
Mr.  John  Effingham — now,  let  me  see  Mr.  John  Effingham.  I 
have  no  time  to  lose,  and  wish  to  see  him" 

The  captain  rose  to  comply,  with  the  feelings  of  a  man  who 
had  done  his  duty,  and,  from  that  moment,  he  had  a  secret 
satisfaction  at  having  so  manfully  acquitted  himself.  Indeed, 
it  has  been  remarked  by  those  who  have  listened  to  his  whole 


358  HOME  WARD  BO UND. 

narrative  of  the  passage,  that  he  invariably  lays  more  stress  on 
the  scene  in  the  stateroom,  than  on  the  readiness  and  skill 
with  which  he  repaired  the  damages  sustained  by  his  own  ship, 
through  the  means  obtained  from  the  Dane,  or  the  spirit  with 
which  he  retook  her  from  the  Arabs. 

John  Emngham  appeared  in  the  stateroom,  where  the  cap- 
tain and  Mr.  Leach  left  him  alone  with  the  patient.  Like  all 
strong-minded  men,  who  are  conscious  of  their  superiority  over 
the  rest  of  their  fellow-creatures,  this  gentleman  felt  disposed 
to  concede  most  to  those  who  were  the  least  able  to  contend 
with  him.  Habitually  sarcastic  and  stern,  and  sometimes  for- 
bidding, he  was  now  mild  and  discreet.  He  saw,  at  a  glance, 
that  Mr.  Monday's  mind  was  alive  to  novel  feelings,  and  aware 
that  the  approach  of  death  frequently  removes  moral  clouds 
that  have  concealed  the  powers  of  the  spirit  while  the  animal 
part  of  the  being  was  in  full  vigor,  he  was  surprised  at  observ- 
ing the  sudden  change  that  was  so  apparent  in  the  countenance 
of  the  dying  man. 

"  I  believe,  sir,  I  have  been  a  great  sinner,"  commenced 
Mr.  Monday,  who  spoke 'more  feebly  as  the  influence  of  the 
cordial  evaporated,  and  in  short  and  broken  sentences. 

"  In  that  you  share  the  lot  of  all,"  returned  John  Effing- 
ham.  "  We  are  taught  that  no  man  of  himself,  no  unaided 
soul,  is  competent  to  its  own  salvation.  Christians  look  to  the 
Redeemer  for  succor." 

"  I  believe  I  understand  you,  but  I  am  a  business  man,  sir, 
and  have  been  taught  that  reparation  is  the  best  atonement  for 
a  wrong." 

"  It  certainly  should  be  the  first." 

"Yes,  indeed  it  should,  sir.  I  am  but  the  son  of  poor 
parents,  and  may  have  been  tempted  to  some  things  that  are 
improper.  My  mother,  too,  I  was  her  only  support.  Well,  the 
Lord  will  pardon  it,  if  it  were  wrong,  as  I  dare  say  it  might 
have  been.  I  think  I  should  have  drunk  less  and  thought  more, 
but  for  this  affair — perhaps  it  is  not  yet  too  late." 

John  Effingham  listened  with  surprise,  but  with  the  coolness 
and  sagacity  that  marked  his  character.  He  saw  the  necessity,  or 
at  least  the  prudence,  of  there  being  another  witness  present. 
Taking  advantage  of  the  exhaustion  of  the  speaker,  he  stepped 
to  the  door  of  Eve's  cabin,  and  signed  Paul  to  follow  him. 
They  entered  the  stateroom  together,  when  John  Effingham 
took  Mr.  Monday  soothingly  by  the  hand,  offering  him  a 
nourishment  less  exciting  than  the  cordial,  but  which  had  the 
effect  to  revive  him. 

"  I  understand  you,  sir,"  continued  Mr.  Monday,  looking  at 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  359 

Paul ;  *'  it  is  all  very  proper ;  but  I  have  little  to  say — the 
papers  will  explain  it  all.  Those  keys,  sir — the  upper  drawer 
of  the  bureau,  and  the  red  morocco  case — take  it  all — this  is 
the  key.  I  have  kept  everything  together,  from  a  misgiving 
that  an  hour  would  come.  In  New  York  you  will  have  time — 
it  is  not  yet  too  late." 

As  the  wounded  man  spoke  at  intervals,  and  with  diffi- 
culty, John  Effingham  had  complied  with  his  directions  before 
he  ceased.  He  found  the  red  morocco  case,  took  the  key  from 
the  ring,  and  showed  both  to  Mr.  Monday,  who  smiled  and 
nodded  approbation.  The  bureau  contained  paper,  wax,  and 
all  the  other  appliances  of  writing.  John  Effingham  enclosed 
the  case  in  a  strong  envelop,  and  affixed  to  it  three  seals,  which 
he  impressed  with  his  own  arms  ;  he  then  asked  Paul  for  his 
watch,  that  the  same  might  be  done  with  the  seal  of  his  com- 
panion. After  this  precaution,  he  wrote  a  brief  declaration 
that  the  contents  had  been  delivered  to  the  two,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  examination,  and  for  the  benefit  of  the  parties  con- 
cerned, whoever  they  might  be,  and  signed  it.  Paul  did  the 
same,  and  the  paper  was  handed  to  Mr.  Monday,  who  had  still 
strength  to  add  his  own  signature. 

"  Men  do  not  usually  trifle  at  such  moments,"  said  John 
Effingham,  "  and  this  case  may  contain  matter  of  moment  to 
wronged  and  innocent  persons.  The  world  little  knows  the 
extent  of  the  enormities  that  are  thus  committed.  Take  the 
case,  Mr.  Powis,  and  lock  it  up  with  your  effects,  until  the  mo- 
ment for  the  examination  shall  come." 

Mr.  Monday  was  certainly  much  relieved  after  this  consign- 
ment of  the  case  into  safe  hands,  trifles  satisfying  the  compunc- 
tions of  the  obtuse.  For  more  than  an  hour  he  slumbered. 
During  this  interval  of  rest,  Captain  Truck  appeared  at 
the  door  of  the  stateroom  to  inquire  into  the  condition 
of  the  patient,  and,  hearing  a  report  so  favorable,  in  common 
with  all  whose  duty  did  not  require  them  to  watch,  he  retired  to 
rest.  Paul  had  also  returned,  and  offered  his  services,  as  indeed 
did  most  of  the  gentlemen  ;  but  John  Effingham  dismissed  his 
own  servant  even,  and  declared  it  was  his  intention  not  to 
quit  the  place  that  night.  Mr.  Monday  had  reposed  confidence 
in  him,  appeared  to  be  gratified  by  his  attentions  and  presence, 
and  he  felt  it  to  be  a  sort  of  duty,  under  such  circumstances, 
not  to  desert  a  fellow-creature  in  his  extremity.  Anything  be- 
yond some  slight  alleviation  of  the  sufferer's  pains  was  hope- 
less ;  but  this,  he  rightly  believed,  he  was  as  capable  of  admin- 
istering as  another. 


360  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

Death  is  appalling  to  those  of  the  most  iron  nerves,  whe* 
it  comes  quietly  and  in  the  stillness  and  solitude  of  night. 
John  Effingham  was  such  a  man  ;  but  he  felt  all  the  peculiarity 
of  his  situation  as  he  sat  alone  in  the  stateroom  by  the  side  of 
Mr.  Monday,  listening  to  the  washing  of  the  waters  that  the 
ship  shoved  aside,  and  to  the  unquiet  breathing  of  his  patienL 
Several  times  he  felt  a  disposition  to  steal  away  for  a  few  min- 
utes, and  to  refresh  himself  by  exercise  in  the  pure  air  of  the 
ocean  ;  but  as  often  was  the  inclination  checked  by  jealous 
glances  from  the  glazed  eye  of  the  dying  man.  who  appeared  to 
cherish  his  presence  as  his  own  last  hope  of  life.  When  John 
Effingham  wetted  the  feverish  lips,  the  look  he  received  spoke 
of  gratitude  and  thanks,  and  once  or  twice  these  feelings  were 
audible  in  whispers.  He  could  not  desert  a  being  so  helpless, 
so  dependent ;  and,  although  conscious  that  he  was  of  no  ma- 
terial service  beyond  sustaining  his  patient  by  his  presence,  he 
felt  that  this  was  sufficient  to  exact  much  heavier  sacrifices. 

During  one  of  the  troubled  slumbers  of  the  dying  man,  his 
attendant  sat  watching  the  struggles  of  his  countenance,  which 
seemed  to  betray  the  workings  of  the  soul  that  was  about  to 
quit  its  tenement,  and  he  mused  on  the  character  and  fate  of 
the  being  whose  departure  for  the  world  of  spirits  he  himself  was 
so  singularly  called  on  to  witness  ! 

"  Of  his  origin  I  know  nothing,"  thought  John  Effingham, 
"  except  by  his  own  passing  declarations,  and  the  evident  fact 
that,  as  regards  station,  it  can  scarcely  have  reached  me- 
diocrity. He  is  one  of  those  who  appear  to  live  for  the  most 
vulgar  motives  that  are  admissible  among  men  of  any  culture, 
and  whose  refinement,  such  as  it  is,  is  purely  of  the  conven- 
tional class  of  habits.  Ignorant,  beyond  the  current  opinions 
of  a  set ;  prejudiced  in  all  that  relates  to  nations,  religions,  and 
characters ;  wily  with  an  air  of  blustering  honesty ;  credulous 
and  intolerant ;  bold  in  denunciations  and  critical  remarks, 
without  a  spark  of  discrimination,  or  any  knowledge  but  that 
which  has  been  acquired  under  a  designing  dictation  ;  as  in- 
capable of  generalizing  as  he  is  obstinate  in  trifles  ;  good-hu- 
mored by  nature,  and  yet  querulous  from  imitation  : — for  what 
purposes  was  such  a  creature  brought  into  existence  to  be  hur- 
ried out  of  it  in  this  eventful  manner  ?  "  The  conversation  of 
the  evening  recurred  to  John  Effingham,  and  he  inwardly  said, 
"  If  there  exist  such  varieties  of  the  human  race  among  nations, 
there  are  certainly  as  many  species  in  a  moral  sense,  in  civilized 
life  itself.  This  man  has  his  counterpart  in  a  particular  feature 
in  the  everyday  American  absorbed  in  the  pursuit  of  gain ; 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  361 

and  yet  how  widely  different  are  the  two  in  the  minor  points  of 
character  !  While  the  other  allows  himself  no  rest,  no  relax- 
ation, no  mitigation  of  the  eternal  gnawing  of  the  vulture  ra- 
pacity, this  man  has  made  self-indulgence  the  constant  com- 
panion of  his  toil ;  while  the  other  has  centred  all  his  pleasures 
in  gain,  this  Englishman,  with  the  same  object  in  view,  but 
obedient  to  national  usages  has  fancied  he  has  been  alleviating 
his  labors  by  sensual  enjoyments.  In  what  will  their 
ends  differ  ?  From  the  eyes  of  the  American  the  veil  will  be 
torn  aside  when  it  is  too  late,  perhaps,  and  the  object  of  his 
earthly  pursuit  will  be  made  the  instrument  of  his  punishment, 
as  he  sees  himself  compelled  to  quit  it  all  for  the  dark  uncer 
tainty  of  the  grave  ;  while  the  blusterer  and  the  bottle  compan- 
ion sinks  into  a  forced  and  appalled  repentance,  as  the  animal 
that  has  hitherto  upheld  him  loses  its  ascendancy." 

A  groan  from  Mr.  Monday,  who  now  opened  his  glassy  eyes, 
interrupted  these  musings.  The  patient  signed  for  the  nourish- 
ment and  he  revived  a  little. 

"  What  is  the  day  of  the  week  ?  "  he  asked,  with  an  anxiety 
that  surprised  his  kind  attendant. 

"  It  is,  or  rather  it  was  Monday  ;  for  we  are  now  past  mid- 
night." 

"  I  am  glad  of  it,  sir — very  glad  of  it." 

"  Why  should  the  day  of  the  week  be  of  consequence  to  you 
now  ? " 

"  There  is  a  saying,  sir — I  have  faith  in  sayings — they  told 
me  I  was  born  of  a  Monday,  and  should  die  of  a  Monday." 

The  other  was  shocked  at  this  evidence  of  a  lingering  and 
abject  superstition  in  one  who  could  not  probably  survive  many 
hours,  and  he  spoke  to  him  of  the  Saviour,  and  of  his  mediation 
for  man.  All  this  could  John  Efrmgham  do  at  need  ;  and  he 
could  do  it  well,  too,  for  few  had  clearer  perceptions  of  this 
state  of  probation  than  himself.  His  weak  point  was  in  the 
pride  and  strength  of  his  character ;  qualities  that  indisposed 
him  in  his  own  practice  to  rely  on  any  but  himself,  under  the 
very  circumstances  which  would  impress  on  others  the  necessity 
of  relying  solely  on  God.  The  dying  man  heard  him  atten- 
tively, and  the  words  made  a  momentary  impression. 

"  I  do  not  wish  to  die,  sir,"  Mr.  Monday  said  suddenly,  after 
a  long  pause. 

"  It  is  the  general  fate  ;  when  the  moment  arrives,  we  ought 
to  prepare  ourselves  to  meet  it." 

"  I  am  no  coward,  Mr.  Efringham." 

"  In  one  sense  I  know  you  are  not,  for  I  have  seen  you 


362  HOMEWARD 

proved.  I  hope  you  will  not  be  one  in  any  sense.  You  are 
now  in  a  situation  in  which  manhood  will  avail  you  nothing ; 
your  dependence  should  be  placed  altogether  on  God." 

11 1  know  it.  sir — I  try  to  feel  thus ;  but  I  do  not  wish  to 
die." 

"  The  love  of  Christ  is  illimitable,"  said  John  Effingham, 
powerfully  affected  by  the  other's  hopeless  misery. 

"  I  know  it — I  hope  it — I  wish  to  believe  it.  Have  you  a 
mother,  Mr.  Effingham  ?  " 

"  She  has  been  dead  many  years." 

"  A  wife  ?  " 

John  Effingham  gasped  for  breath,  and  one  might  have 
mistaken  him,  at  the  moment,  for  the  sufferer. 

"  None :  I  am  without  parent,  brother,  sister,  wife  or  child. 
My  nearest  relatives  are  in  this  ship." 

"  I  am  of  little  value  ;  but,  such  as  I  am,  mother  will  miss 
me.  We  can  have  but  one  mother,  sir." 

"  This  is  very  true.  If  you  have  any  commission  or  mes- 
sage for  your  mother,  Mr.  Monday,  I  shall  have  great  satisfac- 
tion in  attending  to  your  wishes." 

"  I  thank  you,  sir ;  I  know  of  none.  She  has  her  notions 
on  religion,  and — I  think  it  would  lessen  her  sorrow  to  hear 
that  I  had  a  Christian  burial." 

"  Set  your  heart  at  rest  on  that  subject :  all  that  our  situation 
will  allow  shall  be  done." 

"  Of  what  account  will  it  all  be,  Mr.  Effingham  ?  I  wish  I 
had  drunk  less,  and  thought  more." 

John  Effingham  could  say  nothing  to  a  compunction  that  was 
so  necessary,  though  so  tardy. 

"  I  fear  we  think  too  little  of  this  moment  in  our  health  and 
strength,  sir." 

"  The  greater  the  necessity,  Mr.  Monday,  of  turning  our 
thoughts  towards  that  divine  mediation  which  alone  can  avail 
us,  while  there  is  yet  opportunity." 

But  Mr.  Monday  was  startled  by  the  near  approach  of  death, 
rather  than  repentant.  He  had  indurated  his  feelings  by  the 
long  and  continued  practice  of  deadening  self-indulgence,  and 
he  was  now  like  a  man  who  unexpectedly  finds  himself  in  the 
presence  of  an  imminent  and  overwhelming  danger,  without  any 
visible  means  of  mitigation  or  escape.  He  groaned  and  looked 
around  him,  as  if  he  sought  something  to  cling  to,  the  spirit  he 
had  shown  in  the  pride  of  his  strength  availing  nothing.  All 
these,  however,  were  but  passing  emotions,  and  the  natural  ot> 
tusity  of  the  man  returned. 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  363 

"  I  do  not,  think,  sir,"  he  said,  gazing  intently  at  John 
Effingham,  "  that  I  have  been  a  very  great  sinner." 

"  I  hope  not,  my  good  friend ;  yet  none  of  us  are  so  free 
from  spot  as  not  to  require  the  aid  of  God  to  fit  us  for  his  holy 
presence." 

"  Very  true,  sir — very  true,  sir.  I  was  duly  baptized  and 
properly  confirmed." 

"  Offices  which  are  but  pledges  that  we  are  expected  to 
redeem." 

"  By  a  regular  priest  and  bishop,  sir ; — orthodox  and  dig- 
nified clergymen  !  " 

"  No  doubt :  England  wants  none  of  the  forms  of  religion. 
But  the  contrite  heart,  Mr.  Monday,  will  be  sure  to  meet  with 
mercy." 

"  1  feel  contrite,  sir ;  very  contrite." 

A  pause  of  half  an  hour  succeeded,  and  John  Effingham 
thought  at  first  that  his  patient  had  again  slumbered  ;  but, 
looking  more  closely  at  his  situation,  he  perceived  that  his  eyes 
often  opened  and  wandered  over  objects  near  him.  Unwill- 
ing to  disturb  this  apparent  tranquillity,  the  minutes  were  per- 
mitted to  pass  away  uninterrupted,  until  Mr.  Monday  spoke 
again  of  his  own  accord. 

'*  Mr.  Errlngham — sir — Mr.  Effingham,"  said  the  dying 
man. 

"I  am  near  you,  Mr.  Monday,  and  will  not  leave  the 
room." 

"  Bless  you,  bless  you,  do  not  you  desert  me  !  " 

"  I  shall  remain :  set  your  heart  at  rest,  and  let  me  know 
your  wants." 

"  I  want  life,  sir  !  " 

"  That  is  the  gift  of  God,  and  its  possession  depends  solely 
on  his  pleasure.  Ask  pardon  for  your  sins,  and  remember  the 
mercy  and  love  of  the  blessed  Redeemer." 

"  I  try,  sir.  I  do  not  think  I  have  been  a  very  great  sin- 
ner." 

"  I  hope  not :  but  God  can  pardon  the  penitent,  however 
great  their  offences." 

"  Yes,  sir,  I  know  it — I  know  it.  This  affair  has  been  so 
unexpected.  I  have  even  been  at  the  communion-table,  sir : 
yes,  my  mother  made  me  commune.  Nothing  was  neglected, 
sir." 

John  Effingham  was  often  proud  and  self-willed  in  his  com- 
munications with  men,  the  inferiority  of  most  of  his  fellow-crea- 
tures to  himself,  in  principles  as  well  as  mind,  being  too  plainly 


364  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

apparent  not  to  influence  the  opinions  of  one  who  did  not  too 
closely  study  his  own  failings ;  but  as  respects  God,  he  was 
habitually  reverent  and  meek.  Spiritual  pride  formed  no  part 
of  his  character,  for  he  felt  his  own  deficiency  in  the  Christian 
qualities,  the  main  defect  arising  more  from  a  habit  of  regard- 
ing the  infirmities  of  others  than  from  dwelling  too  much  on 
his  own  merits.  In  comparing  himself  with  perfection,  no  one 
could  be  more  humble  :  but  in  limiting  the  comparison  to  those 
around  him,  few  were  prouder,  or  few  more  justly  so,  were  it 
permitted  to  make  such  a  comparison  at  all.  Prayer  with  him 
was  not  habitual,  or  always  well  ordered,  but  he  was  not 
ashamed  to  pray  ;  and  when  he  did  bow  down  his  spirit  in  this 
manner,  it  was  with  the  force,  comprehensiveness,  and  energy 
of  his  character.  He  was  now  moved  by  the  feeble  and  com- 
mon-place consolations  that  Mr.  Monday  endeavored  to  extract 
from  his  situation.  He  saw  the  peculiarly  deluding  and  cruel 
substitution  of  forms  for  the  substance  of  piety  that  distinguishes 
the  policy  of  all  established  churches,  though,  unlike  many  of 
his  own  countrymen  his  mind  was  superior  to  those  narrow  ex- 
aggerations that,  on  the  other  hand,  too  often  convert  innocence 
into  sin,  and  puff  up  the  votary  with  the  conceit  of  a  sectarian 
and  his  self-righteousness. 

"  I  will  pray  with  you,  Mr.  Monday,"  he  said,  kneeling  at 
the  side  of  the  dying  man's  bed  :  "  we  will  ask  mercy  of  God 
together,  and  he  may  lessen  these  doubts." 

Mr.  Monday  made  a  sign  of  eager  assent,  and  John  Effing- 
ham  prayed  in  a  voice  that  was  distinctly  audible  to  the  other. 
The  petition  was  short,  beautiful,  and  even  lofty  in  language, 
without  a  particle  of  Scripture  jargon,  or  of  the  cant  of  pro- 
fessed devotees  ;  but  it  was  a  fervent,  direct,  comprehensive, 
and  humble  appeal  to  the  Deity  for  mercy  on  the  being  who 
now  found  himself  in  extremity.  A  child  might  have  under- 
stood it,  while  the  heart  of  a  man  would  have  melted  with  its 
affecting  and  meek  sincerity.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  Great 
Being,  whose  Spirit  pervades  the  universe,  and  whose  clemency 
is  commensurate  with  his  power,  also  admitted  the  force  of  the 
petition,  for  Mr.  Monday  smiled  with  pleasure  when  John 
Effingham  arose. 

"  Thank  you,  sir — a  thousand  thanks,"  muttered  the  dying 
man,  pressing  the  hand  of  the  other.  "  This  is  better  than  all." 

After  this  Mr.  Monday  was  easier,  and  hours  passed  away 
in  nearly  a  continued  silence.  John  Effingham  was  now  con- 
vinced that  his  patient  slumbered,  and  he  allowed  himself  to 
fall  into  a  doze.  It  was  after  the  morning  watch  was  called,  that 


HOMEWARD  BOUND  365 

he  was  aroused  by  a  movement  in  the  berth.  Believing  his  patient 
required  nourishment,  or  some  fluid  to  moisten  his  lips,  John 
Effingham  offered  both,  but  they  were  declined.  Mr,  Monday 
had  clasped  his  hands  on  his  breast,  with  the  fingers  upper- 
most, as  painters  and  sculptors  are  apt  to  delineate  them  when 
they  represent  saints  in  the  act  of  addressing  the  Deity,  and  his 
lips  moved,  though  the  words  were  whispered.  John  Effingham 
kneeled,  and  placed  his  ear  so  close  as  to  catch  the  sounds. 
His  patient  was  uttering  the  simple  but  beautiful  petition  trans- 
mitted by  Christ  himself  to  man,  as  the  model  of  all  prayer. 

As  soon  as  the  other  had  done,  John  Effingham  repeated 
the  same  prayer  fervently  and  aloud  himself,  and  when  he 
opened  his  eyes,  after  this  solemn  homage  to  God,  Mr.  Monday 
was  dead. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


Let  me  alone  : — dost  thou  use  to  write 

Thy  name  ?  or  hast  thou  a  mark  to  thyself,  like  an 

Honest,  plain-dealing  man  ? 

Jack  Cade. 

AT  a  later  hour,  the  body  of  the  deceased  was  consigned  to 
the  ocean  with  the  forms  that  had  been  observed  the  previous 
night  at  the  burial  of  the  seaman.  These  two  ceremonies  were 
sad  remembrances  of  the  scene  the  travellers  had  passed 
through  ;  and,  for  many  days,  the  meancholy  that  they  naturally 
excited  pervaded  the  ship.  But,  as  no  one  connected  by  blood 
with  any  of  the  living  had  fallen,  and  it  is  not  the  disposition  of 
men  to  mourn  always,  this  feeling  gradually  subsided,  and  at 
the  end  of  three  weeks  the  deaths  had  lost  most  of  their  influ- 
ence, or  were  recalled  only  at  moments  by  those  who  thought  it 
was  wise  to  dwell  on  such  solemn  subjects. 

Captain  Truck  had  regained  his  spirits  ;  for,  if  he  felt  mor- 
tified at  the  extraordinary  difficulties  and  dangers  that  had  be- 
fallen his  ship,  he  also  felt  proud  of  the  manner  in  which  he  had 
extricated  himself  from  them.  As  for  the  mates  and  crew,  they 
had  already  returned  to  their  ordinary  habits  of  toil  and  fun 
the  accidents  of  life  making  but  brief  and  superficial  impression 
on  natures  accustomed  to  vicissitudes  and  losses. 


366  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

Mr.  Dodge  appeared  to  be  nearly  forgotten  during  the  first 
week  after  the  ship  succeeded  in  effecting  her  escape  ;  for  he 
had  the  sagacity  to  keep  himself  in  the  background,  in  the  hope 
that  all  connected  with  himself  might  be  overlooked  in  the  hurry 
and  excitement  of  events.  At  the  end  of  that  period,  however, 
he  resumed  his  intrigues,  and  was  soon  actively  engaged  in  en- 
deavoring to  get  up  a  "  public  opinion,"  by  means  of  which  he 
proposed  to  himself  to  obtain  some  reputation  for  spirit  and 
courage.  With  what  success  this  deeply  laid  scheme  was  likely 
to  meet,  as  well  as  the  more  familiar  condition  of  the  cabins, 
may  be  gathered  by  a  conversation  that  took  place  in  the  pantry, 
where  Saunders  and  Toast  were  preparing  the  hot  punch  for  the 
last  of  the  Sunday  nights  that  Captain  Truck  expected  to  be  at 
sea.  This  discourse  was  held  while  the  few  who  chose  to  join 
in  jollification  that  peculiarly  recalled  the  recollection  of  Mr. 
Monday,  were  slowly  assembling  round  the  great  table  at  the 
ifrgent  request  of  the  master. 

"  Well,  I  must  say,  Mr.  Toast,"  the  steward  commenced,  as 
he  kept  stirring  the  punch,  "  that  I  am  werry  much  rejoiced 
Captain  Truck  has  resuscertated  his  old  nature,  and  remembers 
the  festivals  and  fasts,  as  is  becoming  the  master  of  a  liner.  I 
can  see  no  good  reason  because  a  ship  is  under  jury-masts,  that 
the  passengers  should  forego  their  natural  rest  and  diet.  Mr. 
Monday  made  a  good  end,  they  say,  and  he  had  as  handsome  a 
burial  as  I  ever  laid  eyes  on  at  sea.  I  don't  think  his  own 
friends  could  have  interred  him  more  efficaciously,  or  more 
piously,  had  he  been  on  shore." 

"  It  is.  something,  Mr.  Saunders,  to  be  able  to  reflect  be- 
forehand on  the  respectable  funeral  that  your  friends  have  just 
given  you.  There  is  a  great  gratification  to  contemplate  on 
such  an  ewent." 

"  You  improve  in  language,  Toast,  that  I  will  allow ;  but 
you  sometimes  get  the  words  a  little  wrong.  We  suspect  be- 
fore a  thing  recurs,  and  reflect  on  it  after  it  has  ewentuated.  You 
might  have  suspected  the  death  of  poor  Mr.  Monday  after  he  was 
wounded,  and  reflected  on  it  after  he  was  interred  in  the  water. 
I  agree  with  you  that  it  is  consoling  to  know  we  have  our 
funeral  rights  properly  delineated.  Talking  of  the  battle,  Mr. 
Toast,  I  shall  take  this  occasion  to  express  to  you  the  high 
opinion  I  entertain  of  your  own  good  conduct.  I  was  a  little 
afraid  you  might  injure  Captain  Truck  in  the  conflict ;  but,  so 
far  as  I  have  ascertained,  on  close  inwestigation,  you  hurt  no- 
body. We  colored  people  have  some  prejudices  against  us, 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  367 

and  I  always  rejoice  when  I  meet  with  one  who  assists  to  put 
them  down  by  his  conduct." 

u  They  say  Mr.  Dodge  didn't  do  much  harm,  either,"  re- 
turned Toast.  "  For  my  part  I  saw  nothing  of  him  after  I 
opened  my  eyes ;  though  I  don't  think  I  ever  stared  about  me 
so  much  in  my  life." 

Saunders  laid  a  finger  on  his  nose,  and  shook  his  head 
significantly. 

"  You  may  speak  to  me  with  confidence  and  mistrust, 
Toast,  "  he  said,  "  for  we  are  friends  of  the  same  color,  besides 
being  officers  in  the  same  pantry.  Has  Mr.  Dodge  conwersed 
with  you  concerning  the  ewents  of  those  two  or  three  werry 
ewentful  days  ? " 

"  He  has  insinevated  considerable,  Mr.  Saunders ;  though 
I  do  not  think  Mr.  Dodge  is  ever  a  werry  free  talker." 

"  Has  he  surgested  the  propriety  of  having  an  account  of 
the  whole  affair  made  out  by  the  people,  and  sustained  by 
affidavits  ? " 

"  Well,  sir,  I  imagine  he  has.  At  all  ewents,  he  has  been 
much  on  the  forecastle  lately,  endeavoring  to  persuade  the 
people  that  they  retook  the  ship,  and  that  the  passengers  were 
so  many  encumbrancers  in  the  affair." 

"  And,  are  the  people  such  non  composse  as  to  believe  him, 
Toast  ? " 

"  Why,  sir,  it  is  agreeable  to  humanity  to  think  well  of  our- 
selves. I  do  not  say  that  anybody  actually  believes  this ;  but 
in  my  poor  judgment,  Mr.  Saunders,  there  are  men  in  the 
ship  that  would  find  it  pleasant  to  believe  it,  if  they  could." 

"  Werry  true  ;  for  that  is  natural.  Your  hint,  Toast,  has 
enlightened  my  mind  on  a  little  obscurity  that  has  lately  pre- 
wailed  over  my  conceptions.  There  are  Johnson,  and  Briggs, 
and  Hewson,  three  of  the  greatest  skulks  in  the  ship,  the  only 
men  who  prewaricated  in  the  least,  so  much  as  by  a  cold  look, 
in  the  fight ;  and  these  three  men  have  told  me  that  Mr.  Dodge 
was  the  person  who  had  the  gun  put  on  the  box ;  and  that  he 
druv  the  Arabs  upon  the  raft.  Now,  I  say,  no  men  with  their 
eyes  open  could  have  made  such  a  mistake,  except  they  made 
it  on  purpose.  Do  you  corroborate  or  contrawerse  this  state- 
ment, Toast  ?  " 

"  I  contrawerse  it,  sir  ;  for  in  my  poor  judgment  it  was 
Mr.  Blunt." 

"  I  am  glad  we  are  of  the  same  opinion.  I  shall  say 
nothing  till  the  proper  moment  arrives,  and  then  I  shall  ex- 


368  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

hibit  my  sentiments,  Mr.  Toast,  without  recrimination  or  anxiety, 
for  truth  is  truth." 

"  I  am  happy  to  observe  that  the  ladies  are  quite  relaxed 
from  their  melancholy,  and  that  they  now  seem  to  enjoy  them- 
selves ostensibly." 

Saunders  threw  a  look  of  envy  at  his  subordinate,  whose 
progress  in  refinement  really  alarmed  his  own  sense  of  su- 
periority ;  but  suppressing  the  jealous  feeling,  he  replied  with 
dignity,— 

"  The  remark  is  quite  just,  Mr.  Toast,  and  denotes  pene- 
tration. I  am  always  rejoiced  when  I  perceive  you  elewating 
your  thoughts  to  superior  objects,  for  the  honor  of  the  color." 

"  Mister  Saunders,"  called  out  the  captain  from  his  seat  in 
the  armchair,  at  the  head  of  the  table. 

"Captain  Truck,  sir." 

"  Let  us  taste  your  liquors." 

This  was  the  signal  that  the  Saturday-night  was  about  to 
commence,  and  the  officers  of  the  pantry  presented  their  com- 
pounds in  good  earnest.  On  this  occasion  the  ladies  had 
quietly,  but  firmly  declined  being  present,  but  the  earnest  ap- 
peals of  the  well-meaning  captain  had  overcome  the  scruples  of 
the  gentlemen,  all  of  whom,  to  avoid  the  appearance  of  disre- 
spect to  his  wishes,  had  consented  to  appear. 

"  This  is  the  last  Saturday-night,  gentlemen,  that  I  shall 
probably  ever  have  the  honor  of  passing  in  your  good  com- 
pany," said  Captain  Truck,  as  he  disposed  of  the  pitchers  and 
glasses  before  him,  so  that  he  had  a  perfect  command  of  the 
appliances  of  the  occasion,  "  and  I  feel  it  to  be  a  gratification 
with  which  I  would  not  willingly  dispense.  We  are  now  to  the 
westward  of  the  Gulf,  and,  according  to  my  observations  and 
calculations,  within  a  hundred  miles  of  Sandy  Hook,  which, 
with  this  mild  southwest  wind,  and  our  weatherly  position,  I 
hope  to  be  able  to  show  you  some  time  about  eight  o'clock  to- 
morrow morning.  Quicker  passages  have  been  made  certainly, 
but  forty  days,  after  all,  is  no  great  matter  for  the  westerly  run, 
considering  that  we  have  had  a  look  at  Africa,  and  are  walking 
on  crutches." 

"  We  owe  a  great  deal  to  the  trades,"  observed  Mr.  Effing- 
ham  ;  "  which  have  treated  us  as  kindly  towards  the  end  of 
the  passage,  as  they  seemed  reluctant  to  join  us  in  the  com' 
mencement.  It  has  been  a  momentous  month,  and  I  hope 
we  shall  all  retain  healthful  recollections  of  it  as  long  as  we 
live." 

"  No  one  will  retain  as  grateful  recollections  of  it  as  my 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  369 

self,  gentlemen,"  resumed  the  captain.  "  You  had  no  agency 
in  getting  us  into  this  scrape,  but  the  greatest  possible  agency 
in  getting  us  out  of  it.  Without  the  knowledge,  prudence,  and 
courage  that  you  have  all  displayed,  God  knows  what  would 
have  become  of  the  poor  Montauk,  and  from  the  bottom  of  my 
heart  I  thank  you  each  and  all,  while  I  have  the  heartfelt  satis- 
faction of  seeing  you  around  me,  and  of  drinking  to  your  future 
health,  happiness  and  prosperity." 

The  passengers  acknowledged  their  thanks  in  return,  by 
bows,  among  which,  that  of  Mr.  Dodge  was  the  most  elaborate 
and  conspicuous.  The  honest  captain  was  too  much  touched, 
to  observe  this  little  piece  of  audacity,  but,  at  that  moment,  he 
could  have  taken  even  Mr.  Dodge  in  his  arms,  and  pressed  him 
to  his  heart. 

"  Come,  gentlemen,"  he  continued  ;  "  let  us  fill  and  do 
honor  to  the  night.  God  has  us  all  in  his  holy  keeping,  and  we 
drift  about  in  the  squalls  of  life,  pretty  much  as  he  orders  the 
wind  to  blow.  *  Sweethearts  and  wives  ! '  and,  Mr.  Effihgham, 
we  will  not  forget  beautiful,  spirited,  sensible,  and  charming 
daughters." 

After  this  piece  of  nautical  gallantry,  the  glass  began  to  cir- 
culate. The  Captain,  Sir  George  Templemore — as  the  false 
baronet  was  still  called  in  the  cabin,  and  believed  to  be  by  all 
but  those  who  belonged  to  the  coterie  of  Eve — and  Mr.  Dodge, 
indulged  freely,  though  the  first  was  too  careful  of  the  reputa- 
tion of  his  ship,  to  forget  that  he  was  on  the  American  coast 
in  November.  The  others  partook  more  sparingly,  though 
even  they  submitted  in  a  slight  degree  to  the  influence  of  good 
cheer,  and  for  the  first  time  since  their  escape,  the  laugh  was 
heard  in  the  cabin  as  was  wont  before  to  be  the  case.  An  hour 
of  such  indulgence  produced  again  some  of  the  freedom  and 
ease  which  mark  the  associations  of  a  ship,  after  the  ice  is 
fairly  broken,  and  even  Mr.  Dodge  began  to  be  tolerated.  This 
person,  notwithstanding  his  conduct  on  the  occasion  of  the 
battle,  had  contrived  to  maintain  his  ground  with  the  spurious 
baronet,  by  dint  of  assiduity  and  flattery,  while  the  others  had 
rather  felt  pity  than  aversion,  on  account  of  his  abject  coward 
ice.  The  gentlemen  did  not  mention  his  desertion  at  the  criti- 
cal moment  (though  Mr.  Dodge  never  forgave  those  who  wit- 
nessed it),  for  they  looked  upon  his  conduct  as  the  result  of  a 
natural  and  unconquerable  infirmity,  that  rendered  him  as  much 
the  subject  of  compassion  as  of  reproach.  Encouraged  by  this 
forbearance,  and  mistaking  its  motives,  he  had  begun  to  hope 
his  absence  had  not  been  detected  in  the  confusion  of  the  fight, 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

and  he  had  even  carried  his  audacity  so  far  as  to  make  an  at 
tempt  to  persuade  Mr.  Sharp  that  he  had  actually  been  one  of 
those  who  went  in  the  launch  of  the  Dane,  to  bring  down  the 
other  boat  and  raft  to  the  reef,  after  the  ship  had  been  recap- 
tured. It  is  true,  in  this  attempt  he  had  met  with  a  cold  re- 
pulse, but  it  was  so  gentlemanlike  and  distant,  that  he  had  still 
hopes  of  succeeding  in  persuading  the  other  to  believe  what  he 
affirmed  ;  by  way  of  doing  which,  he  endeavored  all  he  could 
to  believe  it  himself.  So  much  confusion  existed  in  his  own 
faculties  during  the  fray,  that  Mr.  Dodge  was  fain  to  fancy 
others  also  might  not  have  been  able  to  distinguish  things  very 
accurately. 

Under  the  influence  of  these  feelings,  Captain  Truck,  when 
the  glass  had  circulated  a  little  freely,  called  on  the  Editor  of 
the  Active  Inquirer,  to  favor  the  company  with  more  extracts 
from  the  journal.  Little  persuasion  was  necessary,  and  Mr. 
Dodge  went  into  his  state-room  to  bring  forth  the  valuable  rec- 
ords of  his  observations  and  opinions,  with  a  conviction  that 
all  was  forgotten,  and  that  he  was  once  more  about  to  resume 
his  proper  place  in  the  social  relations  of  the  ship.  As  for  the 
four  gentlemen  who  had  been  over  the  ground  the  other  pre- 
tended to  describe,  they  prepared  to  listen,  as  men  of  the  world 
would  be  apt  to  listen  to  the  superficial  and  valueless  comments 
of  a  tyro,  though  not  without  some  expectations  of  amusement. 

"  I  propose  that  we  shift  the  scene  to  London,"  said  Cap- 
tain Truck,  "  in  order  that  a  plain  seaman,  like  myself,  may 
judge  of  the  merits  of  the  writer — which,  I  make  no  doubt,  are 
very  great ;  though  I  cannot  now  swear  to  it  with  as  free  a  con- 
science as  I  could  wish." 

"  If  I  knew  the  pleasure  of  the  majority,"  returned  Mr. 
Dodge,  dropping  the  journal,  and  looking  about  him  inquir- 
ingly, "  I  would  cheerfully  comply  with  it  ;  for  I  think  the  ma- 
jority should  always  rule.  Paris,  London,  or  the  Rhine,  are  the 
same  to  me  ;  I  have  seen  them  all,  and  am  just  as  well  quali- 
fied to  describe  the  one  as  to  describe  the  other." 

"  No  one  doubts  it,  my  dear  sir  ;  but  I  am  not  as  well  quali- 
fied to  understand  one  of  your  descriptions  as  I  am  to  under 
stand  another.  Perhaps,  even  you,  sir,  may  express  yourself 
more  readily,  and  have  better  understood  what  was  said  to  you 
in  English,  than  in  a  foreign  tongue-" 

"  As  for  that,  I  do  not  think  the  value  of  my  remarks  is  les- 
sened by  the  one  circumstance,  or  enhanced  by  the  other,  sir. 
I  make  it  a  rule  always  to  be  right,  if  possible  ;  and  that,  I 
fancy,  is  as  much  as  the  natives  of  the  countries  themselves 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


371 


can  very  well  effect.  You  have  only  to  decide,  gentlemen, 
whether  it  shall  be  England,  or  France,  or  the  Continent." 

"  I  confess  an  inclination  to  the  Continent"  said  John  Effing- 
ham  ;  "  for  one  could  scarcely  wish  to  limit  a  comprehensive- 
ness like  that  of  Mr.  Dodge's  to  an  island,  or  even  to  France." 

"  I  see  how  it  is,"  exclaimed  the  captain  ;  "  we  must  put 
the  traveller  through  all  his  paces,  and  have  a  little  of  both  ; 
so  Mr.  Dodge  will  have  the  kindness  to  touch  on  all  things  in 
heaven  and  earth,  London  and  Paris  inclusive." 

On  this  hint  the  journalist  turned  over  a  few  pages  care- 
lessly, and  then  commenced : 

"  '  Reached  Bruxelles  (Mr.  Dodge  pronounced  this  word 
Brucksills)  at  seven  in  the  evening,  and  put. up  at  the  best 
house  in  the  place,  called  the  Silver  Lamb,  which  is  quite  near  the 
celebrated  town-house,  and,  of  course  in  the  very  centre  of  the 
beau  quarter.  As  we  did  not  leave  until  after  breakfast  next 
morning,  the  reader  may  expect  a  description  of  this  ancient 
capital.  It  lies  altogether  on  a  bit  of  low,  level  land '  " 

"  Nay,  Mr.  Dodge,"  interrupted  the  soi-disant  Sir  George, 
"  I  think  that  must  be  an  error.  I  have  been  at  Brussels,  and 
I  declare,  now,  it  struck  me  as  lying  a  good  deal  on  the  side  of 
a  very  steep  hill !  " 

"  All  a  mistake,  sir,  I  do  assure  you.  There  is  no  more 
hill  at  Brucksills  than  on  the  deck  of  this  ship.  You  have 
been  in  too  great  a  hurry,  my  dear  Sir  George  ;  that  is  the  way 
with  most  travellers  ;  they  do  not  give  themselves  time  to  note 
particulars.  You  English  especially,  my  dear  Sir  George,  are 
a  little  apt  to  precipitate  ;  and  I  daresay,  you  travelled  post, 
with  four  horses,  a  mode  of  getting  on  by  which  a  man  may 
very  well  transfer  a  hill,  in  his  imagination,  from  one  town  to 
another.  I  travelled  chiefly  in  a  voitury,  which  afforded  leisure 
for  remarks." 

Here  Mr.  Dodge  laughed  ;  for  he  felt  that  he  had  got  the 
best  of  it. 

"  I  think  you  are  bound  to  submit,  Sir  George  Templemore" 
said  John  Effingham,  with  an  emphasis  on  the  name  that  raised 
a  smile  among  his  friends  ;  "  Brussels  certainly  lies  on  a  flat , 
and  the  hill  you  saw  has,  doubtless,  been  brought  up  with  you 
from  Holland  in  your  haste.  Mr.  Dodge  enjoyed  a  great  ad- 
vantage in  his  mode  of  travelling ;  for,  by  entering  a  town  in 
the  evening,  and  quitting  it  only  in  the  morning,  he  had  the 
whole  night  to  look  about  him." 

"That  was  just  my  mode  of  preceeding,  Mr.  John  Effing- 


372 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


ham ;  I  made  it  a  rule  to  pass  an  entire  night  in  every  large 
town  I  came  to." 

"  A  circumstance  that  will  give  a  double  value  to  your 
opinions  with  our  countrymen,  Mr.  Dodge,  since  they  very 
seldom  give  themselves  half  that  leisure  when  once  in  motion. 
I  trust  you  have  not  passed  over  the  institutions  of  Belgium, 
sir ;  and  most  particularly  the  state  of  society  in  the  capital, 
of  which  you  saw  so  much  ?  " 

"  By  no  means ;  here  are  my  remarks  on  these  subjects, — 

"  Belgium,  or  The  Beiges,  as  the  country  is  now  called,  is 
one  of  the  upstart  kingdoms  that  have  arisen  in  our  times ; 
and  which,  from  signs  that  cannot  be  mistaken,  is  fated  soon 
to  be  overturned  by  the  glorious  principles  of  freedom.  The 
people  are  ground  down,  as  usual,  by  the  oppression  of  hard 
task-masters,  and  bloody-minded  priests.  The  monarch,  who 
is  a  bigoted  Catholic  of  the  House  of  Saxony,  being  a  son  of 
the  king  of  that  country,  and  a  presumptive  heir  to  the  throne 
of  Great  Britain,  in  right  of  his  first  wife,  devoting  all  his 
thoughts  to  miracles  and  saints.  The  nobles  form  a  class  by 
themselves,  indulging  in  all  sorts  of  vices.' — I  beg  pardon, 
Sir  George,  but  the  truth  must  be  told  in  our  country,  or  one 
had  better  never  speak. — '  All  sorts  of  vices,  and  otherwise  be- 
traying the  monstrous  tendencies  of  the  system.'  " 

"  Pray,  Mr.  Dodge,"  interrupted  John  Effingham,  "  have 
you  said  nothing  as  to  the  manner  in  which  the  inhabitants  re- 
lieve the  eternal  ennui  of  always  walking  on  a  level  surface  ? " 

"  I  am  afraid  not,  sir.  My  attention  was  chiefly  given  to 
the  institutions,  and  to  the  state  of  society,  although  I  can 
readily  imagine  they  must  get  to  be  heartily  tired  of  a  dead 
flat." 

"  Why,  sir  they  have  contrived  to  run  a  street  up  and  down 
the  roof  of  the  cathedral ;  and  up  and  down  this  street  they 
trot  at  all  hours  of  the  day." 

Mr.  Dodge  looked  distrustful ;  but  John  Effingham  main- 
tained his  gravity.  After  a  pause  the  former  continued, — 

"  '  The  usages  of  Brucksills  are  a  mixture  of  Low  Dutch 
and  High  Dutch  habits,  as  is  the  language.  The  king  being 
a  Polander,  and  a  grandson  of  Augustus,  king  of  Poland,  is 
anxious  to  introduce  the  customs  of  the  Russians  into  his  court ; 
while  his  amiable  young  queen,  who  was  born  in  New  Jersey 
when  her  illustrious  father  kept  the  school  at  Haddonfield, 
early  inbibed  those  notions  of  republicanism  which  so  emi- 
nently distinguish  his  Grace  the  Honorable  Louis  Philippe 
Orleans,  the  present  King  of  the  French.'  " 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"Nay,  Mr.  Dodge,"  said  Mr.  Sharp,  "  you  will  have  all  the 
historians  ready  to  cut  your  throat  with  envy !  " 

"  Why,  sir,  I  feel  it  a  duty  not  to  throw  away  the  great  op- 
portunities I  have  enjoyed  ;  and  America  is  a  country  in  which 
an  editor  may  never  hope  to  mystify  his  readers.  We  deal 
with  them  in  facts,  Mr.  Sharp  ;  and,  although  this  may  not  be 
your  English  practice,  we  think  that  truth  is  powerful  and  will 
prevail.  To  continue, — '  The  kingdom  of  the  Beiges  is  about 
as  large  as  the  northeast  corner  of  Connecticut,  including  one 
town  in  Rhode  Island ;  and  the  whole  population  may  be  about 
equal  to  that  of  our  tribe  of  Creek  Indians,  who  dwell  in  the 
wilder  parts  of  our  state  of  Georgia.' 51 

"  This  particularity  is  very  convincing,"  observed  Paul : 
"  and  then  it  has  the  merit,  too,  of  coming  from  an  eye-wit- 
ness." 

*'  I  will  now,  gentlemen,  return  with  you  to  Paris,  where  I 
stayed  all  of  three  weeks,  and  of  the  society  of  which  my 
knowledge  of  the  language  will,  of  course,  enable  me  to  give  a 
still  more  valuable  account." 

"  You  mean  to  publish  these  hints,  I  trust,  sir  ?  "  inquired 
the  captain. 

"  I  shall  probably  collect  them,  and  enlarge  them  in  the 
way  of  a  book ;  but  they  have  already  been  laid  before  the 
American  public  in  the  columns  of  the  Active  Inquirer.  I  can 
assure  you,  gentlemen,  that  my  colleagues  of  the  press  have 
spoken  quite  favorably  of  the  letters  as  they  appeared.  Per- 
haps you  would  like  to  hear  some  of  their  opinions  ?  " 

Hereupon  Mr.  Dodge  opened  a  pocket-book,  out  of  which 
he  took  six  or  eight  slips  of  printed  paper,  that  had  been  pre- 
served with  care,  though  obviously  well  thumbed.  Opening 
one,  he  read  as  follows  : 

"  '  Our  friend  Dodge,  of  the  Active'  Inquirer,  is  instructing 
his  readers,  and  edifying  mankind  in  general,  with  some  very 
excellent  and  pungent  remarks  on  the  state  of  Europe,  which 
part  of  the  world  he  is  now  exploring  with  some  such  enterprise 
and  perseverance  as  Columbus  discovered  when  he  entered  on 
the  unknown  waste  of  the  Atlantic.  His  opinions  meet  with 
our  unqualified  approbation,  being  sound,  American,  and  dis- 
criminating. We  fancy  these  Europeans  will  begin  to  think  in 
time  that  Jonathan  has  some  pretty  shrewd  notions  concerning 
themselves,  the  critturs  ! '  This  was  extracted  from  the  Peo- 
ple's Advocate,  a  journal  edited  with  great  ability,  by  Peleg 
Pond,  esquire,  a  thoroughgoing  republican,  and  a  profound  ol> 
server  of  mankind." 


374 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


11  In  his  own  parish  in  particular,"  quaintly  added  John 
Effingham.  "  Pray,  sir,  have  you  any  more  of  these  critical 
morceaux  ?  " 

"  At  least  a  dozen,"  beginning  to  read  again. — "  Steadfast 
Dodge,  esquire,  the  editor  of  the  Active  Inquirer,  is  now  trav- 
elling in  Europe,  and  is  illuminating  the  public  mind  at  home 
by  letters  that  are  Johnsonian  in  style,  Chesterfieldian  in  taste 
and  in  knowledge  of  the  world,  with  the  redeeming  qualities  of 
nationality,  and  republicanism,  and  truth.  We  rejoice  to  per- 
ceive by  these  valuable  contributions  to  American  literature, 
that  Steadfast  Dodge,  esquire,  finds  no  reason  to  envy  the  in- 
habitants of  the  Old  World  any  of  their  boasted  civilization  ; 
but  that,  on  the  contrary,  he  is  impressed  with  the  superiority 
of  our  condition  over  all  countries,  every  post  that  he  progresses. 
America  has  produced  but  few  men  like  Dodge  ;  and  even 
Walter  Scot  might  not  be  ashamed  to  own  some  of  his  descrip- 
tions. We  hope  he  may  long  continue  to  travel." 

"  Voitury"  added  John  Effingham  gravely.  "  You  perceive, 
gentlemen,  how  modestly  these  editors  set  forth  their  intimacy 
with  the  traveller — 'our  friend  Dodge,  of  the  Active  Inquirer,' 
and  '  Steadfast  Dodge,  esquire  !  ' — a  mode  of  expression  that 
speaks  volumes  for  their  own  taste,  and  their  profound  defer- 
ence for  their  readers  !  " 

"  We  always  speak  of  each  other  in  this  manner,  Mr.  John 
Effingham — that  is  our  esprit du corps" 

"  And  I  should  think  that  there  would  be  an  esprit  de  corps 
in  the  public  to  resist  it,"  observed  Paul  Blunt. 

The  distinction  was  lost  on  Mr.  Dodge,  who  turned  over  to 
one  of  his  most  elaborate  strictures  on  the  state  of  society  in 
France,  with  all  the  self-complacency  of  besotted  ignorance  and 
provincial  superciliousness.  Searching  out  a  place  to  his  mind, 
this  profound  observer  of  men  and  manners,  who  had  studied  a 
foreign  people,  whose  language  when  spoken  was  gibberish  to 
him,  by  travelling  five  days  in  a  public  coach,  and  living  four 
weeks  in  taverns  and  eating-houses,  besides  visiting  three  the- 
atres, in  which  he  did  not  understand  a  single  word  that  was 
uttered,  proceeded  to  lay  before  his  auditors  the  results  of  his 
observations. 

"  '  The  state  of  female  society  in  France  is  truly  awful,' "  he 
resumed,  '  the  French  Revolution,  as  is  universally  known, 
having  left  neither  decorum,  modesty,  nor  beauty  in  the  nation. 
I  walk  nightly  in  the  galleries  of  the  Palais  Royal,  where  I  locate 
myself,  and  get  every  opportunity  of  observing  the  peculiarities 
of  ladies  of  the  first  taste  and  fashion  in  the  metropolis  of  Eu' 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


375 


rope.  There  is  one  duchess  in  particular,  whose  grace  and 
cnbonpoint  have,  I  confess,  attracted  my  admiration.  This  lady, 
as  my  lacquais  de  place  informs  me,  is  sometimes  termed  la  mere 
du  peuple,  from  her  popularity  and  affability.  The  young  ladies 
of  France,  judging  from  the  specimens  I  have  seen  here — which 
must  be  of  the  highest  class  in  the  capital,  as  the  spot  is  under 
the  windows  of  one  of  the  royal  palaces — are  by  no  means  ob- 
servable for  that  quiet  reserve  and  modest  diffidence  that  dis- 
tinguish the  fair  among  our  own  young  countrywomen  ;  but  it 
must  be  admitted  they  are  remarkable  for  the  manner  in  which 
they  walk  alone,  in  my  judgment  a  most  masculine  and  unbe- 
coming practice.  Woman  was  not  made  to  live  alone,  and  I 
shall  contend  that  she  was  not  made  to  walk  alone.  At  the 
same  time,  I  confess  there  is  a  certain  charm  in  the  manner  in 
which  these  ladies  place  a  hand  in  each  pocket  of  their  aprons, 
and  balance  their  bodies,  as  they  move  like  duchesses  through 
the  galleries.  If  I  might  humbly  suggest,  the  American  fair 
might  do  worse  than  imitate  this  Parisian  step  ;  for,  as  a  trav- 
eller, I  feel  it  a  duty  to  exhibit  any  superior  quality  that  other 
nations  possess.  I  would  also  remark  on  the  general  suavity 
of  manners  that  the  ladies  of  quality  "  (this  word  Mr.  Dodge 
pronounced  qua-a-lity,')  '  observe  in  their  promenades  in  and 
about  this  genteel  quarter  of  Paris.'  " 

"  The  French  ladies  ought  to  be  much  flattered  with  this 
notice  of  them,"  cried  the  captain,  filling  Mr.  Dodge's  glass. 
"  In  the  name  of  truth  and  penetration,  sir,  proceed." 

"  '  I  have  lately  been  invited  to  attend  a  ball  in  one  of  the 
first  families  of  France,  which  resides  in  the  Rue  St.  Jaques, 
or  the  St.  James'  of  Paris.  The  company  was  select,  and  com- 
posed of  many  of  the  first  persons  in  the  kingdom  of  des  Fran- 
cais.  The  best  possible  manners  were  to  be  seen  here,  and  the 
dancing  was  remarkable  for  its  grace  and  beauty.  The  air 
with  which  the  ladies  turned  their  heads  on  one  side,  and  in- 
clined their  bodies  in  advancing  aud  retiring,  was  in  the  first 
style  of  the  court  of  Terpsichore.  They  were  all  of  the  very 
first  families  of  France.  I  heard  one  excuse  herself  for  going 
away  so  early,  as  Madame  la  Duchesse  expected  her;  and 
another  observed  that  she  was  to  leave  town  in  the  morning 
with  Madame  la  Vicomtesse.  The  gentlemen,  with  few  excep- 
tions, were  in  fancy  dresses,  appearing  in  coats,  some  of  sky- 
blue,  some  green,  some  scarlet,  and  some  navy-blue,  as  fancy 
dictated,  and  all  more  or  less  laced  on  the  seams ;  much  in 
the  manner  as  was  the  case  with  the  Honorable  the  King  the 
morning  I  saw  him  leave  for  Nully.  This  entertainment  was 


376  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

altogether  the  best  conducted  of  any  I  ever  attended,  the  gen- 
tlemen being  condescending,  and  without  the  least  pride,  and 
the  ladies  all  grace.'  " 

"  Graces  would  be  more  expressive,  if  you  will  excuse  my 
suggesting  a  word,  sir,"  observed  John  Effingham,  as  the  other 
paused  to  take  breath. 

"  '  I  have  observed  that  the  people  in  most  monarchies  are 
abject  and  low-minded  in  their  deportment.  Thus  the  men 
take  off  their  hats  when  they  enter  churches,  although  the 
minister  be  not  present;  and  even  the  boys  take  off  their  hats 
when  they  enter  private  houses.  This  is  commencing  servility 
young.  I  have  even  seen  men  kneeling  on  the  cold  pavements 
of  the  churches  in  the  most  abject  manner,  and  otherwise  be- 
traying the  feeling  naturally  created  by  slavish  institutions." 

"  Lord  help  'em  !  "  exclaimed  the  captain,  "  if  they  begin 
so  young,  what  a  bowing  and  kneeling  set  of  blackguards  they 
will  get  to  be  in  time." 

"  It  is  to  be  presumed  that  Mr.  Dodge  has  pointed  out  the 
consequences  in  the  instance  of  the  abject  old  men  mentioned, 
who  probably  commenced  their  servility  by  entering  houses 
with  their  hats  off,"  said  John  Effingham. 

"  Just  so,  sir,"  rejoined  the  editor.  "  I  throw  in  these 
little  popular  traits  because  I  think  they  show  the  differences 
between  nations." 

"  From  which  I  infer,"  said  Mr.  Sharp,  "  that  in  your  part 
of  America  boys  do  not  take  off  their  hats  when  they  enter 
houses,  nor  men  kneel  in  churches  ? " 

"  Certainly  not,  sir.  Our  people  get  their  ideas  of  man- 
liness early ;  and  as  for  kneeling  in  churches,  we  have  some 
superstitious  sects — I  do  not  mention  them  ;  but,  on  the  whole, 
no  nation  can  treat  the  house  of  God  more  rationally  than  we 
do  in  America." 

"That  I  will  vouch  for,"  rejoined  John  Effingham;  "for 
the  last  time  I  was  at  home  I  attended  a  concert  in  one  of 
them,  where  an  artiste  of  singular  nasal  merit  favored  the  com- 
pany with  that  admirable  piece  of  conjoined  sentiment  and 
music  entitled  *  Four-and-twenty  fiddlers  all  in  a  row ! " 

"  I'll  engage  for  it,"  cried  Mr.  Dodge,  swelling  with  na- 
tional pride  ;  "  and  felt  all  the  time  as  independent  and  easy 
as  if  he  was  in  a  tavern.  Oh  !  superstition  is  quite  extinct  in 
Ameriky !  But  I  have  a  few  remarks  on  the  church  in  my 
notes  upon  England  :  perhaps  you  would  like  to  hear  them?" 

"  Let  me  intreat  you  to  read  them, "said  the  true  Sir  George 
Ternplemore,  a  little  eagerly. 


HOMEWARD   BOUND. 


377 


"  Now,  I  protest  against  any  illiberality,"  added  the  false 
Sir  George,  shaking  his  finger. 

Mr.  Dodge  disregarded  both ;  but,  turning  to  the  place,  he 
read  aloud  with  his  usual  self-complacency  and  unction. 

"'To-day,  I  attended  public  worship  in  St. church, 

Minories.  The  congregation  was  composed  of  many  of  the 
first  people  of  England,  among  whom  were  present  Sir  Solo- 
mon Snore,  formerly  HIGH  sheriff  of  London,  a  gentleman  of 
the  first  consideration  in  the  empire,  and  the  celebrated  Mr. 
Shilling,  of  the  firm  of  Pound,  Shilling,  and  Pence.  There 
was  certainly  a  fine  air  of  polite  life  in  the  congregation,  but  a 
little  too  much  idolatry.  Sir  Solomon  and  Mr.  Shilling  were 
both  received  with  distinction,  which  was  very  proper,  when  we 
remember  their  elevated  rank ;  but  the  genuflexions  and 
chaunting  met  with  my  very  unqualified  disapprobation.'  " 

"  Sir  Solomon  and  the  other  personage  you  mention  were  a 
little  pursy,  perhaps,"  observed  Mr.  Sharp,  "which  destroyed 
their  grace." 

"  I  disapprove  of  all  kneeling,  on  general  principles,  sir.  If 
we  kneel  to  one,  we  shall  get  to  kneel  to  another,  and  no  one 
can  tell  where  it  will  end.  *  The  exclusive  manner  in  which 
the  congregation  were  seated  in  pews,  with  sides  so  high  that 
it  was  difficult  to  see  your  nearest  neighbor  ;  and  these  pews' 
(Mr.  Dodge  pronounced  this  word poohs^)  'have  often  curtains 
that  completely  enclose  their  owners,  a  system  of  selfishness 
that  would  not  be  long  tolerated  in  Ameriky?  " 

"  Do  indivduals  own  their  pews  in  America  ?  "  inquired  Mr. 
Sharp. 

"  Often,"  returned  John  Effingham ;  "  always,  except  in 
those  particular  portions  of  the  country  where  it  is  deemed  in- 
vidious, and  contrary  to  the  public  rights,  to  be  better  off  than 
one's  neighbor,  by  owning  anything  that  all  the  community  has 
not  a  better  claim  to  than  its  proprietor." 

"  And  cannot  the  owner  of  a  pew  curtain  it,  with  a  view  to 
withdraw  into  himself  at  public  worship  ?  " 

"  America  and  England  are  the  antipodes  of  each  other  in 
all  these  things.  I  daresay,  now,  that  you  have  come  among 
us  with  an  idea  that  our  liberty  is  so  very  licentious,  that  a  man 
may  read  a  newspaper  by  himself  ?  " 

"  I  confess,  certain ly,'  to  that  much,"  returned  Mr.  Sharp, 
smiling. 

"We  shall  teach  him  better  than  this,  Mr.  Dodge,  before 
we  let  him  depart.  No,  sir,  you  have  very  contracted  ideas  of 
liberty,  I  perceive.  With  us  everything  is  settled  by  majorities, 


378  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

We  eat  when  the  majority  eats  ;  drink,  when  the  majority 
drinks  ;  sleep,  when  the  majority  sleeps  ;  pray,  when  the  major- 
ity prays.  So  far  from  burying  ourselves  in  deep  wells  of  pews, 
with  curtains  round  their  edges,  we  have  raised  the  floors, 
amphitheatre  fashion,  so  that  everybody  can  see  everybody ; 
have  taken  away  the  sides  of  the  pews,  which  we  have  con- 
verted into  free  and  equal  seats,  and  have  cut  down  the  side  of 
the  pulpit  so  that  we  can  look  at  the  clergyman ;  but  I  under- 
stand there  is  actually  a  project  on  foot  to  put  the  congrega- 
tion into  the  pulpit,  and  the  parson  into  the  aisle,  by  way  of 
letting  the  latter  see  that  he  is  no  better  than  he  should  be., 
This  would  be  a  capital  arrangement,  Mr.  Dodge,  for  the 
*  Fou-r-and-twenty  fiddlers  all  in  a  row.' >J 

The  editor  of  the  Active  Inquirer  was  a  little  distrustful  of 
John  Effingham,  and  he  was  not  sorry  to  continue  his  extracts, 
although  he  was  obliged  to  bring  himself  still  further  under  the 
fire  of  his  assailant. 

"  '  This  morning,'  Mr.  Dodge  resumed,  "  I  stepped  into  the 
coffee-room  of  the  *  Shovel  and  Tongs,'  public-house,  to  read 
the  morning  paper,  and,  taking  a  seat  by  the  side  of  a  gentle- 
man who  was  reading  the  *  Times,'  and  drawing  to  me  the 
leaves  of  the  journal,  so  that  it  would  be  more  convenient  to 
peruse,  the  man  insolently  and  arrogantly  demanded  of  me, 
'  What  the  devil  I  meant  ? '  This  intolerance  in  the  English 
character  is  owing  to  the  narrowness  of  the  institutions,  under 
which  men  come  to  fancy  liberty  applies  to  persons  instead  of 
majorities.' " 

"  You  perceive,  Mr.  Sharp,"  said  John  Effingham,  "  how 
much  more  able  a  stranger  is  to  point  out  the  defects  of  na- 
tional character  than  a  native.  I  daresay  that  in  indulging 
your  individuality,  hitherto,  you  have  imagined  you  were  enjoy- 
ing liberty." 

"  I  fear  I  have  committed  some  such  weakness — but  Mr. 
Dodge  will  have  the  goodness  to  proceed." 

The  editor  complied  as  follows  : — "  *  Nothing  has  surprised 
me  more  than  the  grovelling  propensities  of  the  English  on  the 
subject  of  names.  Thus  this  very  inn,  which  in  America  would 
be  styled  the  '  Eagle  Tavern,'  or  the  '  Oriental  or  Occidental 
Hotel,'  ^or  the  '  Anglo-Saxon  Democratical  Coffee-house,'  or 
some  other  equally  noble  and  dignified  appellation,  is  called 
the  'Shovel  and  Tongs.'  One  tavern,  which  might  very  ap- 
propriately be  termed  '  The  Saloon  of  Peace,'  is  very  vulgarly 
called  '  Dolly's  Chop-house.'  " 

All  the  gentlemen,  not  excepting  Mr.  Sharp,   murmured 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


379 


their  disgust  at  so  coarse  a  taste.  But  most  of  the  party  be* 
gan  no\v  to  tire  of  this  pretending  ignorance  and  provincial 
vulgarity,  and,  one  by  one,  most  of  them  soon  after  left  the  table. 
Captain  Truck,  however,  sent  for  Mr.  Leach,  and  these  two 
worthies,  with  Mr.  Dodge  and  the  spurious  baronet,  sat  an 
hour  longer,  when  all  retired  to  their  bertha 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

I'll  meet  thee  at  Philippi. 


SHAKESPEARE. 


HAPPY  is  the  man  who  arrives  on  the  coast  of  New  York, 
with  the  wind  at  the  southward,  in  the  month  of  November. 
There  are  two  particular  conditions  of  the  weather,  in  which 
the  stranger  receives  the  most  unfavorable  impressions  of  the 
climate  that  has  been  much  and  unjustly  abused,  but  which  two 
particular  conditions  warrant  all  the  evil  that  has  been  said  of 
it.  One  is  a  sweltering  day  in  summer,  and  the  other  an  au- 
tumnal day,  in  which  the  dry  north  wind  scarce  seems  to  leave 
any  marrow  in  the  bones. 

The  passengers  of  the  Montauk  escaped  both  these  evils, 
and  now  approached  the  coast  with  a  bland  southwest  breeze, 
and  a  soft  sky.  The  ship  had  been  busy  in  the  nighi,  and 
when  the  party  assembled  on  deck  in  the  morning,  Captain 
Truck  told  them,  that  in  an  hour  they  should  have  a  sight  of 
the  long-desired  western  continent.  As  the  packet  was  running 
in  at  the  rate  of  nine  knots,  under  topmast  and  topgallant 
studding-sails,  being  to  windward  of  her  port,  this  was  a  prom- 
ise that  the  gallant  vessel  seemed  likely  enough  to  redeem. 

''  Toast ! "  called  out  the  captain,  who  had  dropped  into  his 
old  habits  as  naturally  as  if  nothing  had  occurred,  "  bring  me  a 
coal ;  and  you,  master  steward,  look  well  to  the  breakfast  this 
morning.  If  the  wind  stands  six  hours  longer,  I  shall  have  the 
grief  of  parting  with  this  good  company,  and  you  the  grief  of 
knowing  you  will  never  set  another  meal  before  them.  These 
are  moments  to  awaken  sentiment,  and  yet  I  never  knew  an 
officer  of  the  pantry  that  did  not  begin  to  grin  as  he  drew  near 
his  port. 

"  It  is  usually  a  cheerful  moment  with  every  one,  I  believe, 


380  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

Captain  Truck,"  said  Eve,  "  and  most  of  all,  should  it  be  one 
of  heartfelt  gratitude,  with  us." 

u  Ay,  ay,  my  dear  young  lady  ;  and  yet  I  fancy  Mr.  Saun- 
ders  will  explain  it  rather  differently.  Has  no  one  sung  out 
'  land,'  yet,  from  aloft,  Mr.  Leach  ?  The  sands  of  New  Jersey 
ought  to  be  visible  before  this." 

"  We  have  seen  the  haze  of  the  land  since  daylight,  but  not 
land  itself." 

"  Then,  like  old  Columbus,  the  flowered  doublet  is  mine — 
land,  ho  ! " 

The  mates  and  the  people  laughed,  and  looking  ahead, 
they  nodded  to  each  other,  and  the  word  "  land  "  passed  from 
mouth  to  mouth,  with  the  indifference  with  which  mariners  first 
see  it  in  short  passages.  Not  so  with  the  rest.  They  crowded 
together,  and  endeavored  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the .  coveted 
shore,  though,  with  the  exception  of  Paul,  neither  could  per- 
ceive it. 

**  We  must  call  on  you  for  assistance,"  said  Eve,  who  now 
seldom  addressed  the  handsome  young  seaman  without  a  flush 
on  her  own  beautiful  face  ;  "  for  we  are  all  so  lubberly  that 
none  of  us  can  see  that  which  we  so  earnestly  desire." 

"  Have  the  kindness  to  look  over  the  stock  of  that  anchor," 
said  Paul,  glad  of  an  excuse  to  place  himself  nearer  to  Eve  ; 
"  and  you  will  discover  an  object  on  the  water." 

"  I  do,"  said  Eve,  "  but  is  it  not  a  vessel  ?  " 

"It  is;  but  a  little  to  the  right  of  that  vessel,  do  you  not 
perceive  a  hazy  object  at  some  elevation  obove  the  sea  ?" 

"  The  cloud,  you  mean — a  dim,  ill-defined,  dark  body  of  va- 
por ? " 

"  So  it  may  seem  to  you,  but  to  me  it  appears  to  be  the  land. 
That  is  the  bluff-like  termination  of  the  celebrated  high  lands 
of  Navesink.  By  watching  it  for  half  an  hour,  you  will  perceive 
its  form  and  surface  grow  gradually  more  distinct." 

Eve  eagerly  pointed  out  the  place  to  Mademoiselle  Viefville 
and  her  father,  and  from  that  moment,  for  near  an  hour,  most 
of  the  passengers  kept  it  steadily  in  view.  As  Paul  had  said, 
the  blue  of  this  hazy  object  deepened ;  then  its  base  became 
connected  with  the  water,  and  it  ceased  to  resemble  a  cloud 
at  all.  In  twenty  more  minutes,  the  faces  and  angles  of  the  hills 
became  visible,  and  trees  started  out  of  their  sides.  In  the  end 
a  pair  of  twin  lights  were  seen  perched  on  the  summit. 

But  the  Montauk  edged  away  from  these  highlands,  and 
shaped  her  course  towards  a  long  low  spit  of  sand,  that  lay 
several  miles  to  the  nortward  of  them.  In  this  direction,  fifty 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  38 z 

small  sails  were  gathering  into,  or  diverging  from  the  pass,  their 
high,  gaunt  looking  canvas  resembling  so  many  church  towers 
on  the  plains  of  Lombardy.  These  were  coasters,  steering 
towards  their  several  havens.  Two  or  three  outward  bound 
ships  were  among  them,  holding  their  way  in  the  direction  of 
China,  the  Pacific  Ocean,  or  Europe. 

About  nine,  the  Montauk  met  a  large  ship  standing  on  a 
bowline,  with  everything  set  that  would  draw,  and  heaping  the 
water  under  her  bows.  A  few  minutes  after,  Captain  Truck, 
whose  attention  had  been  much  diverted  from  the  surrounding 
objects  by  the  care  of  his  ship,  came  near  the  group  of  passen- 
gers, and  once  more  entered  into  conversation. 

"  Here  we  are,  my  dear  young  lady,"  he  cried,  "  within  five 
leagues  of  Sandy  Hook,  which  lies  hereaway,  under  our  lee 
bow  ;  as  pretty  a  position  as  heart  could  wish.  This  lank, 
hungry  looking  schooner  in  shore  of  us,  is  a  news  vessel,  and, 
as  soon  as  she  is  done  with  the  brig  near  her  we  shall  have  her 
in  chase,  when  there  will  be  a  good  opportunity  to  get  rid  of  all 
our  spare  lies.  This  little  fellow  to  leeward,  who  is  clawing 
up  towards  us,  is  the  pilot ;  after  whose  arrival,  my  functions 
cease,  and  I  shall  have  little  to  do  but  to  rattle  off  Saunders  and 
Toast,  and  to  feed  the  pigs." 

u  And  who  is  this  gentleman  ahead  of  us,  with  his  main  top- 
sail to  the  mast,  his  courses  in  the  brails,  and  his  helm  a-lee  ? " 
asked  Paul. 

"  Some  chap  who  has  forgotten  his  knee  buckles  and  has 
been  obliged  to  send  a  boat  up  to  town  to  hunt  for  them,"  coolly 
rejoined  the  captain,  while  he  sought  the  focus  of  the  glass,  and 
levelled  it  at  the  vessel  in  question.  The  look  was  long  and 
steady,  and  twice  Captain  Truck  lowered  the  instrument  to  wipe 
the  moisture  from  his  own  eye.  At  length,  he  called  out,  to  the 
amazement  of  everybody. 

"  Stand  by  to  in  all  studding  sails,  and  to  ware  to  the  east- 
ward. Be  lively,  men,  be  lively  !  The  eternal  Foam,  as  I  am  a 
miserable  sinner ! " 

Paul  laid  a  hand  on  the  arm  of  Captain  Truck,  and  stopped 
him,  as  the  other  was  about  to  spring  towards  the  forecastle, 
with  a  view  to  aid  and  encourage  his  people. 

"  You  forget  that  we  have  neither  spars  nor  sails  suited  to 
a  chase,"  said  the  young  man.  "  If  we  haul  off  to  seaward  on 
any  tack  we  can  try,  the  corvette  will  be  too  much  for  us  now, 
and  excuse  me  if  I  say  that  a  different  course  will  be  advisable.  " 

The  captain  had  learned  to  respect  the  opinion  of  Paul  and 
he  Look  the  interference  kindly. 


382  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  What  choice  remains,  but  to  run  down  into  the  very  jaws 
of  the  lion,"  he  asked,  "  or  to  wear  round,  and  stand  to  the  east- 
ward ? " 

"  We  have  two  alternatives.  We  may  pass  unnoticed,  the 
ship  being  so  much  altered ;  or  we  may  haul  up  on  the  tack  we 
are  on,  and  get  into  shallow  water." 

"  He  draws  as  little  as  this  ship,  sir,  and  would  follow. 
There  is  no  port  short  of  Egg  Harbor,  and  into  that  I  should  be 
bashful  about  entering  with  a  vessel  of  this  size ;  whereas,  by 
running  to  the  eastward,  and  doubling  Montauk,  which  would 
owe  us  shelter  on  account  of  our  name,  I  might  get  into  the 
Sound,  or  New  London,  at  need,  and  then  claim  the  sweep- 
stakes, as  having  won  the  race." 

"  This  would  be  impossible,  Captain  Truck,  allow  me  to 
say.  Dead  before  the  wind,  we  cannot  escape,  for  the  land 
would  fetch  us  up  in  a  couple  of  hours  ;  to  enter  by  Sandy 
Hook,  if  known,  is  impossible,  on  account  of  the  corvette,  and, 
in  a  chase  of  a  hundred  and  twenty  miles,  we  should  be  certain 
to  be  overtaken." 

"  I  fear  you  are  right,  my  dear  sir,  I  fear  you  are  right. 
The  studding-sails  are  now  in,  and  I  will  haul  up  for  the  high- 
lands, and  anchor  under  them,  should  it  be  necessary.  We 
can  then  give  this  fellow  Vattel  in  large  quantities,  for  I  hardly 
think  he  will  venture  to  seize  us  while  we  have  an  anchor  fast 
to  good  American  ground." 

"  How  near  dare  you  stand  to  the  shore  ?  " 

"  Within  a  mile  ahead  of  us  ;  but  to  enter  the  Hook,  the 
bar  must  be  crossed  a  league  or  two  off." 

"  The  latter  is  unlucky ;  but,  by  all  means,  get  the  vessel 
in  with  the  land  ;  so  near  as  to  leave  no  doubt  as  to  our  being 
in  American  waters." 

"  We'll  try  him,  sir,  we'll  try  him.  After  having  escaped 
the  Arabs,  the  deuce  is  in  it,  if  we  cannot  weather  upon  John 
Bull  !  I  beg  your  pardon,  Mr.  Sharp ;  but  this  is  a  question 
that  must  be  settled  by  some  of  the  niceties  of  the  great 
authorities." 

The  yards  were  now  braced  forward,  and  the  ship  was 
brought  to  the  wind,  so  as  to  head  in  a  little  to  the  northward 
of  the  bathing-houses  at  Long  Branch.  But  for  this  sudden 
change  of  course,  the  Montauk  would  have  run  down  dead 
upon  the  corvette,  and  possibly  might  have  passed  her  unde- 
tected, owing  to  the  change  made  in  her  appearance  by  the 
Dane.  So  long  as  she  continued  "  bows  on,"  standing  towards 
them,  not  a  soul  on  board  the  Foam  suspected  her  real  character, 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  383 

though,  now  that  she  acted  so  strangely,  and  offered  her  broad- 
side to  view,  the  truth  became  known  in  an  instant.  The  main- 
yard  of  the  corvette  was  swung,  and  her  sails  were  filled  on  the 
same  course  as  that  on  which  the  packet  was  steering.  The 
two  vessels  were  about  ten  miles  from  the  land,  the  Foam  a 
little  ahead,  but  fully  a  league  to  leeward.  The  latter,  however, 
soon  tacked  and  stood  inshore.  This  brought  the  vessels 
nearly  abreast  of  each  other,  the  corvette  a  mile  or  more,  dead 
to  leeward,  and  distant  now  some  six  miles  from  the  coast. 
The  great  superiority  of  the  corvette's  sailing  was  soon  apparent 
to  all  on  board  both  vessels,  for  she  apparently  went  two  feet 
to  the  packet's  one. 

The  history  of  this  meeting,  so  unexpected  to  Captain 
Truck,  was  very  simple.  When  the  gale  had  abated,  the  cor- 
vette, which  had  received  no  damage,  hauled  up  along  the 
African  coast,  keeping  as  near  as  possible  to  the  supposed 
track  of  the  packet,  and  failing  to  fall  in  with  her  chase, 
she  had  filled  away  for  New  York.  On  making  the  Hook  she 
took  a  pilot,  and  inquired  if  the  Montauk  had  arrived.  From 
the  pilot  she  learned  that  the  vessel  of  which  she  was  in  quest 
had  not  yet  made  its  appearance,  and  she  sent  on  an  officer 
up  to  the  town  to  communicate  with  the  British  Consul.  On 
the  return  of  this  officer,  the  corvette  stood  away  from  the 
land,  and  commenced  cruising  in  the  offing.  For  a  week  she 
had  now  been  thus  occupied,  it  being  her  practice  to  run  close 
in,  in  the  morning,  and  to  remain  hovering  about  the  bar  until 
near  night,  when  she  made  sail  for  an  offing.  When  first  seen 
from  the  Montauk,  she  had  been  lying-to,  to  take  in  stores  sent 
from  the  town,  and  to  communicate  with  a  news-boat. 

The  passengers  of  the  Montauk  had  just  finished  their 
breakfast,  when  the  mate  reported  that  the  ship  was  fast  shoal- 
ing her  water,  and  that  it  would  be  necessary  to  alter  the 
course  in  a  few  minutes,  or  to  anchor.  On  repairing  to  the 
deck  Captain  Truck  and  his  companions  perceived  the  land  less 
than  a  mile  ahead  of  them,  and  the  corvette  about  half  that 
distance  to  the  leeward,  and  nearly  abeam. 

"That  is  a  bold  fellow,"  exclaimed  the  captain,  "or  he 
has  got  a  Sandy  Hook  pilot  on  board  him." 

"  Most  probably  the  latter,"  said  Paul :  "  he  would  scarcely 
be  here  on  this  duty,  and  neglect  so  simple  a  precaution." 

"  I  think  this  would  satisfy  Mr.  Vattel,  sir,"  returned  Captain 
Truck,  as  the  man  in  the  chains  sung  out,  *  and  a  half  three  ! ' 
"  Hard  up  with  the  helm  and  lay  the  yards  square,  Mr.  Leach." 

"  Now  we  shall  soon  know  the  virtue  of  Vattel,"  said  John 


384  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

Effingham,  "  as  ten  minutes  will  suffice  to  raise  the  question 
very  fairly." 

The  Foam  put  her  helm  down,  and  tacked  beautifully  to 
the  southeast.  As  soon  as  the  Montauk,  which  vessel  was  now 
running  alongshore,  keeping  in  about  four  fathoms  water,  the 
sea  being  as  smooth  as  a  pond,  was  abeam,  the  corvette  wore 
round,  and  began  tb  close  with  her  chase,  keeping  on  her 
eastern,  or  outer  board. 

"  Were  we  an  enemy,  and  a  match  for  that  sloop,"  said 
Paul,  "  this  smooth  water  and  yard-arm  attitude  would  make 
quick  work." 

"  Her  captain  is  in  the  gangway,  taking  our  measure,"  ob- 
served Mr.  Truck  :  "  here  is  the  glass  ;  I  wish  you  to  examine 
his  face,  and  tell  me  if  you  think  him  a  man  with  whom  the  law 
of  nations  will  avail  anything.  See  the  anchor  clear,  Mr.  Leach, 
for  I'm  determined  to  bring  up  all  standing,  if  the  gentleman 
intends  to  renew  the  old  tricks  of  John  Bull  on  our  coast. 
What  do  you  make  of  him,  Mr.  Blunt  ?  " 

Paul  did  not  answer,  but  laying  down  the  glass,  he  paced 
the  deck  rapidly  with  the  manner  of  one  much  disturbed.  All 
observed  this  sudden  change,  though  no  one  presumed  to  com- 
ment on  it.  In  the  mean  time  the  sloop-of-war  came  up  fast, 
and  in  a  few  minutes  her  larboard  fore-yard-arm  was  within 
twenty  feet  of  the  starboard  main-yard-arm  of  the  Montauk, 
the  two  vessels  running  on  parallel  lines.  The  corvette  now 
hauled  up  her  fore-course,  and  let  her  topgallant  sails  settle  on 
the  caps,  though  a  dead  silence  reigned  in  her. 

"  Give  me  the  trumpet,"  said  Captain  Truck,  stepping  to 
the  rail ;  "  the  gentleman  is  about  to  give  us  a  piece  of  his 
mind." 

The  English  captain,  who  was  easily  known  by  his  two 
epaulettes,  also  held  a  trumpet  ;  but  neither  of  the  two 
commanders  used  his  instrument,  the  distance  being  sufficiently 
near  for  the  natural  voice. 

"  I  believe,  sir,"  commenced  the  man-of-war's  man,  "  that  I 
have  the  pleasure  to  see  Captain  Truck,  of  the  Montauk,  Lon- 
don packet  ?  " 

"  Ay,  ay,  I'll  warrant  you  he  has  my  name  alongside  of  John 
Doe  and  Richard  Roe,"  muttered  Mr.  Truck,  "  spelt  as  care- 
fully as  it  could  be  in  a  primer. — I  am  Captain  Truck,  and  this 
is  the  Montauk.  May  I  ask  the  name  of  your  vessel,  and  your 
own,  sir?  " 

"  This  is  his  Britannic  Majesty's  ship,  the  Foam,  Captain 
Ducie." 


HOMEWARD  BOUN&.  385 

"  The  Honorable  Captain  Ducie  !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Sharp. 
u  1  thought  I  recognized  the  voice  :  I  know  him  intimately  well." 

"  Will  he  stand  Vattel  ?  "  anxiously  demanded  Mr.  Truck. 

"  Nay,  as  for  that,  I  must  refer  you  to  himself." 

"  You  appear  to  have  suffered  in  the  gale,"  resumed  Cap- 
tain Ducie,  whose  smile  was  very  visible,  as  he  thus  addressed 
them  like  an  old  acquaintance.  "  We  fared  better  ourselves, 
for  I  believe  we  did  not  part  a  rope-yarn." 

"  The  ship  pitched  every  stick  out  of  her,"  returned  Cap- 
tain Truck,  "  and  has  given  us  the  trouble  of  a  new  outfit." 

"  In  which  you  appear  to  have  succeeded  admirably.  Your 
spars  and  sails  are  a  size  or  two  too  small  ;  but  everything 
stands  like  a  church." 

"  Ay,  ay,  now  we  have  got  on  our  new  clothes,  we  are  not 
ashamed  to  be  seen." 

**  May  I  ask  if  you  have  been  in  port  to  do  all  this  ?  " 

"  No,  sir;  picked  them  up  alongshore." 

The  Honorable  Captain  Ducie  thought  he  was  quizzed, 
and  his  manner  became  a  little  more  cold,  though  it  still  retained 
its  gentlemanlike  tone. 

"  I  wish  much  to  see  you  in  private,  sir,  on  an  affair  of  some 
magnitude,  and  I  greatly  regret  it  was  not  in  my  power  to  speak 
you  the  night  you  left  Portsmouth.  I  am  quite  aware  you  are 
in  your  own  waters,  and  I  feel  a  strong  reluctance  to  retain 
your  passengers  when  so  near  their  port ;  but  I  shall  feel  it  as  a 
particular  favor  if  you  will  permit  me  to  repair  on  board  for  a 
few  minutes." 

"  With  all  my  heart,"  cried  Captain  Truck  :  "  if  you  will 
give  me  room,  I  will  back  my  main-topsail,  tfut  I  wish  to  lay 
my  head  off  shore.  This  gentleman  understands  Vattel,  and  we 
shall  have  no  trouble  with  him.  Keep  the  anchor  clear,  Mr. 
Leach,  for  '  fair  words  butter  no  parsnips.'  Still,  he  is  a  gentle- 
man : — and,  Saunders,  put  a  bottle  of  the  old  Madeira  on  the 
cabin  table." 

Captain  Ducie  now  left  the  rigging  in  which  he  had  stood, 
and  the  corvette  luffed  off  to  the  eastward,  to  give  room  to  the 
packet,  where  she  hove-to  with  her  fore-topsail  aback.  The 
Montauk  followed,  taking  a  position  under  her  lee.  A  quarter- 
boat  was  lowered,  and  in  five  minutes  its  oars  were  tossed  at 
the  packet's  lee-gangway,  when  the  commander  of  the  corvette 
ascended  the  ship's  side,  followed  by  a  middle-aged  man  in  the 
dress  of  a  civilian,  and  a  chubby-faced  midshipman. 

i<u  one  could  mistake  Captain  Ducie  for  anything  but  a 
gentleman.  He  was  handsome,  well-formed,  and  about  five- 


336  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

and-lwenty.  The  bow  he  made  to  Eve,  with  whose  beauty  and  air 
he  seemed  instantly  struck,  would  have  become  a  drawing-room ; 
but  he  was  too  much  of  an  officer  to  permit  any  further  atten- 
tion to  escape  him  until  he  had  paid  his  respects  to,  and  re- 
ceived the  compliments  of,  Captain  Truck.  He  then  turned  to 
the  ladies  and  Mr.  Effingham,  and  repeated  his  salutations. 

"  I  fear,"  he  said,  "  my  duty  has  made  me  the  unwilling  in- 
strument of  prolonging  your  passage,  for  I  believe  few  ladies 
love  the  ocean  sufficiently,  easily  to  forgive  those  who  lengthen 
its  disagreeables." 

"  We  are  old  travellers,  and  know  how  to  allow  for  the  obli- 
gations of  duty,"  Mr.  Effingham  civilly  answered. 

"That  they  do,  sir,"  put  in  Captain  Truck  ;  "and  it  was 
never  my  good  fortune  to  have  a  more  agreeable  set  of  passen- 
gers. Mr.  Effingham,  the  Honorable  Captain  Ducie  ; — the 
Honorable  Captain  Ducie,  Mr.  Effingham ; — Mr.  John  Effing- 
ham, Mam'selle  V.  A.  V."  endeavoring  always  to  imitate  Eve's 
pronunciation  of  the  name  ; — "  Mr.  Dodge,  the  Honorable 
Captain  Ducie ;  the  Honorable  Captain  Ducie,  Mr.  Dodge." 

The  Honorable  Captain  Ducie  and  all  the  others,  the  editor 
of  the  Active  Inquirer  excepted,  smiled  slightly,  though  they 
respectively  bowed  and  curtseyed ;  but  Mr.  Dodge,  who  con- 
ceived himself  entitled  to  be  formally  introduced  to  every  one 
he  met,  and  to  know  all  he  saw,  whether  introduced  or  not, 
stepped  forward  promptly,  and  shook  Mr.  Ducie  cordially  by 
the  hand. 

Captain  Truck  now  turned  in  quest  of  some  one  else  to  in- 
troduce ;  Mr.  Sharp  stood  near  the  capstan,  and  Paul  had  re- 
tired as  far  aft  a?  the  hurricane-house. 

"  I  am  happy  to  see  you  in  the  Montank,"  added  Captain 
Truck,  insensibly  leading  the  other  towards  the  capstan,  "  and  am 
sorry  I  had  not  ^the  satisfaction  of  meeting  you  in  England. 
The  Honorable  Captain  Ducie,  Mr.  Sharp :  Mr.  Sharp,  the 
Honorable  Captain " 

"  George  Templemore  !  "  exclaimed  the  commander  of  the 
corvette,  looking  from  one  to  the  other. 

"  Charles  Ducie  !  "  exclaimed  the  soi-disant  Mr.  Sharp. 

"  Here  then  is  an  end  of  part  of  my  hopes,  and  we  have 
been  on  a  wrong  scent  the  whole  time." ' 

"  Perhaps  not,  Ducie  :  explain  yourself." 

"  You  must  have  perceived  my  endeavors  to  speak  you,  from 
the  moment  you  sailed  ?  " 

"  To  speak  us  !  "  cried  Captain  Truck.  "  Yes,  sir,  we  did 
observe  your  endeavors  to  speak  us" 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  387 

"  It  was  because  I  was  given  to  understand  that  one  calling 
himself  Sir  George  Templemore,  an  impostor,  however,  had 
taken  passage  in  this  ship  ;  and  here  I  find  that  we  have  been 
misled,  by  the  real  Sir  George  Templemore's  having  chosen  to 
come  this  way  instead  of  coming  by  the  Liverpool  ship.  So 
much  for  your  confounded  fashionable  caprices,  Templemore, 
which  never  lets  you  know  in  the  morning  whether  you  are  to 
shoot  yourself  or  to  get  married  before  night." 

"  And  is  this  gentleman  Sir  George  Templemore  !  "  pithily 
demanded  Captain  Truck. 

"  For  that  I  can  vouch,  on  the  knowledge  of  my  whole  life." 
"  And  we  know  this  to  be  true,  and  have  known  it  since  the 
day  we  sailed,"  observed  Mr.  Effingham. 

Captain  Truck  was  accustomed  to  passengers  under  false 
names,  but  never  before  had  he  been  so  completely  mystified. 

"  And  pray,  sir,"  he  inquired  of  the  baronet,  "  are  you  a 
member  of  Parliament  ?  " 
"  I  have  that  honor." 

"  And  Templemore  Hall  is  your  residence,  and  you  have 
come  out  to  look  at  the  Canadas  ?  " 

"  I  am  the  owner  of  Templemore  Hall,  and  hope  to  look  at 
the  Canadas  before  I  return." 

"  And,"  turning  to  Captain  Ducie,  "  you  sailed  in  quest  of 
another  Sir  George  Templemore — a  false  one  ?  " 

"  That  is  a  part  of  my  errand,"  returned  Captain  Ducie,  smil- 
ing." 

"  Nothing  else — you  are  certain,  sir,  that  this  is  the  whole 
of  your  errand  ?  " 

"  I  confess  to  another  motive,"  rejoined  the  other,  scarce 
knowing  how  to  take  Captain  Truck's  question  ;  "  but  this  one 
will  suffice  for  the  present,  I  hope." 

"  This  business  requires  frankness.  I  mean  nothing  dis- 
respectful ;  but  I  am  in  American  waters,  and  should  be  sorry, 
after  all,  to  be  obliged  to  throw  myself  on  Vattel." 

"  Let  me  act  as  mediator,"  interrupted  Sir  George  Tem- 
plemore. "  Some  one  has  been  a  defaulter,  Ducie  ;  is  it  not 
so?" 

"  This  is  the  simple  truth  :  an  unfortunate,  but  silly  young 
man,  of  the  name  of  Sandon.  He  was  intrusted  with  a  large 
sum  of  the  public  money,  and  has  absconded  with  quite  forty 
thousand  pounds." 

"  And  this  person,  you  fancy,  did  me  the  honor  to  travel 
under  my  name  ? " 

"  Of  that  we  are  certain.     Mr.  Green  here,"  motioning-  tg 


388  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

the  civilian,  "comes  from  the  same  office,  and  traced  the 
delinquent,  under  your  name,  some  distance  on  the  Portsmouth 
road.  When  we  heard  that  a  Sir  George  Templemore  had  actually 
embarked  in  the  Montauk,  the  admiral  made  no  scruple  in 
sending  me  after  the  packet.  This  has  been  an  unlucky  mistake 
for  me,  as  it  would  have  been  a  feather  in  the  cap  of  so  young 
a  commander  to  catch  the  rogue." 

"  You  may  choose  your  feather,  sir,"  returned  Captain  Truck, 
"  for  you  will  have  a  right  to  wear  it.  The  unfortunate  young 
man  you  seek  is,  out  of  question,  in  this  ship." 

Captain  Truck  now  explained  that  there  was  a  person 
below  who  had  been  known  to  him  as  Sir  George  Templemore, 
and  who,  doubtless,  was  the  unhappy  delinquent  sought.  But 
Captain  Ducie  did -not  betray  the  attention  or  satisfaction  that 
one  would  have  expected  from  this  information,  his  eye  being 
riveted  on  Paul,  who  stood  beneath  the  hurricane-house.  When 
the  latter  saw  that  he  attracted  attention  he  advanced  slowly, 
even  reluctantly,  upon  the  quarter-deck.  The  meeting  between 
these  two  gentlemen  was  embarrassed,  though  each  maintained 
his  self-possession. 

"  Mr.  Powis,  I  believe  ? "  said  the  officer  bowing  haughtily. 

"  Captain  Ducie,  if  I  am  not  mistaken  ?  "  returned  the 
other,  lifting  his  hat  steadily,  though  his  face  become  flushed. 

The  manner  of  the  two,  however,  was  but  little  noticed  at 
the  moment,  though  all  heard  the  words.  Captain  Truck  drew 
a  long  "  whe — e — e — w  !  "  for  this  was  rather  more  than  even 
he  was  accustomed  to,  in  the  way  of  masquerades.  His  eye 
was  on  the  two  gentlemen  as  they  walked  aft  together,  and 
alone,  when  he  felt  a  touch  upon  his  arm.  It  was  the  little 
hand  of  Eve,  between  whom  and  the  old  seaman  there  existed 
a  good  deal  of  trifling,  blended  with  the  most  entire  good-will. 
The  young  lady  laughed  with  her  sweet  eyes,  shook  her  fair 
curls,  and  said  mockingly, — 

"  Mr.  Sharp,  Mr.  Blunt  ;  Mr.  Blunt,  Mr.  Sharp  ! " 

"  And  were  you  in  the  secret  all  this  time,  my  dear  young 
lady  ? " 

"  Every  minute  of  it ;  from  the  buoys  of  Portsmouth  to  this 
very  spot." 

"I  shall  be  obliged  to  introduce  my  passengers  all  over 
again  ! " 

"  Certainly  ;  and  I  would  recommend  that  each  should  show 
a  certificate  of  baptism,  or  a  passport,  before  you  announce  his 
or  her  name." 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  389 

"  You  are,  at  least,  the  beautiful  Miss  Effingham,  my  dear 
young  lady  ?  " 

"  I'll  not  vouch  for  that,  even,"  said  Eve,  blushing  and  laugh- 
ing. 

'  That  is  Mr.  John  Effingham,  I  hope  !  " 

"  For  that  I  can  vouch.  There  are  not  two  cousin  Tacks  on 
earth." 

"  I  wish  I  knew  what  the  other  business  of  this  gentleman 
is  !  He  seems  amicably  disposed,  except  as  regards  Mr.  Blunt. 
They  looked  coldly  and  suspiciously  at  each  other.'' 

Eve  thought  so  too,  and  she  lost  all  her  desire  for  pleasan- 
try. Just  at  this  moment  Captain  Ducie  quitted  his  companion, 
both  touching  their  hats  distantly,  and  returned  to  the  group  he 
had  so  unceremoniously  left  a  few  minutes  before. 

"  I  believe,  Captain  Truck,  you  now  know  my  errand,"  he 
said,  "  and  can  say  whether  you  will  consent  to  my  examining 
the  person  whom  you  have  mentioned  ? " 

"  I  know  one  of  your  errands,  sir  ;  you  spoke  of  having 
two." 

"  Both  will  find  their  completion  in  this  ship,  with  your 
permission." 

"  Permission  !  That  sounds  well,  at  least,  my  dear  young 
lady.  Permit  me  to  inquire,  Captain  Ducie,  has  either  of  your 
errands  the  flavor  of  tobacco  about  it  ?  " 

The  young  man  looked  surprised,  and  he  began  to  suspect 
another  mystification. 

"The  question  is  so  singular  that  it  is  not  very  intel- 
ligible." 

"  I  wish  to  know,  Captain  Ducie,  if  you  have  anything  to 
say  to  this  ship  in  the  way  of  smuggling  ?  " 

"  Certainly  not.  I  am  not  a  custom-house  officer,  sir,  nor 
on  the  revenue  duty  ;  and  I  had  supposed  this  vessel  a 
regular  packet,  whose  interest  is  too  plain  to  enter  into  such  a 
pursuit.'* 

"  You  have  supposed  nothing  but  the  truth,  sir  ;  though  we 
cannot  always  answer  for  the  honesty  or  discretion  of  our 
people.  A  single  pound  of  tobacco  might  forfeit  this  noble 
ship  ;  and,  observing  the  perseverance  with  which  you  have 
chased  me,  I  was  afraid  all  was  not  right  with  the  excise." 

"  You  have  had  a  needless  alarm,  then,  for  my  two  objects 
in  coming  to  America  are  completely  answered  by  meeting  with 
Mr.  Powis  and  Mr.  Sandon,  who,  I  have  been  given  to 
understand,  is  in  his  state-room  below." 

The  party  looked  at  each  other,  but  nothing  was  said. 


390  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  Such  being  the  facts,  Captain  Ducie,  I  beg  to  offer  you 
every  facility  so  far  as  the  hospitality  of  my  ship  is  concerned." 

"  You  will  permit  us  to  have  an  interview  with  Mr.  San- 
don  ?  " 

"  Beyond  a  doubt.  I  see,  sir,  you  have  read  Vattel,  and 
understand  the  rights  of  neutrals,  or  of  independent  nations 
As  this  interview  most  probably  will  be  interesting,  you  may 
desire  to  have  it  held  in  private,  and  a  stateroom  will  be  too 
small  for  the  purpose.  My  dear  young  lady,  will  you  have  the 
complaisance  to  lend  us  your  cabin  for  half  an  hour  ?  " 

Eve  bowed  assent,  and  Captain  Truck  then  invited  the  two 
Englishmen  below. 

"  My  presence  at  this  interview  is  of  little  moment," 
observed  Captain  Ducie ;  "  Mr.  Green  is  master  of  the  whole 
affair,  and  I  have  a  matter  of  importance  to  arrange  with  Mr. 
Powis.  If  one  or  two  of  you  gentlemen  will  have  the  kindness 
to  be  present,  and  witness  of  what  passes  between  Mr.  Sandon 
and  Mr  Green,  it  would  be  a  great  favor.  Templemore,  I  may 
claim  this  of  you  ?  " 

"  With  all  my  heart,  though  it  is  an  unpleasant  office  to  see 
guilt  exposed.  Should  I  presume  too  much  by  asking  Mr. 
John  Effingham  to  be  of  our  party  ? " 

"  I  was  about  to  make  the  same  request,"  put  in  the  cap- 
tain. "  We  shall  then  be  two  Englishmen  and  two  Yankees, — 
if  Mr.  John  Effingham  will  allow  me  so  to  style  him  ?  " 

"  Until  we  get  within  the  Hook,  Captain  Truck,  I  am  a 
Yankee ;  once  in  the  country,  I  belong  to  the  Middle  States, 
if  you  will  allow  me  the  favor  to  choose." 

The  last  speaker  was  stopped  by  a  nudge  from  Captain 
Truck,  who  seized  an  opportunity  to  whisper. 

"  Make  no  such  distinction  between  outside  and  inside,  I 
beg  of  you,  my  dear  sir.  I  hold  that  the  ship  is,  at  this 
identical  moment,  in  the  United  States  of  America  in  a  positive 
sense,  as  well  as  by  a  legal  fiction  ;  and  I  think  Vattel  will 
bear  me  out  in  it." 

**  Let  it  pass  for  that,  then.  I  will  be  present  at  your  in- 
terview with  the  fugitive.  If  the  case  is  not  clear  against  him. 
he  shall  be  protected." 

Things  were  now  soon  arranged  ;  it  being  decided  that  Mr. 
Green,  who  belonged  to  one  of  the  English  offices,  accompanied 
by  the  gentlemen  just  named,  should  descend  to  the  cabin  of 
Miss  Effingham,  in  order  to  receive  the  delinquent ;  while  Cap- 
tain Ducie  should  have  his  interview  with  Paul  Powis  in  thq 
Stateroom  of  the  latter, 


ttOMEWARD  BOUND.  $g t 

The  first  party  went  below  immediately ;  but  Captain 
Ducie  remained  on  deck  a  minute  or  two  to  give  an  order  to 
the  midshipman  of  his  boat,  who  immediately  quitted  the  Mon 
tauk,  and  pulled  to  the  corvette.  During  this  brief  delay  Paul 
approached  the  ladies,  to  whom  he  spoke  with  a  forced  in- 
difference, though  it  was  not  possible  to  avoid  seeing  his  con- 
cern. 

His  servant,  too,  was  observed  watching  his  movements 
with  great  interest ;  and  when  the  two  gentlemen  went  below 
in  company,  the  man  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  actually  held 
up  his  hands,  as  one  is  wont  to  do  at  the  occurrence  of  any 
surprising  or  distressing  circumstance. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

Norfolk,  for  thee  remains  a  heavy  doom, 
Which  I  with  some  unwillingness  pronounce, 

SHAKESPEARE. 

THE  history  of  the  unfortunate  young  man,  who,  after  es- 
caping all  the  hazards  and  adventures  of  the  passage,  was  now 
so  unexpectedly  overtaken  as  he  was  about  to  reach  what  he 
fancied  an  asylum,  was  no  more  than  one  of  those  common- 
place tissue  of  events  that  lead,  through  vanity  and  weakness, 
to  crime.  His  father  had  held  an  office  under  the  British 
government.  Marrying  late,  and  leaving  a  son  and  daughter 
just  issuing  into  life  at  the  time  of  his  decease,  the  situation  he 
had  himself  filled  had  been  given  to  the  first,  out  of  respect  to 
the  unwearied  toil  of  a  faithful  servant. 

The  young  man  was  one  of  those  who,  without  principles 
or  high  motives,  live  only  for  vanity.  Of  prominent  vices  he 
had  none,  for  there  were  no  salient  points  in  his  character  on 
which  to  hang  any  quality  of  sufficient  boldness  to  encourage 
crime  of  that  nature.  Perhaps  he  owed  his  ruin  to  the  circum- 
stance that  he  had  a  tolerable  person,  and  was  six  feet  high,  as 
much  as  to  any  one  other  thing.  His  father  had  been  a  short 
solid,  square-built  little  man,  whose  ambition  never  towered 
above  his  stature,  and  who,  having  entered  fairly  on  the  path  of 
industry  and  integrity  early  in  life,  had  sedulously  persevered 
in  it  to  the  end.  Not  so  with  the  son.  He  read  so  much 
about  aristocratic  stature,  aristocratic  ears,  anistocratic  hands 


392  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

aristocratic  feet,  and  aristocratic  air,  that  he  was  delighted  to 
find  that  in  all  these  high  qualities  he  was  not  easily  to  be  dis- 
tinguished from  most  of  the  young  men  of  rank  he  occasionally 
saw  riding  in  the  parks,  or  met  in  the  streets ;  and  though  he 
very  well  knew  he  was  not  a  lord,  he  began  to  fancy  it  a  hap- 
piness to  be  thought  one  by  strangers,  for  an  hour  or  two  in  a 
week. 

His  passion  for  trifles  and  toys  was  inherent,  and  it  had 
been  increased  by  reading  two  or  three  caricatures  of  fashion- 
able men  in  the  novels  of  the  day.  until  his  happiness  was 
chiefly  centred  in  its  indulgence.  This  was  an  expensive 
foible ;  and  its  gratification  ere  long  exhausted  his  legitimate 
means.  One  or  tv/o  trifling  and  undetected  peculations  favored 
his  folly,  until  a  large  sum  happening  to  lie  at  his  sole  mercy 
for  a  week  or  two,  he  made  such  an  inroad  on  it  as  compelled 
a  flight.  Having  made  up  his  mind  to  quit  England,  he  thought 
it  would  be  as  easy  to  escape  with  forty  thousand  pounds  as 
with  the  few  hundreds  he  had  already  appropriated  to  himself. 
This  capital  mistake  was  the  cause  of  his  destruction  ;  for  the 
magnitude  of  the  sum  induced  the  government  to  take  unusual 
steps  to  recover  it,  and  was  the  true  cause  of  its  having  de- 
spatched the  cruiser  in  chase  of  the  Montauk. 

The  Mr.  Green  who  had  been  sent  to  identify  the  fugitive, 
was  a  cold,  methodical  man,  every  way  resembling  the  delin- 
quent's father,  whose  office-companion  he  had  been,  and  in 
whose  track  of  undeviating  attention  to  business  and  negative 
honesty  he  had  faithfully  followed.  He  felt  the  peculation,  or 
robbery,  for  it  scarce  deserved  a  milder  term,  to  be  a  reproach 
on  the  corps  to  which  he  belonged,  besides  leaving  a  stigma 
on  the  name  of  one  to  whom  he  had  himself  looked  up  as  to  a 
model  for  his  own  imitation  and  government.  It  will  readily 
be  supposed,  therefore,  that  this  person  was  not  prepared  to 
meet  the  delinquent  in  a  very  forgiving  mood. 

"  Saunders,"  said  Captain  Truck  in  the  stern  tone  with 
which  he  often  hailed  a-top,  and  which  implied  that  instant 
obedience  was  a  condition  of  his  forbearance,  "  go  to  the  state- 
room of  the  person  who  has  called  himself  Sir  George  Temple- 
more — give  him  my  compliments — be  very  particular,  Mr. 
Saunders — and  say  Captain  Truck's  compliments,  and  then  tell 
him  I  expect  the  honor  of  his  company  in  this  cabin — the  honor 
of  his  company,  remember,  in  this  cabin.  If  that  don't  bring 
him  out  of  his  stateroom,  I'll  contrive  something  that  shall." 

The  steward  turned  up  the  white  of  his  eyes,  shrugged  his 
shoulders,  and  proceeded  forthwith  on  the  errand.  He  found 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  393 

time,  however,  to  stop  in  the  pantry,  and  to  inform  Toast  that 
their  suspicions  were  at  least  in  part  true. 

"  This  elucidates  the  circumstance  of  his  having  no  attend- 
ant with  him,  like  other  gentlemen  on  board,  and  a  wariety  of 
other  incidents,  that  much  needed  dewelopement.  Mr.  Blunt, 
I  do  collect  from  a  few  hints  on  deck,  turns  out  to  be  a  Mr. 
Powis,  a  much  genteeler  name  ;  and  as  they  spoke  to  some  one 
in  the  ladies'  cabin  as  *  Sir  George,'  I  should  not  be  overcome 
with  astonishment  should  Mr.  Sharp  actually  eventuate  as  the 
real  baronite." 

There  was  time  for  no  more,  and  Saunders  proceeded  to 
summon  the  delinquent. 

"  This  is  the  most  unpleasant  part  of  the  duty  of  a  packet- 
master  between  England  and  America,"  continued  Captain 
Truck,  as  soon  as  Saunders  was  out  of  sight.  "  Scarce  a  ship 
sails  that  it  has  not  some  runaway  or  other,  either  in  the  steer- 
age or  in  the  cabins,  and  we  are  often  called  on  to  aid  the  civil 
authorities  on  both  sides  of  the  water." 

"  America  seems  to  be  a  favorite  country  with  our  English 
rogues,"  observed  the  office-man,  dryly.  "  This  is  the  third 
that  has  gone  from  our  own  department  within  as  many  years." 

"  Your  department  appears  to  be  fruitful  of  such  characters, 
sir,"  returned  Captain  Truck,  pretty  much  in  the  spirit  in  which 
the  first  remark  had  been  given. 

Mr.  Green  was  as  thorough-going  an  Englishman  as  any  of 
his  class  in  the  island.  Methodical,  plodding,  industrious,  and 
regular  in  all  his  habits,  he  was  honest  by  rule,  and  had  no 
leisure  or  inclination  for  any  other  opinions  than  those  which 
were  obtained  with  the  smallest  effort.  In  consequence  of  the 
limited  sphere  in  which  he  dwelt,  in  a  moral  sense  at  least,  he 
was  a  mass  of  the  prejudices  that  were  most  prevalent  at  the 
period  when  he  first  obtained  his  notions.  His  hatred  of  France 
was  unconquerable,  for  he  had  early  learned  to  consider  her  as 
the  fast  enemy  of  England  ;  and  as  to  America,  he  deemed  her  to 
be  the  general  asylum  of  all  the  rogues  of  his  own  country — the 
possession  of  a  people  who  had  rebelled  against  their  king  be- 
cause the  restraints  of  law  were  inherently  disagreeable  to  them. 
This  opinion  he  had  no  more  wish  to  proclaim  than  he  felt  a 
desire  to  go  up  and  down  declaring  that  Satan  was  the  father 
of  sin  ;  but  the  fact  in  the  one  case  was  just  as  well  established 
in  his  mind  as  in  the  other.  If  he  occasionally  betrayed  the 
the  existence  of  these  sentiments,  it  was  as  a  man  coughs ;  not 
because  he  particularly  wishes  to  cough,  but  because  he  cannot 
help  it.  Finding  the  subject  so  naturally  introduced,  therefore, 


394  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

it  is  no  wonder  if  some  of  his  peculiar  notions  escaped  him  in 
the  short  dialogue  that  followed. 

"  We  have  our  share  of  bad  men,  I  presume,  sir,"  he  re- 
joined to  the  thrust  of  Captain  Truck  ;  "  but  the  thing  that  has 
most  attracted  comment  with  us,  is  the  fact  that  they  all  go  to 
America." 

"  And  we  receive  our  share  of  rogues,  I  presume,  sir  ;  and 
it  is  the  subject  of  animadversion  with  us  that  they  all  come 
from  England." 

Mr.  Green  did  not  feel  the  force  of  this  retort ;  but  he 
wiped  his  spectacles  as  he  quietly  composed  his  features  into  a 
look  of  dignified  gravity. 

"  Some  of  your  most  considerable  men  in  America,  I  believe, 
sir,"  he  continued,  "  have  been  Englishmen,  who  preferred  a 
residence  in  the  colonies  to  a  residence  at  home." 

"  I  never  heard  of  them,"  returned  the  captain ;  "  will  you 
have  the  goodness  to  name  just  one  ? " 

"  Why,  to  begin,  there  was  your  Washington.  I  have  often 
heard  my  father  say  that  he  went  to  school  with  him  in  War- 
wickshire, and  that  he  was  thought  anything  but  clever,  too, 
while  he  lived  in  England." 

"  You  perceive,  then,  that  we  made  something  of  him  when 
we  got  him  over  on  this  side  ;  for  he  turned  out  in  the  end  to 
be  a  very  decent  and  respectable  sort  of  a  person.  Judging 
from  the  language  of  some  of  your  prints,  sir,  I  should  suppose 
that  King  William  enjoyed  the  reputation  of  being  a  respectable 
man  in  your  country  ?  " 

Although  startled  to  hear  his  sovereign  spoken  of  in  this  ir- 
reverent manner,  Mr.  Green  answered  promptly, — 

"  He  is  a  king,  sir,  and  comports  himself  as  a  king." 

"  And  all  the  better,  I  daresay,  for  the  thrashing  he  got  when 
a  youngster,  from  the  Vermont  tailor." 

Now  Captain  Truck  quite  as  religiously  believed  in  this  vul- 
gar tale  concerning  the  prince  in  question,  as  Mr.  Green  believed 
that  Washington  had  commenced  his  career  as  one  no  better 
than  he  should  be,  or  as  implicitly  as  Mr.  Steadfast  Dodge  gave 
credit  to  the  ridiculous  history  of  the  schoolmaster  of  Haddon- 
field  ;  all  three  of  the  legends  belonging  to  the  same  high  class 
of  historical  truths. 

Sir  George  Templemore  looked  with  surprise  at  John  Effing- 
ham,  who  gravely  remarked, — 

"  Elegant  extracts,  sir,  from  the  vulgar  rumors  of  two  great 
nations.  We  deal  largely  in  these  legends,  and  you  are  not 
quite  guiltless  of  them.  I  dare  say,  now,  if  you  would  be  frank, 


tiOMEWARD  BOUND.  395 

that  you  yourself  have  not  always  been  deaf  to  the  reports 
against  America." 

"  You  surely  do  not  imagine  that  I  am  so  ignorant  of  the 
career  of  Washington  ?  " 

"  Of  that  I  fully  acquit  you  ;  nor  do  /exactly  suppose  that 
your  present  monarch  was  flogged  by  a  tailor  in  Vermont,  or 
that  Louis  Phillipe  kept  school  in  New  Jersey.  Our  position  in 
the  world  raises  us  beyond  these  elegancies ;  but  do  you  not 
fancy  some  hard  things  of  America,  more  especially  concerning 
her  disposition  to  harbor  rogues,  if  they  come  with  full  pockets." 

The  baronet  laughed,  but  he  colored.  He  wished  to  be 
liberal,  for  he  well  knew  that  liberality  distinguishes  the  man 
of  the  world,  and  was  an  indispensable  requisite  for  a  gentleman  ; 
but  it  is  very  hard  for  an  Englishman  to  manifest  true  liberality 
towards  the  ci-devant  colonies,  and  this  he  felt  in  the  whole  of 
his  moral  sysem,  notwithstanding  every  effort  to  the  contrary. 

"  I  will  confess,  that  case  of  Stephenson  made  an  unfavor- 
able impression  in  England,"  he  said  with  some  reluctance. 

"  You  mean  the  absconding  member  of  Parliament,"  re- 
turned John  Effingham,  with  emphasis  on  the  four  last  words. 
"  You  cannot  mean  to  reproach  us  with  his  selection  of  a  place 
of  refuge  ;  for  he  was  picked  up  at  sea  by  a  foreign  ship  that  was 
accidently  bound  to  America." 

"  Certainly  not  with  that  circumstance,  which,  as  you  say, 
was  purely  an  accident.  But  was  there  not  something  extraor- 
dinary in  his  liberation  from  arrest?  " 

"  Sir  George  Templemore,  there  are  few  Englishmen  with 
whom  I  would  dwell  an  instant  on  this  subject,''  said  John 
Effingham  gravely ;  "  but  you  are  one  of  those  who  have  taught 
me  to  respect  you,  and  I  feel  a  strong  regret  whenever  I  trace 
any  of  these  mistaken  notions  in  a  man  of  your  really  generous 
disposition.  A  moment's  reflection  will  show  you  that  no  civi- 
lized society  could  exist  with  the  disposition  you  hint  at ;  and 
as  for  the  particular  case  you  have  mentioned,  the  man  did  not 
bring  money  of  any  moment  with  him,  and  was  liberated  from 
the  arrest  on  a  principle  common  to  all  law,  where  law  is 
stronger  than  political  power,  and  which  principle  we  derive 
directly  from  Great  Britain.  Depend  on  it,  so  far  from  there 
being  a  desire  to  receive  rich  rogues  in  America  from  other 
countries,  there  is  a  growing  indisposition  to  receive  emigrants 
at  all ;  for  their  number  is  getting  to  be  inconvenient  to  the 
native  population." 

"  Why  does  not  America  pass  reciprocal  laws  with  us,  then, 
for  the  mutual  delivery  of  criminals." 


396  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  One  insuperable  objection  to  such  reciprocity  arises  from 
the  nature  of  our  government,  as  a  confederation,  since  there 
is  no  identity  in  our  own  criminal  jurisprudence  :  but  a  chief 
reason  is  the  exceedingly  artificial  condition  of  your  society, 
which  is  the  very  opposite  of  our  own,  and  indisposes  the 
American  to  visit  trifling  crimes  with  so  heavy  punishments. 
The  American,  who  has  a  voice  in  this  matter,  you  will  remem- 
ber, is  not  prepared  to  hang  a  half-starved  wretch  for  a  theft 
or  to  send  a  man  to  Botany  Bay  for  poaching.  The  facility  with 
which  men  obtain  a  livelihood  in  America  has  hitherto  con- 
verted most  rogues  into  comparatively  honest  men  when  they 
get  there  ;  though  I  think  the  day  is  near,  now  your  own  police 
is  so  much  improved,  when  we  shall  find  it  necessary  in  self- 
defence  to  change  our  policy.  The  common  language,  as  I 
am  told,  induces  many  knaves,  who  now  find  England  too  hot  to 
hold  them,  to  migrate  to  America." 

"  Captain  Ducie  is  anxious  to  know  whether  Mr.  Truck  will 
quietly  permit  this  criminal  to  be  transferred  to  the  Foam." 

"  I  do  not  think  he  will  permit  it  at  all  without  being  over- 
powered, if  the  request  be  urged  in  any  manner  as  a  right.  In 
that  case,  he  will  very  properly  think  that  the  maintenance  of 
his  national  character  is  of  more  importance  than  the  escape 
of  a  dozen  rogues.  You  may  put  a  harsh  construction  on  his 
course  ;  but  /  shall  think  him  right  in  resisting  an  unjust  and 
an  illegal  invasion  of  his  rights.  I  had  thought  Captain  Ducie, 
however,  more  peaceably  disposed  from  what  has  passed." 

"  Perhaps  I  have  expressed  myself  too  strongly.  I  know 
he  would  wish  to  take  back  the  criminal ;  but  I  scarce  think 
that  he  meditates  more  than  persuasion.  Ducie  is  a  fine  fellow, 
and  every  way  a  gentleman." 

"  He  appears  to  have  found  an  acquaintance  in  our  young 
friend,  Powis." 

"  The  meeting  between  these  two  gentlemen  has  surprised 
me,  for  it  can  scarcely  be  termed  amicable  :  and  yet  it  seems 
to  occupy  more  of  Ducie's  thoughts  just  now  than  the  affair  of 
the  runaway." 

Both  now  became  silent  and  thoughtful,  for  John  Effingnam 
had  too  many  unpleasant  suspicions  to  wish  to  speak,  and  the 
baronet  was  too  generous  to  suggest  a  doubt  concerning  one 
whom  he  felt  to  be  his  rival,  and  whom,  in  truth,  he  had  begun 
sincerely  to  respect,  as  well  as  to  like.  In  the  mean  time,  a 
discussion,  which  had  gradually  been  growing  more  dogged  and 
sullen  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Green,  and  more  biting  and  caustic 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  39 y 

on  that  of  Captain  Truck,  was  suddenly  terminated  by  the 
reluctant  and  tardy  appearance  of  Mr.  Sandon. 

Guilt,  that  powerful  vindicator  of  the  justice  of  Providence, 
as  it  proves  the  existence  of  the  inward  monitor,  conscience, 
was  painfully  impressed  on  a  countenance  that,  in  general,  ex- 
pressed little  beyond  a  vacant  vanity.  Although  of  a  tall  and 
athletic  person,  his  limbs  trembled  in  a  way  to  refuse  to  sup- 
port him,  and  when  he  saw  the  well-known  face  of  Mr.  Green, 
the  unhappy  young  man  sank  into  a  seat,  from  a  real  inability 
to  stand.  The  other  regarded  him  sternly  through  his  specta- 
cles, for  more  than  a  miuute. 

"  This  is  a  melancholy  picture,  Henry  Sandon  ! "  he  at 
length  said.  "  I  am,  at  least,  glad  that  you  do  not  affect  to 
brazen  out  your  crime,  but  that  you  show  a  proper  sense  of  its 
enormity.  What  would  your  upright  and  painstaking  father 
have  said,  had  he  lived  to  see  his  only  son  in  this  situation  ?  " 

"  He  is  dead  !  "  returned  the  young  man,  hoarsely.  "  He 
is  dead,  and  never  can  know  anything  about  it." 

The  unhappy  delinquent  experienced  a  sense  of  frightful 
pleasure  as  he  uttered  these  words. 

"  It  is  true,  he  is  dead ;  but  there  are  others  to  suffer  by 
your  misconduct.  Your  innocent  sister  is  living,  and  feels  all 
your  disgrace." 

"  She  will  marry  Jones,  and  forget  it  all  I  gave  her  a 
thousand  pounds,  and  she  is  married  before  this." 

"  In  that  you  are  mistaken.  She  has  returned  the  money, 
for  she  is,  indeed,  John  Sandon's  daughter,  and  Mr.  Jones  re- 
fuses to  marry  the  sister  of  a  thief." 

The  delinquent  was  vain  and  unreflecting,  rather  than  sel- 
fish, and  he  had  a  natural  attachment  to  his  sister,  the  only 
other  child  of  his  parents.  The  blow,  therefore,  fell  on  his 
conscience  with  double  force,  coming  from  this  quarter. 

"  Julia  can  compel  him  to  marry  her,"  said  the  startled 
brother  ;  "  he  is  bound  by  a  solemn  engagement,  and  the  law 
will  protect  her." 

"  No  law  can  make  a  man  marry  against  his  will,  and  your 
poor  unfortunate  sister  is  too  tender  of  your  feelings  whatever 
you  may  have  been  of  hers,  to  wish  to  give  Mr.  Jones  an  op- 
portunity of  defending  himself  by  exposing  your  crime.  But 
this  is  wasting  words,  Mr.  Sandon,  for  I  am  wanted  in  the 
office,  where  I  have  left  things  in  the  hands  of  an  inexperienced 
substitute.  Of  course  you  are  not  prepared  to  defend  an  act, 
that  your  conscience  must  tell  you  is  inexcusable." 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

•;I  am  afraid,  Mr.  Green,  I  have  been  a  little  thoughtless; 
or,  perhaps,  it  would  be  better  to  say,  unlucky." 

Mr.  Sandon  had  fallen  into  the  general  and  delusive  mis- 
take of  those  who  err,  in  supposing  himself  unfortunate  rather 
than  criminal.  With  an  ingenuity,  that,  exercised  in  a  better 
cause,  would  have  made  him  a  respectable  man,  he  had  been 
endeavoring  to  excuse  his  crime  to  himsetf,  on  various  pleas  of 
necessity,  and  he  had  even  got  at  last  to  justify  his  act,  by 
fancying  that  some  trifling  wrong  he  had  received,  or  which  he 
fancied  he  had  received  in  the  settlement  of  his  own  private 
account,  in  some  measure  excused  his  fraud,  although  his  own 
denied  claim  amounted  merely  to  the  sum  of  twenty  pounds, 
and  that  which  he  had  taken  was  so  large.  It  was  under  the 
influence  of  such  feelings  that  he  made  the  answer  just  given. 

"  A  little  thoughtless  !  unlucky  !  And  is  this  the  way,  Henry 
Sandon,  that  you  name  a  crime  that  might  almost  raise  your 
upright  father  from  his  grave  ?  But  I  will  speak  no  more  of 
feelings  that  you  do  not  seem  to  understand.  You  confess  to 
have  taken  forty  thousand  pounds  of  the  public  money,  to 
which  you  have  no  right  or  claim  ? " 

"  I  certainly  have  in  my  hands  some  money,  which  I  do  not 
deny  belongs  to  government." 

"It  is  well ;  and  here  is  my  authority  to  receive  it  from 
you.  Gentlemen,  will  you  have  the  kindness  to  see  that  my 
powers  are  regular  and  authentic  ?  " 

John  Effingham  and  others  cast  their  eyes  over  the  papers, 
which  seemed  to  be  in  rule,  and  they  said  as  much. 

"  Now,  sir,"  resumed  Mr.  Green,  "  in  the  first  place,  I  de- 
mand the  bills  you  received  in  London  for  this  money,  and 
your  regular  endorsement  in  my  favor." 

The  culprit  appeared  to  have  made  up  his  mind  to  this  de- 
mand, and,  with  the  same  recklessness  with  which  he  had  ap- 
propriated the  money  to  his  own  use,  he  was  now  ready  to  re- 
store it,  without  proposing  a  condition  for  his  own  safety.  The 
bills  were  in  his  pocket,  and  seating  himself  at  a  table,  he 
made  the  required  endorsement,  and  handed  them  to  Mr. 
Green. 

"  Here  are  bills  for  thirty-eight  thousand  pounds,"  said  that 
methodical  person,  after  he  had  examined  the  drafts,  one  by 
one,  and  counted  their  amount ;  "  and  you  are  known  to  have 
taken  forty  thousand.  I  demand  the  remainder." 

"  Would  you  leave  me  in  a  strange  country  penniless  ? "  ex- 
claimed the  culprit,  in  a  tone  of  reproach. 

"  Strange  country  !    penniless  !  "  repeated  Mr.  Green,  look- 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


399 


ing  over  his  spectacles,  first  at  Mr.  Truck,  and  then  at  Mr. 
Sandon.  "  That  to  which  you  have  no  claim  must  be  restored, 
though  it  strip  you  to  the  skin.  Every  pound  you  have  belongs 
to  the  public,  and  to  no  one  else." 

"  Your  pardon,  Mr.  Green,  and  green  enough  you  are,  if 
you  lay  down  that  doctrine,"  interrupted  Captain  Truck,  "  in 
which  neither  Vattel,  nor  the  revised  statutes  will  bear  you  out. 
A  passenger  cannot  remove  his  effects  from  a  ship,  until  his 
passage  be  first  paid." 

"  That,  sir,  I  dispute,  in  a  question  affecting  the  king's 
revenues.  The  claims  of  government  precede  all  others,  and 
the  money  that  has  once  belonged  to  the  crown,  and  which  has 
not  been  regularly  paid  away  by  the  crown,  is  the  crown's  still." 

"  Crowns  and  coronations !  Perhaps,  Master  Green,  you 
think  you  aje  in  Somerset  House  at  this  present  speaking  ?  " 

Now  Mr.  Green  was  so  completely  a  star  of  a  confined 
orbit,  that  his  ideas  seldom  described  a  tangent  to  their  ordi- 
nary revolutions.  He  was  so  much  accustomed  to  hear  of 
England  ruling  colonies,  the  East  and  the  West,  Canada,  the 
Cape,  and  New  South  Wales,  that  it  was  not  an  easy  matter 
for  him  to  conceive  himself  to  be  without  the  influence  of  the 
British  laws.  Had  he  quitted  home  with  the  intention  to  emi- 
grate, or  even  to  travel,  it  is  probable  that  his  mind  would 
have  kept  a  more  equal  pace  with  his  body,  but  summoned  in 
haste  from  his  desk,  and  with  the  office  spectacles  on  his  nose, 
it  is  not  so  much  a  matter  of  wonder  that  he  hardly  realized 
the  truth  of  his  present  situation.  The  man-of-war,  in  which 
everything  was  His  Majesty's,  sustained  this  feeling,  and  it  was 
too  sudden  a  change  to  expect  such  a  man  to  abandon  all  his 
most  cherished  notions  at  a  moment's  warning.  The  irreverent 
exclamation  of  Captain  Truck  shocked  him,  and  he  did  not  fail 
to  show  as  much  by  the  disgust  pictured  in  his  countenance. 

"  I  am  in  one  of  His  Majesty's  packets,  sir,  I  presume, 
where,  you  will  permit  me  to  say,  a  greater  deference  for  the 
high  ceremonies  of  the  kingdom  ought  to  be  found." 

"  This  would  make  even  old  Joe  Bunk  laugh.  You  are  in 
a  New  York  liner,  sir,  over  which  no  majesty  has  any  control, 
but  their  majesties  John  Griswold  and  Co.  Why,  my  good  sir, 
the  sea  has  unsettled  your  brain  !  " 

Now,  Mr.  Green  did  know  that  the  United  States  of 
America  had  obtained  their  independence,  but  the  whole  pro- 
ceeding  was  so  mixed  up  with  rebellion,  and  a  French  alliance, 
in  his  mind,  that  he  always  doubted  whether  the  new  republic 
had  a  legal  existence  at  all,  and  he  had  been  heard  to  express 


4oo  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

his  surprise  that  the  twelve  judges  had  not  long  since  decided 
this  state  of  things  to  be  unconstitutional,  and  overturned  the 
American  government  by  mandamus.  His  disgust  increased, 
accordingly,  as  Captain  Truck's  irreverence  manifested  itself 
in  stronger  terms,  and  there  was  great  danger  that  the  har- 
mony, which  had  hitherto  prevailed  between  the  parties,  would 
be  brought  to  a  violent  termination. 

"  The  respect  for  the  crown  in  a  truly  loyal  subject,  sir," 
Mr.  Green  returned  sharply,  "  is  not  to  be  unsettled  by  the 
sea  ;  not  in  my  case,  at  least,  whatever  it  might  have  been  in 
your  own." 

"  My  own !  why,  the  devil,  sir,  do  you  take  me  for  a  sub- 
ject'?" 

"  A  truant  one,  I  fear,  though  you  may  have  been  born  in 
London  itself." 

"  Why,  my  dear  sir,"  said  Captain  Truck,  taking  the  other 
by  a  button,  as  if  he  pitied  his  hallucination,  "  you  don't  breed 
such  men  in  London.  I  came  from  the  river,  which  never  had 
a  subject  in  it,  or  any  other  majesty,  than  that  of  the  Saybrook 
Platform.  I  begin  to  understand  you,  at  last :  you  are  one  of 
those  well-meaning  men  who  fancy  the  earth  but  a  casing  to 
the  island  of  Great  Britain.  Well,  I  suppose  it  is  more  the 
fault  of  your  education  than  of  your  nature,  and  one  must  over- 
look the  mistake.  May  I  ask  what  is  your  farther  wish,  in  re- 
ference to  this  unhappy  young  man  ? " 

"  He  must  refund  every  pound  of  the  public  money  that 
remains  in  his  possession." 

"  That  is  just,  and  I  say  yea." 

"  And  all  who  have  received  from  him  any  portion  of  this 
money,  under  whatever  pretences,  must  restore  it  to  the 
crown." 

"  My  good  sir,  you  can  have  no  notion  of  the  quantity  of 
champagne  and  other  good  things  this  unfortunate  young  man 
has  consumed  in  this  ship.  Although  but  a  sham  baronet,  he 
has  fared  like  a  real  lord ;  and  you  cannot  have  the  heart  to 
exact  from  the  owners  the  keeping  of  your  rogues." 

"  Government  makes  no  distinction,  sir,  and  always  claims 
its  own." 

"  Nay,  Mr.  Green,"  interrupted  Sir  George  Templemore, 
"  I  much  question  if  government  would  assert  a  right  to  money 
that  a  peculator  or  a  defaulter  fairly  spends,  even  in  England  ; 
much  less  does  it  seem  to  me  it  can  pretend  to  the  few  pounds 
that  Captain  Truck  has  lawfully  earned." 

"  The  money  has  not  been   lawfully  earned,  sir.     It  is  coiv 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  401 

trary  to  law  to  assist  a  felon  to  quit  the  kingdom,  and  I  am 
not  certain  there  are  no  penalties  for  that  act  alone ;  and  as 
for  the  public  money,  it  can  never  legally  quit  the  Treasury 
without  the  proper  office  forms." 

"My  dear  Sir  George,"  put  in  ^the  captain,  "leave  me  to 
settle  this  with  Mr.  Green,  who,  no 'doubt,  is  authorized  to  give 
a  receipt  in  full.  What  is  to  be  done  with  the  delinquent,  sir, 
now  that  you  are  in  possession  of  his  money  ? " 

"  Of  course  he  will  be  carried  back  in  the  Foam,  and  I 
mourn  to  be  compelled  to  say,  that  he  must  be  left  in  the  hands 
of  the  law." 

"  What,  with  or  without  my  permission  ?  " 

Mr.  Green  stared,  for  his  mind  was  precisely  one  of  those 
which  would  conceive  it  to  be  a  high  act  of  audacity  in  a  ci- 
devant  colonist  to  claim  the  rights  of  an  old  country,  even  did 
he  really  understand  the  legality  and  completeness  of  the 
separation. 

"  He  has  committed  forgery,  sir,  to  conceal  his  peculation. 
It  is  an  awful  crime  ;  but  they  that  commit  it  cannot  hope  to 
escape  the  consequences." 

"  Miserable  impostor  !  is  this  true  ?  "  Captain  Truck  sternly 
demanded  of  the  trembling  culprit. 

"  He  calls  an  oversight  forgery,  sir,"  returned  the  lattet 
huskily.  "  I  have  done  nothing  to  affect  my  life  or  liberty." 

At  this  moment  Captain  Ducie,  accompanied  by  Paul  Powis, 
entered  the  cabin,  their  faces  flushed,  and  their  manner  to  each 
other  a  little  disturbed,  though  it  was  formally  courteous.  At 
the  same  instant,  Mr.  Dodge,  who  had  been  dying  to  be  present 
at  the  secret  conference,  watched  his  opportunity  to  slip  in 
also. 

"  I  am  glad  you  have  come,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Green,  "for  here 
may  be  occasion  for  the  services  of  his  Majesty's  officers.  Mr. 
Sandon  has  given  up  these  bills,  but  two  thousand  pounds  remain 
unaccounted  for,  and  I  have  traced  thirty-five,  quite  clearly,  to 
the  master  of  this  ship,  who  has  received  it  in  the  way  of  pas- 
sage-money." 

;'  Yes,  sir,  the  fact  is  as  plain  as  the  highlands  of  Navesink 
from  the  deck,"  dryly  added  Captain  Truck. 

"  One  thousand  of  this  money  has  been  returned  by  the  de- 
faulter's sister,"  observed  Captain  Ducie. 

"  Very  true,  sir  ;  I  had  forgotten  to  give  him  credit  foi 
that." 

"  The  remainder  has  probably  been  wasted  in  those  silly 
trifles  of  which  you  have  told  me  the  unhappy  man  was  so  fond, 


402 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


and  for  which  he  has  bartered  respectability  and  peace  of  mind. 
As  for  the  money  paid  this  ship  for  the  passage,  it  has  been 
fairly  earned,  nor  do  I  know  that  government  has  any  powei  to 
reclaim  it." 

Mr.  Green  heard  this  opinion  with  still  greater  disgust  than 
he  had  felt  towards  the  language  of  Captain  Truck,  nor  could 
he  very  well  prevent  his  feelings  escaping  him  in  words. 

"  We  truly  live  in  perilous  times,"  he  muttered,  speaking 
more  particularly  to  John  Effingham,  out  of  respect  to  his 
appearance,  "  when  the  scions  of  the  nobility  entertain  notions 
so  loose.  We  have  vainly  fancied  in  England  that  the  enor- 
mities of  the  French  revolution  were  neutralized  by  Billy  Pitt ; 
but,  sir,  we  still  live  in  perilous  times,  for  the  disease  has  fairly 
reached  the  highest  classes.  I  hear  that  designs  are  seriously 
entertained  against  the  wigs  of  the  judges  and  bishops,  and  the 
next  thing  will  be  the  throne  !  All  our  venerable  institutions 
are  in  danger." 

"  I  should  think  the  throne  might  indeed  be  in  danger,  sir," 
returned  John  Effingham,  gravely,  "  if  it  reposes  on  wigs." 

"  It  is  my  duty,  Captain  Truck,"  continued  Captain  Ducie, 
who  was  a  man  so  very  different  from  his  associate  that  he 
scarcely  seemed  to  belong  to  the  same  species,  "  to  request  you 
will  deliver  to  us  the  person  of  the  culprit,  with  his  effects, 
when  we  can  relieve  you  and  your  passengers  from  the  pain  of 
witnessing  any  more  of  this  unpleasant  scene." 

At  the  sound  of  the  delivery  of  his  person,  all  the  danger  of 
his  situation  rushed  forcibly  before  the  imagination  of  the 
culprit.  His  face  flushed  and  became  pale,  and  his  legs  re- 
fused  to  'support  him,  though  he  made  a  desperate  effort  to 
rise. 

After  an  instant  of  silence,  he  turned  to  the  commander  of 
the  corvette,  and,  in  piteous  accents,  appealed  to  him  for 
mercy. 

"  I  hava-been  punished  severely  already,"  he  continued,  as 
his  voice  returned,  "  for  the  savage  Arabs  robbed  me  of  every- 
thing I  had  of  any  value.  These  gentlemen  know  that  they 
took  my  dressing-case,  several  other  curious  and  valuable  articles 
*vor  the  toilet,  and  nearly  all  my  clothes." 

"  This  man  is  scarcely  a  responsible  being,"  said  John  Effing- 
ham, "  for  a  childish  vanity  supplies  the  place  of  principles, 
self-respect,  and  duty.  With  a  sister  scorned  on  account  of  his 
crimes,  conviction  beyond  denial,  and  a  dread  punishment  star- 
ing him  in  the  face,  his  thoughts  still  run  on  trifles." 

Captain  Ducie  gava  a  look  of  pity  at  the  miserable  young 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


403 


man,  and,  by  his  countenance,  it  was  plain  to  see  that  he  felt 
no  relish  for  his  duty.  Still  he  felt  himself  bound  to  urge  on 
Captain  Truck  a  compliance  with  his  request.  The  master  of 
the  packet  was  a  good  deal  divided  by  an  inherent  dislike  of 
seeming  to  yield  anything  to  a  British  naval  officer,  a  class  of 
men  whom  he  learned  in  early  life  most  heartily  to  dislike  ;  his 
kind  feelings  towards  this  particular  specimen  of  *the  class  ;  a 
reluctance  to  give  a  man  up  to  a  probable  death,  or  some  other 
severe  punishment ;  and  a  distaste  to  being  thought  desirous  of 
harboring  a  rogue.  In  this  dilemma,  therefore,  he  addressed 
himself  to  John  Effingham  for  counsel. 

"  I  should  be  pleased  to  hear  your  opinion,  sir,  on  this 
matter,"  he  said,  looking  at  the  gentleman  just  named,  "  for 
I  own  myself  to  be  in  a  category.  Ought  we,  or  not,  to  deliver 
up  the  culprit  ? " 

"  Fiat  justitia  ruat  c&lum"  answered  John  Effingham,  who 
never  fancied  any  one  could  be  ignorant  of  the  meaning  of 
these  familiar  words. 

"  That  I  believe  indeed  to  be  Vattel,"  said  Captain  Truck  ; 
"  but  exceptions  alter  rules.  This  young  man  has  some  claims 
on  us  on  account  of  his  conduct  when  in  front  of  the  Arabs." 

"  He  fought  for  himself,  sir,  and  has  the  merit  of  preferring 
liberty  in  a  ship  to  slavery  in  the  desert." 

"  I  think  with  Mr.  John  Effingham,"  observed  Mr.  Dodge, 
"  and  can  see  no  redeeming  quality  in  his  conduct  .on  that 
occasion.  He  did  what  we  all  did,  or,  as  Mr.  John  Effingham 
has  so  pithily  expressed  it,  he  preferred  liberty  in  our  company 
to  being  an  Arab's  slave." 

"  You  will  not  deliver  me  up,  Captain  Truck  !  "  exclaimed 
the  delinquent.  "  They  will  hang  me,  if  once  in  their  power. 
Oh  1  you  will  not  have  the  heart  to  let  them  hang  me  !  " 

Captain  Truck  was  startled  at  this  appeal,  but  he  sternly 
reminded  the  culprit  that  it  was  too  late  to  remember  the 
punishment,  when  the  crime  wa^1  committed. 

"  Never  fear,  Mr.  Sandon,"  said  the  office-man  with  a  sneer; 
"  these  gentlemen  will  take  you  to  New  York,  for  the  sake  of 
the  thousand  pounds,  if  they  can.  A  rogue  is  pretty  certain 
of  a  kind  reception  in  America,  I  hear." 

"  Then,  sir,"  exclaimed  Captain  Truck,  "  you  had  better  go 
in  with  us." 

"  Mr.  Green,  Mr.  Green,  this  is  indiscreet,  to  call  it  by 
no  worse  a  term,"  interposed  Captain  Ducie,  who,  while  he 
was  not  free  from  a  good  deal  of  the  prejudices  of  his  compare 


404  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

ion,  was  infinitely  better  bred,  and  more  in  the  habit  of  com- 
manding himself. 

"  Mr.  John  Effingham,  you  have  heard  this  wanton  insult," 
continued  Captain  Truck,  suppressing  his  wrath  as  well  as  he 
could  :  "  in  what  manner  ought  it  to  be  resented  ?  " 

"  Command  the  offender  to  quit  your  ship  instantly,"  said 
John  Effingham  firmly. 

Captain  Ducie  started,  and  his  face  flushed,  but  disregarding 
him  altogether,  Captain  Truck  walked  deliberately  up  to  Mr. 
Green  and  ordered  him  to  go  into  the  corvette's  boat. 

"  I  shall  allow  of  neither  parley  nor  delay,"  added  the  ex- 
asperated old  seaman,  struggling  to  appear  cool  and  dignified, 
though  his  vocation  was  little  for  the  latter.  "  Do  me  the 
favor,  sir,  to  permit  me  to  see  you  into  your  boat,  sir.  Saunders 
go  on  deck,  and  tell  Mr.  Leach  to  have  the  side  manned — with 
three  side  boys,  Saunders  ; — and  now  I  ask  it  as  the  greatest 
possible  favor,  that  you  will  walk  on  deck  with  me,  or — or — 
damn  me,  but  I'll  drag  you  there,  neck  and  heels !  " 

It  was  too  much  for  Captain  Truck  to  seem  calm  when 
he  was  in  a  towering  passion,  and  the  outbreak  at  the  close  of 
this  speech  was  accompanied  by  a  gesture  with  a  band  which 
was  open,  it  is  true,  but  from  which  none  of  the  arts  of  his 
more  polite  days  could  erase  the  knobs  and  hue  that  had  been 
acquired  in  early  life. 

"  This  is  strong  language,  sir,  to  use  to  a  British  officer, 
under  the  guns  of  a  British  cruiser,"  exclaimed  the  commander 
of  the  corvette. 

"  And  his  was  strong  language  to  use  to  a  man  in  his  own 
country  and  in  his  own  ship.  To  you,  Captain  Ducie,  I  have 
nothing  to  say,  unless  it  be  to  say  you  are  welcome.  But  your 
companion  has  indulged  in  a  coarse  insult  on  my  country,  and 
damn  me  if  I  submit  to  it,  if  I  never  see  St.  Catherine's  Docks 
again.  I  had  too  much  of  this  when  a  young  man,  to  wish  to 
find  it  repeated  while  an  old  one." 

Captain  Ducie  bit  his  lip,  and  he  looked  exceedingly  vexed. 
Athough  he  had  himself  blindly  imbibed  the  notion  that  Amer- 
ica would  gladly  receive  the  devil  himself  if  he  came  with  a 
full  pocket,  he  was  shocked  with  the  coarseness  that  would 
throw  such  an  innuendo  into  the  very  faces  of  the  people  of  the 
country.  On  the  other  hand,  his  pride  as  an  officer  was  hurt 
at  the  menace  of  Captain  Truck,  and  all  the  former  harmony 
of  the  scene  was  threatened  with  a  sudden  termination 
Captain  Ducie  had  been  struck  with  the  gentlemanlike  appear- 
ance of  both  the  Effinghams,  to  say  nothing  of  Eve,  the  instant 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  40$ 

his  foot  touched  the  deck  of  the  Montauk,  and  he  now  turned 
with  a  manner  of  reproach  to  John  Effingham,  and  said, — 

"  Surely,  sir,  you  cannot  sustain  Mr.  Truck  in  his  extraor- 
dinary conduct ! " 

"  You  will  pardon  me  if  I  say  I  do.  The  man  has  been 
permitted  to  remain  longer  in  the  ship  than  I  would  have  suf- 
fered." 

"  And,  Mr.  Powis,  what  is  your  opinion  ?" 

"  I  fear,"  said  Paul,  smiling  coldly,  "  that  I  should  have 
knocked  him  down  on  the  spot." 

"  Templemore,  are  you,  too,  of  this  way  of  thinking  ?  " 

"  I  fear  the  speech  of  Mr.  Green  has  been  without  sufficient 
thought.  On  reflection  he  will  recall  it." 

But  Mr.  Green  would  sooner  part  with  life  than  part  with  a 
prejudice,  and  he  shook  his  head  in  the  negative  in  a  way  to 
show  that  his  mind  was  made  up. 

"  This  is  trifling,"  added  Captain  Truck.  "  Saunders,  go 
on  deck,  and  tell  Mr.  Leach  to  send  down  through  the  skylight 
a  single  whip,  that  we  may  whip  this  polite  personage  on  deck ; 
and,  harkee,  Saunders,  let  there  be  another  on  the  yard,  that 
we  may  send  him  into  his  boat  like  an  anker  of  gin ! " 

"  This  is  proceeding  too  far,"  said  Captain  Ducie.  "  Mr. 
Green  you  will  oblige  me  by  retiring ;  there  can  be  no  suspicion 
cast  on  a  vessel  of  war  for  conceding  a  little  to  an  unarmed 
ship." 

"  A  vessel  of  war  should  not  insult  an  unarmed  ship,  sir ! " 
rejoined  Captain  Truck,  pithily. 

Captain  Ducie  again  colored  ;  but  as  he  had  decided  on  his 
course,  he  had  the  prudence  to  remain  silent.  In  the  mean- 
time Mr.  Green  sullenly  took  his  hat  and  papers,  and  withdrew 
into  the  boat;  though,  on  his  return  to  London  he  did  not  fail 
to  give  such  a  version  of  the  affair  as  went  altogether  to  corro- 
borate all  his  own,  and  his  friends'  previous  notions  of  America  ; 
and,  what  is  equally  singular,  he  religiously  believed  all  he  had 
said  on  the  occasion. 

"  What  is  now  to  be  done  with  this  unhappy  man  ?  "  inquired 
Captain  Ducie  when  order  was  a  little  restored. 

The  misunderstanding  was  an  unfortunate  affair  for  the 
culprit.  Captain  Truck  felt  a  strong  reluctance  to  deliver 
him  up  to  justice  after  all  they  had  gone  through  together ; 
but  the  gentlemanlike  conduct  of  the  English  commander,  the 
consciousness  of  having  triumphed  in  the  late  conflict,  and  a 
deep  regard  for  the  law,  united  on  the  other  hand  to  urge  him 


4o6  HOMEWARD 

to  yield  the  unfortunate  and  weak-minded  offender  to  his  own 
authorities. 

"  You  do  not  claim  a  right  to  take  him  out  of  an  American 
ship  by  violence,  if  I  understand  you,  Captain  Ducie  ?  " 

"  I  do  not ;  my  instructions  are  merely  to  demand  him." 

"  That  is  according  to  Vattel.  By  demand  you  mean,  to 
request,  to  ask  for  him  ?  " 

'•  I  mean  to  request,  to  ask  for  him,"  returned  the  English- 
man, smiling. 

"  Then  take  him,  of  God's  na^rne  ;  and  may  your  laws  be 
more  merciful  to  the  wretch  than  he  has  been  to  himself,  or  to 
his  kin." 

Mr.  Sandon  shrieked,  and  he  threw  himself  abjectly  on  his 
knees  between  the  two  captains,  grasping  the  legs  of  both. 

"  Oh !  hear  me  !  hear  me  !  "  he  exclaimed  in  a  tone  of  an- 
guish. "  I  have  given  up  the  money,  I  will  give  it  all  up  !  all  to 
the  last  shilling,  if  you  will  let  me  go  !  You,  Captain  Truck, 
by  whose  side  I  have  fought  and  toiled,  you  will  not  have  the 
heart  to  abandon  me  to  these  murderers  !  " 

"  It's  d d  hard  !  "  muttered  the  captain,  actually  wiping 

his  eyes  ;  "  but  it  is  what  you  have  drawn  upon  yourself,  I 
fear.  Get  a  good  lawyer,  my  poor  fellow,  as  soon  as  you  arrive, 
and  it's  an  even  chance,  after  all,  that  you  go  free  ! " 

"  Miserable  wretch ! "  said  Mr.  Dodge,  confronting  the 
still  kneeling  and  agonized  delinquent,  "  Wretch  !  these  are 
the  penalties  of  guilt.  You  have  forged  and  stolen,  acts  that 
meet  with  my  most  unqualified  disapprobation,  and  you  are 
unfit  for  respectable  society. — I  saw  from  the  very  first  what 
you  truly  were,  and  permitted  myself  to  associate  with  you, 
merely  to  detect  and  dispose  you  in  order  that  you  might  not 
bring  disgrace  on  our  beloved  country.  An  impostor  has  no 
chance  in  America  ;  and  you  are  fortunate  in  being  taken  back 
to  your  own  hemisphere." 

Mr.  Dodge  belonged  to  a  tolerably  numerous  class,  that  is 
quaintly  described  as  being  "  law  honest ;  "  that  is  to  say,  he 
neither  committed  murder  nor  petty  larceny.  When  he  was 
guilty  of  moral  slander,  he  took  great  care  that  it  should  not  be 
legal  slander  ;  and,  although  his  whole  life  was  a  tissue  of  mean 
and  baneful  vices,  he  was  quite  innocent  of  all  those  enormities 
that  usually  occupy  the  attention  of  a  panel  of  twelve  men. 
This,  in  his  eyes,  raised  him  so  far  above  less  prudent  sinners 
as  to  give  him  a  right  to  address  his  quondam  associate  as  has 
been  just  related.  But  the  agony  of  the  culprit  was  past  receiv- 
ing an  increase  from  this  brutal  attack  ;  he  merely  motioned 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 


407 


the  coarse-minded  sycophant  and  demagogue  away,  and  con* 
tinued  his  appeals  to  the  two  captains  for  mercy.  At  this  mo- 
ment Paul  Powis  stepped  up  to  the  editor,  and  in  a  low  but 
firm  voice  ordered  him  to  quit  the  cabin. 

"  I  will  pray  for  you — be  your  slave — do  all  you  ask,  if  you 
will  not  give  me  up !  "  continued  the  culprit,  fairly  writhing  in 
his  agony.  "  Oh  !  Captain  Ducie,  as  an  English  nobleman, 
have  mercy  on  me." 

"  I  must  transfer  the  duty  to  subordinates,"  said  the  Eng- 
lish commander,  a  tear  actually  standing  in  his  eye.  "  Will 
you  permit  a  party  of  armed  marines  to  take  this  unhappy  be- 
ing from  your  ship,  sir." 

"  Perhaps  this  will  be  the  best  course,  as  he  will  yield  only 
to  a  show  of  force.  I  see  no  objection  to  this,  Mr.  John  Effing- 
ham  ? " 

"  None  in  the  world,  sir.  It  is  your  object  to  clear  your 
ship  of  a  delinquent,  and  let  those  among  whom  he  committed 
the  fault  be  the  agents." 

"  Ay — ay  !  this  is  what  Vattel  calls  the  comity  of  nations. 
Captain  Ducie,  I  beg  you  will  issue  your  orders." 

The  English  commander  had  foreseen  some  difficulty  ;  and, 
in  sending  away  his  boat  when  he  came  below,  he  had  sent  for 
a  corporal's  guard.  These  men  were  now  in  a  cutter,  near  the 
ship,  lying  off  on  their  oars,  in  a  rigid  respect  to  the  rights  of 
a  stranger,  however, — as  Captain  Truck  was  glad  to  see,  the 
whole  party  having  gone  on  deck  as  soon  as  the  arrangement 
was  settled.  At  an  order  from  their  commander  the  marines 
boarded  the  Montauk  and  proceeded  below  in  quest  of  theii 
prisoner. 

Mr.  Sandon  had  been  left  alone  in  Eve's  cabin  ;  but  as  soon 
as  he  found  himself  at  liberty,  he  hurried  into  his  own  state* 
room.  Captain  Truck  went  below,  while  the  marines  were  en- 
tering the  ship  ;  and,  having  passed  a  minute  in  his  own  room, 
he  stepped  across  the  cabin,  to  that  of  the  culprit.  Opening 
the  door  without  knocking,  he  found  the  unhappy  man  in  the 
very  act  of  applying  a  pistol  to  his  head,  his  own  hand  being 
just  in  time  to  prevent  the  catastrophe.  The  despair  portrayed 
in  the  face  of  the  criminal  prevented  reproach  or  remonstrance, 
for  Captain  Truck  was  a  man  of  few  words  when  it  was  necessary 
to  act.  Disarming  the  intended  suicide,  he  coolly  counted  out 
to  him  thirty-five  pounds,  the  money  paid  for  his  passage,  and 
told  him  to  pocket  it. 

"  I  received  this  on  condition  of  delivering  you  safe  in  New 
York,"  he  said  ;  "  and  as  I  shall  fail  in  the  bargain,  I  think  it 


4o8  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

no  more  than  just  to  return  you  the  money.  It  may  help  you  on 
the  trial." 

"  Will  they  hang  me ! "  asked  Mr.  Sandon  hoarsely,  and 
with  an  imbecility  like  that  of  an  infant. 

The  appearance  of  the  marines  prevented  reply,  the  pris- 
oner was  secured,  his  effects  were  pointed  out,  and  his  person 
was  transferred  to  the  boat  with  the  usual  military  promptitude, 
As  soon  as  this  was  done  the  cutter  pulled  away  from  the 
packet,  and  was  soon  hoisted  in  again  on  the  corvette's  deck. 
That  day  month  the  unfortunate  victim  of  a  passion  for  trifles 
committed  suicide  in  London,  just  as  they  were  about  to  trans- 
fer him  to  Newgate  ;  and  six  months  later  his  unhappy  sister 
died  of  a  broken  heart. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

We'll  attend  you  there  ; 

Where,  if  you  bring  not  Marcius,  we'll  proceed 
In  our  first  way. 

Conolamts. 

EVE  and  Mademoiselle  Viefville  had  been  unwilling  specta- 
tors of  a  portion  of  the  foregoing  scene,  and  Captain  Ducie  felt 
a  desire  to  apologize  for  the  part  he  had  been  obliged  to  act  in 
it.  For  this  purpose  he  had  begged  his  friend  the  baronet  to 
solicit  a  more  regular  introduction  than  that  received  through 
Captain  Truck. 

"  My  friend  Ducie  is  solicitous  to  be  introduced,  Miss  Ef- 
fingham,  that  he  may  urge  something  in  his  own  behalf  con- 
cerning the  commotion  he  has  raised  among  us." 

A  graceful  assent  brought  the  young  commander  forward, 
and  as  soon  as  he  was  named  he  made  a  very  suitable  expres- 
sion of  his  regret  to  the  ladies,  who  received  it,  as  a  matter  of 
course,  favorably. 

"  This  is  a  new  duty  to  me,  the  arrest  of  criminals,"  added 
Captain  Ducie. 

The  word  criminals  sounded  harsh  to  the  ear  of  Eve,  and 
she  felt  her  cheek  becoming  pale. 

"  Much  as  we  regret  the  cause,"  observed  the  father,  "  we 
can  spare  the  person  you  are  about  to  take  from  us  without 
much  pain ;  for  we  have  known  him  for  an  impostor  from  the 


tiOMEWARb  BOUND.  409 

moment  he  appeared. — Is  there  not  some  mistake  ?  That  is 
the  third  trunk  that  I  have  seen  passed  into  the  boat  marked 
P.  P." 

Captain  Ducie  smiled,  and  answered, — 

"  You  will  call  it  a  bad  pun  if  I  say  P.  P.  see,"  pointing  to 
Paul,  who  was  coining  from  the  cabin  attended  by  Captain 
Truck.  The  latter  was  conversing  warmly,  gesticulating  to- 
wards the  corvette,  and  squeezing  his  companion's  hand. 

"  Am  I  to  understand,"  said  Mr.  Effingham  earnestly, 
"  that  Mr.  Powis,  too,  is  to  quit  us  ? " 

"He  does  me  the  favor,  also," — Captain  Ducie's  lip  curled 
a  little  at  the  wordfavar, — "  to  accompany  me  to  England." 

Good  breeding  and  intense  feeling  caused  a  profound  si- 
lence, until  the  young  man  himself  approached  the  party.  Paul 
endeavored  to  be  calm,  and  he  even  forced  a  smile  as  he  ad- 
dressed his  friends. 

"  Although  I  escape  the  honors  of  a  marine  guard,"  he  said, 
— and  Eve  thought  he  said  it  bitterly,  "  I  am  also  to  be  taken 
out  of  the  ship.  Chance  has  several  times  thrown  me  into  your 
society,  Mr.  Effingham — Miss  Effingham — and,  should  the  same 
good  fortune  ever  again  occur,  I  hope  I  may  be  permitted  to 
address  you  at  once  as  an  old  acquaintance. 

"  We  shall  always  entertain  a  most  grateful  recollection  of 
your  important  services,  Mr.  Powis,"  returned  the  father; 
"and  I  shall  not  cease  to  wish  that  the  day  may  soon  arrive 
when  I  can  have  the  pleasure  of  receiving  you  under  my  own 
roof." 

Paul  now  offered  to  take  the  hand  of  Mademoiselle,  which 
he  kissed  gallantly.  He  did  the  same  with  Eve,  though  she  felt 
him  tremble  in  the  attempt.  As  these  ladies  had  lived  much 
in  countries  in  which  this  graceful  mode  of  salutation  prevails 
among  intimates,  the  act  passed  as  a  matter  of  course. 

With  Sir  George  Templemore,  Paul  parted  with  every  sign 
of  good-will.  The  people,  to  whom  he  had  caused  a  liberal  do- 
nation to  be  made,  gave  him  three  cheers,  for  they  understood 
his  professional  merits  at  least ;  and  Saunders,  who  had  not 
been  forgotten,  attended  him  assiduously  to  the  side  of  the  ship. 
Here  Mr.  Leach  called,  "the  Foam's  away!"  and  Captain 
Ducie's  gig  was  manned.  At  the  gangway  Captain  Truck  again 
shook  Paul  cordially  by  the  hand,  and  whispered  something  in 
his  ear. 

Everything  being  now  ready,  the  two  gentlemen  prepared 
to  go  into  the  boat.  As  Eve  watched  all  that  passed  with  an 
almost  breathless  anxiety,  a  little  ceremonial  that  now  took 


4td  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

place  caused  her  much  pain.  Hitherto  the  manner  of  Captain 
Ducie,  as  respected  his  companion,  had  struck  her  as  equivocal. 
At  times  it  was  haughty  and  distant,  while  at  others  it  had  ap- 
peared more  conciliatory  and  kind.  All  these  little  changes 
she  had  noticed  with  a  jealous  interest,  and  the  slightest  ap- 
pearance  of  respect  or  of  disrespect  was  remarked,  as  if  it  could 
furnish  a  clue  to  the  mystery  of  the  whole  procedure. 

"  Your  boat  is  ready,  sir,"  said  Mr.  Leach,  stepping  out 
of  the  gangway  to  give  way  to  Paul,  who  stood  nearest  to  the 
ladder. 

The  latter  was  about  to  proceed,  when  he  was  touched 
lightly  on  the  shoulder  by  Captain  Ducie,  who  smiled,  Eve 
thought  haughtily,  and  intimated  a  desire  to  precede  him.  Paul 
colored,  bowed,  and  falling  back,  permitted  the  English  officer 
to  enter  his  own  boat  first. 

"  Apparemment  ce  capitaine  Anglais  est  un  peu  sans  facon — 
Voila  qui  est  poll !"  whispered  Mademoiselle  Viefville. 

"  These  commanders  of  vessels  of  war  are  little  kings," 
quietly  observed  Mr.  Effingham,  who  had  unavoidably  noticed 
the  whole  procedure. 

The  gig  was  soon  clear  of  the  ship,  and  both  the  gentlemen 
repeated  their  adieus  to  those  on  deck.  To  reach  the  corvette, 
to  enter  her,  and  to  have  the  gig  swinging  on  her  quarter  oc- 
cupied but  five  minutes. 

Both  ships  now  filled  away,  and  the  corvette  began  to  throw 
out  one  sheet  of  cloth  after  another  until  she  was  under  a  cloud 
of  canvas,  again  standing  to  the  eastward  with  studding-sails 
alow  and  aloft.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Montauk  laid  her  yards 
square,  and  ran  down  to  the  Hook.  The  pilot  from  the  corvette 
had  been  sent  on  board  the  packet,  and,  the  wind  standing,  by 
eleven  o'clock  the  latter  had  crossed  the  bar.  At  this  moment 
the  low  dark  stern  of  the  Foam  resembled  a  small  black  spot 
on  the  sea  sustaining  a  pyramid  of  cloud. 

"  You  were  not  on  deck,  John,  to  take  leave  of  your  young 
friend  Powis,"  said  Mr.  Efringham,  reproachfully. 

"  I  do  not  wish  to  witness  a  ceremony  of  this  extraordinary 
nature.  And  yet  it  might  have  been  better  if  I  had." 

"  Better,  cousin  Jack  ! " 

"  Better.  Poor  Monday  committed  to  my  care  certain 
papers  that,  I  fancy,  are  of  moment  to  some  one,  and  these  I 
entrusted  to  Mr.  Powis  with  a  view  to  examine  them  together 
when  we  should  get  ia  In  the  hurry  of  parting  he  has  carried 
them  off." 


HOMEWARD   BOUND.  4H 

"  They  may  be  reclaimed  by  writing  to  London,"  said  Mr. 
Effingham.  "  Have  you  his  address  ?  " 

"  I  asked  him  for  it  ;  but  the  question  appeared  to  em- 
barrass him." 

"  Embarrass,  cousin  Jack  !  " 

"  Embarrass,  Miss  Effingham." 

The  subject  was  now  dropped  by  common  consent.  A  few 
moments  of  awkward  silence  succeeded,  when  the  interest  in- 
separable from  a  return  home,  after  an  absence  of  years,  began 
to  resume  its  influence,  and  objects  on  the  land  were  noticed. 
The  sudden  departure  of  Paul  was  not  forgotten,  however ;  for 
it  continued  the  subject  of  wonder  with  all  for  weeks,  though 
little  more  was  said  on  the  subject. 

The  ship  was  soon  abreast  of  the  Hook,  which  Eve  com- 
pared, to  the  disadvantage  of  the  celebrated  American  haven, 
with  the  rocky  promontories  and  picturesque  towers  of  the 
Mediterranean. 

"  This  portion  of  our  bay,  at  least,  is  not  very  admirable," 
she  said,  "  though  there  is  a  promise  of  something  better 
above." 

'S  Some  New  York  cockney,  who  has  wandered  from  the 
crackling  heat  of  his  Nott  stove,  has  taken  it  into  his  poetical 
imagination  to  liken  this  bay  to  that  of  Naples,"  said  John  Ef- 
fingham ;  "  and  his  fellow-citizens  greedily  swallow  the  ab- 
surdity, although  there  is  scarcely  a  feature  in  common  to  give 
the  foolish  opinion  value." 

"  But  the  bay  above  is  beautiful  !  " 

"  Barely  pretty  :  when  one  has  seen  it  alone,  for  many 
years,  and  has  forgotten  the  features  of  other  bays,  it  does  not 
appear  amiss  ;  but  you,  fresh  from  the  bolder  landscapes  of 
Southern  Europe,  will  be  disappointed." 

Eve,  an  ardent  admirer  of  nature,  heard  this  with  regret,  for 
she  had  as  much  confidence  in  the  taste  of  her  kinsman  as  in 
his  love  of  truth.  She  knew  he  was  superior  to  the  vulgar  vanity 
of  giving  an  undue  merit  to  a  thing  because  he  had  a  right  of 
property  in  it  ;  was  a  man  of  the  world,  and  knew  what  he 
uttered  on  all  such  matters  ;  had  not  an  atom  of  provincial  ad- 
miration or  of  provincial  weakness  in  his  composition  ;  and,  al- 
though as  ready  as  another,  and  far  more  able  than  most,  to 
defend  his  country  and  her  institutions  from  the  rude  assault 
of  her  revilers,  that  he  seldom  made  the  capital  mistake  of  at- 
tempting to  defend  a  weak  point. 

The  scenery  greatly  improved,  in  fact,  however,  as  the  ship 
advanced  ;  and  while  she  went  though  the  pass  called  the  Nar 


4T2  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

rows,  Eve  expressed  her  delight.  Mademoiselle  Viefville  was 
in  ecstasies,  not  so  much  with  the  beauties  of  the  place  as  with 
the  change  from  the  monotony  of  the  ocean  to  the  movement 
and  liveliness  of  the  shore. 

"  You  think  this  noble  scenery  ?  "  said  John  Effingham. 

u  As  far  from  it  as  possible,  cousin  Jack.  I  see  much  mean- 
ness and  poverty  in  the  view,  but  at  the  same  time  it  has  fine 
parts.  The  islands  are  not  Italian,  certainly ;  nor  these  hills, 
nor  yet  that  line  of  distant  rocks  ;  but,  together,  they  form  a 
pretty  bay,  and  a  noble  one  in  extent  and  uses  at  least." 

"All  this  is  true,  Perhaps  the  earth  does  not  contain  an- 
other port  with  so  many  advantages  for  commerce.  In  this  re- 
spect I  think  it  positively  unequalled ;  but  I  know  a  hundred 
bays  that  surpass  it  in  beauty.  Indeed  in  the  Mediterranean  it 
is  not  easy  to  find  a  natural  haven  that  does  not." 

Eve  was  too  fresh  from  the  gorgeous  coast  of  Italy  to  be  in 
ecstasies  with  the  meagre  villages  and  villas  that,  more  or  less, 
lined  the  bay  of  New  York  ;  but  when  they  reached  a  point 
where  the  view  of  the  two  rivers,  separated  by  the  town,  came 
before  them,  with  the  heights  of  Brooklyn,  heights  compara 
tively  if  not  positively,  on  one  side,  and  the  receding  wall  of  the 
palisadoes  on  the  other,  Eve  insisted  that  the  scene  was  posi- 
tively fine. 

"  You  have  well  chosen  your  spot,"  said  John  Effingham  ; 
"but  even  this  is  barely  good.  There  is  nothing  surpassing 
about  it." 

"  But  it  is  home,  cousin  Jack." 

"  It  is  home,  Miss  Effingham,"  he  answered,  gaping ;  "  and  as 
you  have  no  cargo  to  sell,  I  fear  you  will  find  it  an  exceedingly 
dull  one." 

"  We  shall  see — we  shall  see,"  returned  Eve,  laughing. 
Then,  looking  about  her  for  a  few  minutes,  she  added  with  a 
manner  in  which  real  and  affected  vexation  were  prettily  blended, 
"  In  one  thing  I  do  confess  myself  disappointed." 

"  You  will  be  happy,  my  dear,  if  it  be  in  only  one." 

"  These  smaller  vessels  are  less  picturesque  than  those  I 
have  been  accustomed  to  see." 

"  You  have  hit  upon  a  very  sound  criticism,  and,  by  going  a 
little  deeper  into  the  subject,  you  will  discover  a  singular 
deficiency  in  this  part  of  an  American  landscape.  The  great 
height  of  the  spars  of  all  the  smaller  vessels  of  these  waters, 
when  compared  with  the  tame  and  level  coast,  river  banks,  and 
the  formation  of  the  country  in  general,  has  the  effect  to  dimin- 
ish still  more  the  outlines  of  any  particular  scene.  Beautiful  a* 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  4^ 

it  is,  beyond  all  competition,  the  Hudson  would  seem  still  more 
so,  were  it  not  for  these  high  and  ungainly  spars." 

The  pilot  now  began  to  shorten  sail,  and  the  ship  drew  into 
that  arm  of  the  sea  which,  by  a  misnomer  peculiarly  American, 
it  is  the  fashion  to  call  the  East  River.  Here  our  heroine  can- 
didly expressed  her  disappointment,  the  town  seeming  mean 
and  in-significant.  The  Battery,  of  which  she  remembered  a 
little,  and  had  heard  so  much,  although  beautifully  placed  dis- 
appointed her,  for  it  had  neither  the  extent  and  magnificence 
of  a  park,  nor  the  embellishments  and  luxurious  shades  of  a 
garden.  As  she  had  been  told  that  her  countrymen  were  almost 
ignorant  of  the  art  of  landscape  gardening,  she  was  not  so 
much  disappointed  with  this  spot,  however,  as  with  the  air  of 
the  town,  and  the  extreme  filth  and  poverty  of  the  quays.  Un- 
willing to  encourage  John  Effingham  in  his  disposition  to  cen- 
sure, she  concealed  her  opinions  for  a  time. 

"  There  is  less  improvement  here  than  even  I  expected," 
said  Mr.  Effingham,  as  they  got  into  a  coach  on  the  wharf. 
"  They  had  taught  me,  John,  to  expect  great  improvements." 

"  And  great,  very  great  improvements  have  been  made  in 
your  absence.  If  you  could  see  this  place  as  you  knew  it  in 
youth,  the  alterations  would  seem  marvellous." 

"  I  cannot  admit  this.  With  Eve,  I  think  the  place  mean 
in  appearance,  rather  than  imposing,  and  so  decidedly  provincial 
as  not  to  possess  a  single  feature  of  a  capital." 

"  The  two  things  are  not  irreconcilable,  Ned,  if  you  will 
take  the  trouble  to  tax  your  memory.  The  place  is  mean  and 
provincial  ;  but  thirty  years  since  it  was  still  meaner  and  more 
provincial  that  it  is  to-day.  A  century  hence  it  will  begin  to 
resemble  a  large  European  town." 

"  What  odious  objects  these  posts  are  !  "  cried  Eve. 

"  They  give  the  streets  the  air  of  a  village,  and  I  do  not  see 
their  uses." 

"  Those  posts  are  for  awnings,  and  of  themselves  they  prove 
the  peculiar  country  character  of  the  place.  If  you  will  reflect, 
however,  you  will  see  it  could  not  well  be  otherwise.  This 
town  to-day  contains  near  three  hundred  thousand  souls,  two- 
thirds  of  whom  are  in  truth  emigrants  from  the  interior  of  some 
foreign  country ;  and  such  a  collection  of  people  cannot  in  a 
day  give  a  town  any  other  character  than  that  which  belongs  to 
themselves.  It  is  not  a  crime  to  be  provincial  and  rustic ;  it  is 
only  ridiculous  to  fancy  yourselves  otherwise,  when  the  fact  is 
apparent." 


4J4  HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

"  The  streets  seem  deserted.  I  had  thought  New  York  a 
crowded  town." 

"  And  yet  this  is  Broadway,  a  street  that  every  American 
will  tell  you  is  so  crowded  as  to  render  respiration  impossible. ' 

"John  Effingham  excepted,"  said  Mr.  Effingham  smiling. 

"  Is  this  Broadway  ?  "  cried  Eve,  fairly  appalled. 

"  Beyond  a  question.     Are  you  not  smothered  ?  " 

Eve  continued  silent  until  the  carriage  reached  the  door  of 
her  father's  house.  On  the  other  hand,  Mademoiselle  Viefville 
expressed  herself  delighted  with  all  she  saw,  a  circumstance 
that  might  have  deceived  a  native  of  the  country,  who  did  not 
know  how  to  explain  raptures.  In  the  first  place  she  was  a 
Frenchwoman,  and  accustomed  to  say  pleasant  things ;  then 
she  was  just  relieved  from  an  element  she  detested,  and  the 
land  was  pleasant  in  her  eyes.  But  the  principal  reason  is  still 
in  reserve  :  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  like  most  Europeans,  had 
regarded  America  not  merely  as  a  provincial  country,  and  this 
without  a  high  standard  of  civilization  for  a  province,  as  the 
truth  would  have  shown,  but  as  a  semi-barbarous  quarter  of  the 
world  ;  and  the  things  she  saw  so  much  surpassed  her  expecta- 
tions, that  she  was  delighted,  as  it  might  be,  by  contrast. 

As  we  shall  have  a  future  occasion  to  speak  of  the  dwelling 
of  Mr.  Effingham,  and  to  accompany  the  reader  much  further 
in  the  histories  of  our  several  characters,  we  shall  pass  over 
the  feelings  of  Eve  when  fairly  established  that  night  under 
her  own  roof.  The  next  morning,  however,  when  she  descended 
to  breakfast,  she  was  met  by  John  Effingham,  who  gravely 
pointed  to  the  following  paragraph  in  one  of  the  daily  journals. 

"  The  Montauk,  London  packet,  which  has  been  a  little 
out  of  time,  arrived  yesterday,  as  reported  in  our  marine  news. 
The  ship  has  met  with  various  interesting  adventures,  that,  we 
are  happy  to  hear,  will  shortly  be  laid  before  the  world  by  one 
of  her  passengers,  a  gentleman  every  way  qualified  for  the  task. 
Among  the  distinguished  persons  arrived  in  this  ship  is  our 
contemporary,  Steadfast  Dodge,  Esquire,  whose  amusing  and 
instructing  letters  from  Europe  are  already  before  the  world. 
We  are  glad  to  hear  that  Mr.  Dodge  returns  home  better 
satisfied  than  ever  with  his  own  country,  which  he  declares  to 
be  quite  good  enough  for  him.  It  is  whispered  that  our  literary 
friend  has  played  a  conspicuous  part  in  some  recent  events  on 
the  coast  of  Africa,  though  his  extreme  and  well  known  mod- 
esty renders  him  indisposed  to  speak  of  the  affair ;  but  we  for- 
bear ourselves,  out  of  respect  to  a  sensibility  that  we  know  how 
to  esteem  J 


HOMEWARD  BOUND.  415 

"His  Britannic  Majesty's  ship,  Foam,  whose  arrival  we 
noticed  a  day  or  two  since,  boarded  the  Montauk  off  the  Hook, 
and  took  out  of  her  two  criminals,  one  of  whom,  we  are  told, 
was  a  defaulter  for  one  hundred  and  forty  thousand  pounds, 
and  the  other  a  deserter  from  the  king's  service,  though  a  scion 
of  a  noble  house.  More  of  this  to-morrow." 

The  morrow  never  came,  for  some  new  incident  took  the 
place  of  the  promised  narration.  A  people  who  do  not  give 
themselves  time  to  eat,  and  with  whom  **  go  ahead  "  has  got 
to  be  the  substitute  of  even  religion,  little  troubling  themselves 
to  go  back  twenty- four  hours  in  search  of  a  fact. 

"  This  must  be  a  base  falsehood,  cousin  Jack,"  said  Eve,  as 
she  laid  down  the  paper,  her  brow  flushed  with  an  indignation 
that,  for  the  moment,  proved  too  strong  for  even  apprehension. 

"  I  hope  it  may  turn  out  to  be  so,  and  yet  1  consider  the 
affair  sufficiently  singular  to  render  suspicion  at  least  natural." 

How  Eve  both  thought  and  acted  in  the  matter,  will  appear 
hereafter. 


THE  END. 


"  No,  do  I  know  where  we  are  ! "  exclaimed  Eve.      "This  is  the  vision, 
and  yonder,  indeed,  is  our  blessed  home  !  " — Home  as  Found,  page  120. 


HOME  AS  FOUND 


SEQUEL   TO 


HOMEWARD   BOUND 


BY 

J.  FENIMORE    COOPER 


"  Thou  art  perfect  " 

PR.  HEN. 


PREFACE. 


THOSE  who  have  done  us  the  favor  to  read  "  Homeward 
Bound  "  will  at  once  perceive  that  the  incidents  of  this 
book  commence  at  the  point  where  those  of  the  work  just 
mentioned  ceased.  We  are  fully  aware  of  the  disadvantage 
of  dividing  the  interest  of  a  tale  in  this  manner  ;  but  in  the 
present  instance,  the  separation  has  been  produced  by  cir- 
cumstances over  which  the  writer  had  very  little  control. 
As  any  one  who  may  happen  to  take  up  this  volume  will 
very  soon  discover  that  there  is  other  matter  which  it  is 
necessary  to  know,  it  may  be  as  well  to  tell  all  such  per- 
sons, in  the  commencement,  therefore,  that  their  reading 
will  be  bootless,  unless  they  have  leisure  to  turn  to  the 
pages  of  "  Homeward  Bound  "  for  their  cue. 

We  remember  the  despair  with  which  that  admirable 
observer  of  men,  Mr.  Mathews  the  comedian,  confessed 
the  hopelessness  of  success,  in  his  endeavors  to  obtain  a 
sufficiency  of  prominent  and  distinctive  features  to  com- 
pose an  entertainment  founded  on  American  character. 
The  whole  nation  struck  him  as  being  destitute  of  salient 
points,  and  as  characterized  by  a  respectable  mediocrity, 
that,  however  useful  it  might  be  in  its  way,  was  utterly 
without  poetry,  humor,  or  interest  to  the  observer.  For 
one  who  dealt  principally  with  the  more  conspicuous  ab- 
surdities of  his  fellow-creatures,  Mr.  Mathews  was  cer- 
tainly right  ;  we  also  believe  him  to  have  been  right  in 


4  PREFACE. 

the  main,  in  the  general  tenor  of  his  opinion  ;  for  this 
country,  in  its  ordinary  aspects,  probably  presents  as  barren 
a  field  to  the  writer  of  fiction,  and  to  the  dramatist,  as  any 
other  on  earth  ;  we  are  not  certain  that  we  might  not  say 
the  most  barren.  We  believe  that  no  attempt  to  delineate 
ordinary  American  life,  either  on  the  stage  or  in  the  pages 
of  a  novel,  has  been  rewarded  with  success.  Even  those 
works  in  which  the  desire  to  illustrate  a  principle  has  been 
the  aim,  when  the  picture  has  been  brought  within  this 
homely  frame,  have  had  to  contend  with  disadvantages 
that  have  been  commonly  found  insurmountable.  The 
latter  being  the  intention  of  this  book,  the  task  has  been 
undertaken  with  a  perfect  consciousness  of  all  its  difficult- 
ies, and  with  scarcely  a  hope  of  success.  It  would  be 
indeed  a  desperate  undertaking,  to  think  of  making  any- 
thing interesting  in  the  way  of  a  Roman  de  Soctiti  in  this 
country  ;  still  useful  glances  may  possibly  be  made  even 
in  that  direction,  and  we  trust  that  the  fidelity  of  one  or 
two  of  our  portraits  will  be  recognized  by  the  looker-on, 
although  they  will  very  likely  be  denied  by  the  sitters 
themselves. 

There  seems  to  be  a  pervading  principle  in  things, 
which  gives  an  accumulating  energy  to  any  active  property 
that  may  happen  to  be  in  the  ascendant,  at  the  time  being 
-T-money  produces  money  ;  knowledge  is  the  parent  of 
knowledge  ;  and  ignorance  fortifies  ignorance.  In  a  word, 
like  begets  like.  The  governing  social  evil  of  America  is 
provincialism  ;  a  misfortune  that  is  perhaps  inseparable 
from  her  situation.  Without  a  social  capital,  with  twenty 
or  more  communities  divided  by  distance  and  political  bar- 
riers, her  people,  who  are  really  more  homogeneous  than 
any  other  of  the  same  numbers  in  the  world  perhaps, 
possess  no  standard  for  opinion,  manners,  social  maxims, 
or  even  language.  Every  man,  as  a  matter  of  course,  re- 
fers to  his  own  particular  experience,  and  praises  or  con- 


PREFACE.  $ 

demns  agreeably  to  notions  contracted  in  the  circle  of  his 
own  habits,  however  narrow,  provincial,  or  erroneous  they 
may  happen  to  be.  As  a  consequence,  no  useful  stage  can 
exist ;  for  the  dramatist  who  should  endeavor  to  delineate 
the  faults  of  society,  would  find  a  formidable  party  arrayed 
against  him,  in  a  moment,  with  no  party  to  defend.  As 
another  consequence,  we  see  individuals  constantly  as- 
sailed with  a  wolf-like  ferocity,  while  society  is  everywhere 
permitted  to  pass  unscathed. 

That  the  American  nation  is  a  great  nation,  in  some 
particulars  the  greatest  the  world  ever  saw,  we  hold  to  be 
true,  and  are  as  ready  to  maintain  as  any  one  can  be  ;  but 
we  are  also  equally  ready  to  concede,  that  it  is  very  far 
behind  most  polished  nations  in  various  essentials,  and 
chiefly,  that  it  is  lamentably  in  arrears  to  its  own  avowed 
principles.  Perhaps  this  truth  will  be  found  to  be  the 
predominant  thought,  throughout  the  pages  of  "  Home  as 
Found." 


HOME  AS  FOUND. 


CHAPTER  I. 

"Good  morrow,  coz. 
Good  morrow,  sweet  Hero." 

SHAKESPEARE. 

WHEN  Mr.  Effingham  determined  to  return  home  he 
sent  orders  to  his  agent  to  prepare  his  town-house  in  New 
York  for  his  reception,  intending  to  pass  a  month  or  two 
in  it,  then  to  repair  to  Washington  for  a  few  weeks,  at  the 
close  of  its  season,  and  to  visit  his  country  residence  when 
the  spring  should  fairly  open.  Accordingly,  Eve  now 
found  herself  at  the  head  of  one  of  the  largest  establish- 
ments in  the  largest  American  town,  within  an  hour  after 
she  had  landed  from  the  ship.  Fortunately  for  her,  how- 
ever, her  father  was  too  just  to  consider  a  wife  or  a  daugh- 
ter a  mere  upper  servant,  and  he  rightly  judged  that  a 
liberal  portion  of  his  income  should  be  assigned  to  the 
procuring  of  that  higher  quality  of  domestic  service,  which 
can  alone  relieve  the  mistress  of  a  household  from  a  bur- 
den so  heavy  to  be  borne.  Unlike  so  many  of  those 
around  him,  who  would  spend  on  a  single  pretending  and 
comfortless  entertainment,  in  which  the  ostentatious  folly 
of  one  contended  with  the  ostentatious  folly  of  another,  a 
sum  that,  properly  directed,  would  introduce  order  and 
system  into  a  family  for  a  twelvemonth,  by  commanding 
the  time  and  knowledge  of  those  whose  study  they  had 
been,  and  who  would  be  willing  to  devote  themselves  to 
such  objects,  and  then  permit  their  wives  and  daughters 
to  return  to  the  drudgery  to  which  the  sex  seems  doomed 
in  this  country,  he  first  bethought  him  of  the  wants  of 


8  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

social  life  before  he  aspired  to  its  parade.  A  man  of  the 
world,  Mr.  Effingham  possessed  the  requisite  knowledge, 
and  a  man  of  justice,  the  requisite  fairness,  to  permit  those 
who  depended  on  him  so  much  for  their  happiness,  to 
share  equitably  in  the  good  things  that  Providence  had  so 
liberally  bestowed  on  himself.  In  other  words,  he  made 
two  people  comfortable  by  paying  a  generous  price  for  a 
housekeeper  ;  his  daughter,  in  the  first  place,  by  releasing 
her  from  cares  that  necessarily  formed  no  more  a  part  of 
her  duties  than  it  would  be  a  part  of  her  duty  to  sweep  the 
pavement  before  the  door  ;  and  in  the  next  place,  a  very 
respectable  woman,  who  was  glad  to  obtain  so  good  a 
home  on  so  easy  terms.  To  this  simple  and  just  expedient 
Eve  was  indebted  for  being  at  the  head  of  one  of  the 
quietest,  most  truly  elegant,  and  best  ordered  establish- 
ments in  America,  with  no  other  demands  on  her  time 
than  that  which  was  necessary  to  issue  a  few  orders  in  the 
morning,  and  to  examine  a  few  accounts  once  a  week. 

One  of  the  first  and  most  acceptable  of  the  visits  that 
Eve  received  was  from  her  cousin,  Grace  Van  Cortlandt, 
who  was  in  the  country  at  the  moment  of  her  arrival,  but 
who  hurried  back  to  town  to  meet  her  old  schoolfellow 
and  kinswoman,  the  instant  she  heard  of  her  having 
landed.  Eve  Effingham  and  Grace  Van  Cortlandt  were 
sisters'  children,  and  had  been  born  within  a  month  of 
each  other.  As  the  latter  was  without  father  or  mother, 
most  of  their  time  had  been  passed  together,  until  the 
-former  was  taken  abroad,  when  a  separation  unavoidably 
ensued.  Mr.  Effingham  ardently  desired,  and  had  actually 
designed  to  take  his  niece  with  him  to  Europe,  but  her 
paternal  grandfather,  who  was  still  living,  objected  his 
years  and  affection,  and  the  scheme  was  reluctantly  aban- 
doned. This  grandfather  was  now  dead,  and  Grace  had 
been  left,  with  a  very  ample  fortune,  almost  entirely  the 
mistress  of  her  own  movements. 

The  moment  of  the  meeting  between  these  two  warm- 
hearted and  sincerely  attached  young  women  was  one  of 
great  interest  and  anxiety  to  both.  They  retained  for 
each  other  the  tenderest  love,  though  the  years  that  had 
separated  them  had  given  rise  to  so  many  new  impressions 
and  habits,  that  they  did  not  prepare  themselves  for  the 
interview  without  apprehension.  This  interview  took 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  g 

place  about  a  week  after  Eve  was  established  in  Hudson 
Square,  and  at  an  hour  earlier  than  was  usual  for  the  re- 
ception of  visits.  Hearing  a  carriage  stop  before  the 
door,  and  the  bell  ring,  our  heroine  stole  a  glance  from 
behind  a  curtain,  and  recognized  her  cousin  as  she 
alighted. 

"  Qu'avez-vous,  ma  chere  ?  "  demanded  Mademoiselle  Vief- 
ville,  observing  that  her  eleve  trembled  and  grew  pale. 

"  It  is  my  cousin,  Miss  Van  Cortlandt — she  whom  I 
loved  as  a  sister — we  now  meet  for  the  first  time  in  so 
many  years ! " 

" Bien — c'est  une  ires  jolie  jeune  personne  !  "  returned  the 
governess,  taking  a  glance  from  the  spot  Eve  had  just 
quitted.  "  Sur  le  rapport  de  la  personne,  ma  chere,  vous  devriez 
etre  content e,  au  mains" 

"  If  you  will  excuse  me,  Mademoiselle,  I  will  go  down 
alone — I  think  I  should  prefer  to  meet  Grace  without  wit- 
nesses, in  the  first  interview." 

"  Tres  volontiers.     FMe  est  parent  e,  et  c'est  lien  nature  I" 

Eve  on  this  expressed  approbation  met  her  maid  at  the 
door,  as  she  came  to  announce  that  Mademoiselle  de  Cort- 
landt was  in  the  library,  and  descended  slowly  to  meet 
her.  The  library  was  lighted  from  above  by  means  of  a 
small'dome,  and  Grace  had  unconsciously  placed  herself 
in  the  very  position  that  a  painter  would  have  chosen,  had 
she  been  about  to  sit  for  her  portrait.  A  strong,  full,  rich 
light  fell  obliquely  on  her,  as  Eve  entered,  displaying  her 
fine  person  and  beautiful  features  to  the  very  best  advan- 
tage, and  they  were  features  and  a  person  tfhat  are  not  seen 
every  day,  even  in  a  country  where  female  beauty  is  so 
common.  She  was  in  a  carriage  dress,  and  her  toilette 
was  rather  more  elaborate  than  Eve  had  been  accustomed 
to  see  at  that  hour,  but  still  Eve  thought  she  had  seldom 
seen  a  more  lovely  young  creature.  Some  such  thoughts 
also  passed  through  the  mind  of  Grace  herself,  who,  though 
struck,  with  a  woman's  readiness  in  such  matters,  with  the 
severe  simplicity  of  Eve's  attire,  as  well  as  with  its  entire 
elegance,  was  more  struck  with  the  charms  of  her  counte- 
nance and  figure.  There  was,  in  truth,  a  strong  resem- 
blance between  them,  though  each  was  distinguished  by 
an  expression  suited  to  her  character,  and  to  the  habits  of 
her  mind. 


io  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  Miss  Effingham  ! "  said  Grace,  advancing  a  step  to 
meet  the  lady  who  entered,  while  her  voice  was  scarcely 
audible  and  her  limbs  trembled. 

"Miss  Van  Cortlandt ! "  said  Eve,  in  the  same  low, 
smothered  tone. 

This  formality  caused  a  chill  in  both,  and  each  uncon- 
sciously stopped  and  courtesied.  Eve  had  been  so  much 
struck  with  the  coldness  of  the  American  manner  during 
the  week  she  had  been  at  home,  and  Grace  was  so  sensi- 
tive on  the  subject  of  the  opinion  of  one  who  had  seen  so 
much  of  Europe,  that  there  was  great  danger,  at  that  criti- 
cal moment,  the  meeting  would  terminate  unpropitiously. 

Thus  far,  however,  all  had  been  rigidly  decorous,  though 
the  strong  feelings  that  were  glowing  in  the  bosoms  of 
both  had  been  so  completely  suppressed.  But  the  smile, 
cold  and  embarrassed  as  it  was,  that  each  gave  as  she  cour- 
tesied, had  the  sweet  character  of  her  childhood  in  it,  and 
recalled  to  both  the  girlish  and  affectionate  intercourse  of 
their  younger  days. 

"  Grace  !"  said  Eve,  eagerly  advancing  a  step  or  two 
impetuously,  and  blushing  like  the  dawn. 

"  Eve  ! " 

Each  opened  her  arms,  and  in  a  moment  they  were 
locked  in  a  long  and  fervent  embrace.  This  was  the  com- 
mencement of  their  former  intimacy,  and  before  night 
Grace  was  domesticated  in  her  uncle's  house.  It  is  true 
that  Miss  Effingham  perceived  certain  peculiarities  about 
Miss  Van  Cortlandt  that  she  had  rather  were  absent  ;  and 
Miss  Van  Cortlandt  would  have  felt  more  at  ease  had  Miss 
Effingham  a  little  less  reserve  of  manner  on  certain  sub- 
jects that  the  latter  had  been  taught  to  think  interdicted. 
Notwithstanding  these  slight  separating  shades  in  charac- 
ter, however,  the  natural  affection  was  warm  and  sincere  ; 
and  if  Eve,  according  to  Grace's  notions,  was  a  little  stately 
and  formal,  she  was  polished  and  courteous  ;  and  if  Grace, 
according  to  Eve's  notions,  was  a  little  too  easy  and  un- 
reserved, she  was  feminine  and  delicate. 

We  pass  over  the  three  or  four  days  that  succeeded, 
during  which  Eve  had  got  to  understand  something  of 
her  new  position,  and  we  will  come  at  once  to  a  conversa- 
tion between  the  cousins,  that  will  serve  to  let  the  reader 
more  intimately  into  the  opinions,  habits,  and  feelings  oi 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  n 

both,  as  well  as  to  open  the  real  subject  of  our  narrative. 
This  conversation  took  place  in  that  very  library  which 
had  witnessed  their  first  interview,  soon  after  breakfast, 
and  while  the  young  ladies  were  still  alone. 

"  I  suppose,  Eve,  you  will  have  to  visit  the  Greens. 
They  are  Hajjis,  and  were  much  in  society  last  winter." 

"Hajjis!  You  surely  do  not  mean,  Grace,  that  they 
have  been  to  Mecca?" 

"  Not  at  all :  only  to  Paris,  my  dear;  that  makes  a  Hajji 
in  New  York." 

"  And  does  it  entitle  the  pilgrim  to  wear  the  green  tur- 
ban ? "  asked  Eve,  laughing. 

"  To  wear  anything,  Miss  Effingham  ;  green,  blue,  or 
yellow,  and  to  cause  it  to  pass  for  elegance." 

"  And  which  is  the  favorite  color  with  the  family  you 
have  mentioned  ? " 

"  It  ought  to  be  the  first,  in  compliment  to  the  name, 
but,  if  truth  must  be  said,  I  think  they  betray  an  affection 
for  all,  with  not  a  few  of  the  half-tints  in  addition." 

"  I  am  afraid  they  are  too  prononcees  for  us,  by  this  de- 
scription. I  am  no  great  admirer,  Grace,  of  walking  rain- 
bows." 

"  Too  Green,  you  would  have  said,  had  you  dared  ;  but 
you  are  a  Hajji  too,  and  even  the  Greens  know  that  a 
Hajji  never  puns,  unless,  indeed,  it  might  be  one  frotn 
Philadelphia.  But  you  will  visit  these  people  ? " 

"  Certainly,  if  they  are  in  society  and  render  it  neces^ 
sary  by  their  own  civilities." 

"They  are  in  society,  in  virtue  of  their  rights  as  Hajjis; 
but  as  they  passed  three  months  at  Paris,  you  probably 
know  something  of  them." 

"  They  may  not  have  been  there  at  the  same  time  with 
ourselves,"  returned  Eve,  quietly,  "  and  Paris  is  a  very 
large  town.  Hundreds  of  people  come  and  go  that  one 
never  hears  of.  I  do  not  remember  those  you  have  men- 
tioned." 

"  I  wish  you  may  escape  them,  for,  in  my  untravelled 
judgment,  they  are  anything  but  agreeable,  notwithstand- 
ing all  they  have  seen  or  pretend  to  have  seen." 

"It  is  very  possible  to  have  been  all  over  Christendom, 
and  to  remain  exceedingly  disagreeable  ;  besides,  one  may 
see  a  great  deal,  yet  see  very  little  of  a  good  quality." 


tit  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

A  pause  of  two  or  three  minutes  followed,  during  which 
Eve  read  a  note,  and  her  cousin  played  with  the  leaves  of 
a  book. 

"  I  wish  I  knew  your  real  opinion  of  us,  Eve,"  the  last 
suddenly  exclaimed.  "  Why  not  be  frank  with  so  near  a 
relative  ;  tell  me  honestly,  now — are  you  reconciled  to 
your  country  ? " 

"You  are  the  eleventh  person  who  has  asked  me  this 
question,  which  I  find  very  extraordinary,  as  I  have  never 
quarrelled  with  my  country." 

"  Nay,  I  do  not  mean  exactly  that.  I  wish  to  hear  how 
our  society  has  struck  one  who  has  been  educated  abroad." 

"  You  wish,  then,  for  opinions  that  can  have  no  great 
value,  since  my  experience  at  home  extends  only  to  a  fort- 
night. But  you  have  many  books  on  the  country,  and 
some  written  by  very  clever  persons  ;  why  not  consult 
them?" 

"  Oh  !  you  mean  the  travellers.  None  of  them  are  worth 
a  second  thought,  and  we  hold  them,  one  and  all,  in  great 
contempt." 

"Of  that  I  can  have  no  manner  of  doubt,  as  one  and 
all  you  are  constantly  protesting  it,  in  the  highways  and 
byways.  There  is  no  more  certain  sign  of  contempt  than 
to  be  incessantly  dwelling  on  its  intensity !  " 

Grace  had  great  quickness,  as  well  as  her  cousin,  and 
though  provoked  at  Eve's  quiet  hit,  she  had  the  good  sense 
and  the  good-nature  to  laugh. 

"  Perhaps  we  do  protest  and  disdain  a  little  too  strenu- 
ously for  good  taste,  if  not  to  gain  believers  ;  but  surely, 
Eve,  you  do  not  support  these  travellers  in  all  that  they 
have  written  of  us  ?  " 

"  Not  in  half,  I  can  assure  you.  My  father  and  cousin 
Jack  have  discussed  them  too  often  in  my  presence  to 
leave  me  in  ignorance  of  the  very  many  political  blunders 
they  have  made  in  particular." 

"  Political  blunders  !  I  know  nothing  of  them,  and  had 
rather  thought  them  right  in  most  of  what  they  said  about 
our  politics.  But,  surely,  neither  your  father  nor  Mr. 
John  Effingham  corroborates  what  they  say  of  our 
society ! " 

"  I  cannot  answer  for  either,  on  that  point." 

•'  Speak,  then,  for  yourself.     Do  you  think  them  right  ?" 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  13 

"You  should  remember,  Grace,  that  I  have  not  yet  seen 
any  society  in  New  York." 

"  No  society,  dear  !  Why,  you  were  at  the  Hendersons', 
and  the  Morgans',  and  the  Drewetts'  ;  three  of  the  greatest 
reunions  that  we  have  had  in  two  winters  ! " 

"  I  did  not  know  that  you  meant  those  unpleasant 
crowds,  by  society." 

"  Unpleasant  crowds  !  Why,  child,  that  is  society,  is  it 
not?" 

"  Not  what  I  have  been  taught  to  consider  such  ;  I 
rather  think  it  would  be  better  to  call  it  company." 

"  And  is  not  this  what  is  called  society  in  Paris  ?  " 

"As  far  from  it  as  possible  ;  it  maybe  an  excrescence  of 
society  ;  one  of  its  forms  ;  but  by  no  means  society  itself.  It 
would  be  as  true  to  call  cards,  which  are  sometimes  intro- 
duced in  the  world,  society,  as  to  call  a  ball  given  in  two 
small  and  crowded  rooms,  society.  They  are  merely  two  of  the 
modes  in  which  idlers  endeavor  to  vary  their  amusements." 

"  But  we  have  little  else  than  these  balls,  the  morning 
visits,  and  an  occasional  evening  in  which  there  is  no 
dancing." 

"  I  am  sorry  to  hear  it;  for,  in  that  case,  you  can  have 
no  society." 

"  And  is  it  different  at  Paris — or  Florence,  or  Rome  ?  " 

"Very.  In  Paris  there  are  many  houses  open  every 
evening  to  which  we  can  go  with  little  ceremony.  Our 
sex  appears  in  them,  dressed  according  to  what  a  gentle- 
man I  overheard  conversing  at  Mrs.  Henderson's  would 
call  their  *  ulterior  intentions '  for  the  night  ;  some  at- 
tired in  the  simplest  manner,  others  dressed  for  concerts, 
for  the  opera,  for  court  even  ;  some  on  the  way  from  a 
dinner,  and  others  going  to  a  late  ball.  All  this  matter-of- 
course  variety  adds  to  the  ease  and  grace  of  the  company, 
and  coupled  with  perfect  good  manners,  a  certain  knowl- 
edge of  passing  events,  pretty  modes  of  expression,  an 
accurate  and  even  utterance,  the  women  usually  find  the 
means  of  making  themselves  agreeable.  Their  sentiment 
is  sometimes  a  little  heroic,  but  this  one  must  overlook, 
and  it  is  a  taste,  moreover,  that  is  falling  into  disuse,  as 
people  read  better  books." 

"And  you  prefer  this  heartlessness,  Eve,  to  the  nature 
of  your  own  country  ? " 


14  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

-"I  do  riot  know  that  quiet  retinue  and  a  good  tone  are 
a  whit  more  heartless  than  flirting,  giggling,  and  childish- 
ness. There  may  be  more  nature  in  the  latter,  certainly, 
but  it  is  scarcely  as  agreeable,  after  one  has  fairly  got  rid 
of  the  nursery." 

Grace  looked  vexed,  but  she  loved  her  cousin  too  sin- 
cerely to  be  angry.  A  secret  suspicion  that  Eve  was  right, 
too,  came  in  aid  of  her  affection,  and  while  her  little  foot 
moved,  she  maintained  her  good-nature,  a  task  not  always 
attainable  for  those  who  believe  that  their  own  "  superla- 
tives" scarcely  reach  to  other  people's  "positives."  At 
this  critical  moment,  when  there  was  so  much  danger  of  a 
jar  in  the  feelings  of  these  two  young  females,  the  library 
door  opened,  and  Pierre,  Mr.  Effingham's  own  man,  an- 
nounced— 

"Monsieur  Bragg." 

"  Monsieur  who  ? "  asked  Eve,  in  surprise. 

"Monsieur  Bragg,"  returned  Pierre,  in  French,  "desires 
to  see  mademoiselle." 

"You  mean  my  father — I  know  no  such  person." 

"He  inquired  first  for  monsieur,  but  understanding 
monsieur. was  out,  he  next  asked  to  have  the  honor  of  see- 
ing mademoiselle." 

"Is  it  what  they  call  a  person  in  England,  Pierre  ?" 

Old  Pierre  smiled,  as  he  answered  : 

"  He  has  the  air,  mademoiselle,  though  he  esteems  him- 
self a  personage,  if  I  might  take  the  liberty  of  judging." 

"Ask  him  for  his  card — there  must  be  a  mistake,  I 
think." 

While  this  short  conversation  took  place,  Grace  Van 
Cortlandt  was  sketching  a  cottage  with  a  pen,  without 
attending  to  a  word  that  was  said.  But,  when  Eve  received 
the  card  from  Pierre  and  read  aloud,  with  the  tone  of  sur- 
prise that  the  name  would  be  apt  to  excite  in  a  novice  in 
the  art  of  American  nomenclature,  the  words  "  Aristabulus 
Bragg,"  her  cousin  began  to  laugh. 

"  Who  can  this  possibly  be,  Grace  ?  Did  you  ever  hear 
of  such  a  person,  and  what  right  can  he  have  to  wish  to 
see  me  ?  " 

u  Admit  him,  by  all  means  ;  it  is  your  father's  land  agent, 
and  he  may  wish  to  leave  some  message  for  my  uncle. 
You  will  be  obliged  to  make  his  acquaintance,  sooner  or 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  15 

later,  and  it  may  as  well  be  done  now  as  at  another 
time." 

"  You  have  shown  this  gentleman  into  the  front  drawing- 
room,  Pierre  ? " 

' '  Qui  mademoiselle. ' ' 

"  I  will  ring  when  you  are  wanted." 

Pierre  withdrew,  and  Eve  opened  her  secretaire,  out  of 
which  she  took  a  small  manuscript  book,  over  the  leaves 
of  which  she  passed  her  fingers  rapidly. 

«£.'Here  it  is,"  she  said,  smiling,  "  'Mr.  Aristabulus  Bragg, 
Attorney  and  Counsellor-at-Law,  and  the  agent  of  the 
Templeton  estate.'  This  precious  little  work,  you  must 
understand,  Grace,  contains  sketches  of  the  characters  of 
such  persons  as  I  shall  be  the  most  likely  to  see,  by  John 
Effingham,  A.M.  It  is  a  sealed  volume,  of  course,  but  there 
can  be  no  harm  in  reading  the  part  that  treats  of  our  pres- 
ent visitor,  and,  with  your  permission,  we  will  have  it  in 
common  :  '  Mr.  Aristabulus  Bragg  was  born  in  one  of  the 
western  counties  of  Massachusetts,  and  emigrated  to  New 
York,  after  receiving  his  education,  at  the  mature  age  of 
nineteen  ;  at  twenty-one  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and 
for  the  last  seven  years  he  has  been  a  successful  practi- 
tioner in  all  the  courts  of  Otsego,  from  the  justice's  to  the 
circuit.  His  talents  are  undeniable,  as  he  commenced  his 
education  at  fourteen  and  terminated  it  at  twenty-one,  the 
law  course  included.  This  man  is  an  epitome  of  all  that 
is  good  and  all  that  is  bad  in  a  very  large  class  of.  his  fel- 
low-citizens. He  is  quick-witted,  prompt  in  action,  enter- 
prising in  all  things  in  which  he  has  nothing  to  lose,  but 
wary  and  cautious  in  all  things  in  which  he  has  a  real  stake, 
and  ready  to  turn  not  only  his  hand,  but  his  heart  and  his 
principles,  to  anything  that  offers  an  advantage.  With 
him,  literally,  "  nothing  is  too  high  to  be  aspired  to,  noth- 
ing too  low  to  be  done."  He  will  run  for  Governor,  or 
for  town  clerk,  just  as  opportunities  occur,  is  expert  in  all 
the  practices  of  his  profession,  has  had  a  quarter's  danc- 
ing, with  three  years  in  the  classics,  and  turned  his  atten- 
tion toward  medicine  and  divinity,  before  he  finally  settled 
down  into  the  law.  Such  a  compound  of  shrewdness,  im- 
pudence, common-sense,  pretension,  humility,  cleverness, 
vulgarity,  kind-heartedness,  duplicity,  selfishness,  law- 
honesty,  moral  fraud  and  mother  wit,  mixed  up  with  a 


16  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

smattering  of  learning  and  much  penetration  in  practical 
things,  can  hardly  be  described,  as  any  one  of  his  promi- 
nent qualities  is  certain  to  be  met  by  another  quite  as  ob- 
vious that  is  almost  its  converse.  Mr.  Bragg,  in  short,  is 
purely  a  creature  of  circumstances,  his  qualities  pointing 
him  out  for  either  a  member  of  Congress  or  a  deputy 
sheriff,  offices  that  he  is  equally  ready  to  fill.  I  have  em- 
ployed him  to  watch  over  the  estate  of  your  father,  in  the 
absence  of  the  latter,  on  the  principle  that  one  practised 
in  tricks  is  the  best  qualified  to  detect  and  expose  them, 
and  with  the  certainty  that  no  man  will  trespass  with  im- 
punity, so  long  as  the  courts  continue  to  tax  bills  of  costs 
with  their  present  liberality.'  You  appear  to  know  the 
gentleman,  Grace  ;  is  this  character  of  him  faithful  ? " 

"  I  know  nothing  of  bills  of  costs  and  deputy  sheriffs,  but 
I  do  know  that  Mr.  Aristabulus  Bragg  is  an  amusing  mix- 
ture of  strut,  humility,  roguery,  and  cleverness.  He  is 
waiting  all  this  time  in  the  drawing-room,  and  you  had 
better  see  him,  as  he  may  now  be  almost  considered  part  of 
the  family.  You  know  he  has  been  living  in  the  house  at 
Templeton,  ever  since  he  was  installed  by  Mr.  John  Effing- 
ham.  It  was  there  I  had  the  honor  first  to  meet  him." 

"  First !  Surely  you  have  never  seen  him  anywhere 
else ! " 

"Your  pardon,  my  dear.  He  never  comes  to  town  with- 
out honoring  me  with  a  call.  This  is  the  price  I  pay  for 
having  had  the  honor  of  being  an  inmate  of  the  same  house 
with  him  for  a  week." 

Eve  rang  the  bell,  and  Pierre  made  his  appearance. 

"  Desire  Mr.  Bragg  to  walk  into  the  library." 

Grace  looked  demure  while  Pierre  was  gone  to  usher  in 
their  visitor,  and  Eve  was  thinking  of  the  medley  of  quali- 
ties John  Effingham  had  assembled  in  his  description,  as 
the  door  opened,  and  the  subject  of  her  contemplation  en- 
tered. 

"Monsieur  Aristabule,"  said  Pierre,  eyeing  the  card,  but 
sticking  at  the  first  name. 

Mr.  Aristabulus  Bragg  was  advancing  with  an  easy  as- 
surance to  make  his  bow  to  the  ladies,  when  the  more  fin- 
ished air  and  quiet  dignity  of  Miss  Effingham,  who  was 
standing,  so  far  disconcerted  him,  as  completely  to  upset 
his  self-possession.  As  Grace  had  expressed  it,  in  con 


HOME   AS  FOUND.  17 

sequence  of  having  lived  three  years  in  the  old  residence 
at  Templeton,  he  had  begun  to  consider  himself  a  part  of 
the  family,  and  at  home  he  never  spoke  of  the  young  lady 
without  calling  her  "  Eve,"  or  "  Eve  Effingham."  But  he 
found  it  a  very  different  thing  to  affect  familiarity  among 
his  associates,  and  to  practise  it  in  the  very  face  of  its  sub- 
ject ;  and,  although  seldom  at  a  loss  for  words  of  some 
sort  or  another,  he  was  now  actually  dumbfounded.  Eve 
relieved  his  awkwardness  by  directing  Pierre,  with  her  eye, 
to  hand  a  chair,  and  first  speaking. 

"  I  regret  that  my  father  is  not  in,"  she  said,  by  way  of 
turning  the  visit  from  herself;  "but  he  is  to  be  expected 
every  moment.  Are  you  lately  from  Templeton  ?" 

Aristabulus  drew  his  breath,  and  recovered  enough  of 
his  ordinary  tone  of  manner  to  reply  with  a  decent  regard 
to  his  character  for  self-command.  The  intimacy  that  he 
had  intended  to  establish  on  the  spot  was  temporarily  de- 
feated, it  is  true,  and  without  his  exactly  knowing  how  it 
had  been  effected  ;  for  it  was  merely  the  steadiness  of  the 
young  lady,  blended  as  it  was  with  a  polished  'reserve,  that 
had  thrown  him  to  a  distance  he  could  not  explain.  He 
felt  immediately,  and  with  taste  that  did  his  sagacity  credit, 
that  his  footing  in  this  quarter  was  only  to  be  obtained  by 
unusually  slow  and  cautious  means.  Still  Mr.  Bragg  was  a 
man  of  great  decision,  and,  in  his  way,  of  very  far-sighted 
views  ;  and  singular  as  it  may  seem,  at  that  unpropitious 
moment,  he  mentally  determined  that,  at  no  very  distant 
day,  he  would  make  Miss  Eve  Effingham  his  wife. 

"  I  hope  Mr.  Effingham  enjoys  good  health,"  he  said, 
with  some  such  caution  as  a  rebuked  school-girl  enters  on 
the  recitation  of  her  task — "  he  enjoyed  bad  health  I  hear 
(Mr.  Aristabulus  Bragg,  though  so  shrewd,  was  far  from 
critical  in  his  modes  of  speech)  when  he  went  to  Europe, 
and,  after  travelling  so  far  in  such  bad  company,  it  would 
be  no  more  than  fair  that  he  should  have  a  little  respite  as 
he  approaches  home  and  old  age." 

Had  Eve  been  told  that  the  man  who  uttered  this  nice 
sentiment,  and  that  too  in  accents  as  uncouth  and  provin- 
cial as  the  thought  was  finished  and  lucid,  actually  pre- 
sumed to  think  of  her  as  his  bosom  companion,  it  is  not 
easy  to  say  which  would  have  predominated  in  her  mind, 
mirth  or  resentment.  But  Mr.  Bragg  was  not  in  the  habit 


1 8  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

of  letting  his  secrets  escape  him  prematurely,  and  certainly 
this  was  one  that  none  but  a  wizard  could  have  discovered 
without  the  aid  of  a  direct  oral  or  written  communication. 

"  Are  you  lately  from  Templeton  ?  "  repeated  Eve,  a  little 
surprised  that  the  gentleman  did  not  see  fit  to  answer  the 
question,  which  was  the  only  one  that,  as  it  seemed  to  her, 
could  have  common  interest  with  them  both. 

"  I  left  home  the  day  before  yesterday,"  Aristabulus  now 
deigned  to  reply. 

"  It  is  so  long  since  I  saw  our  beautiful  mountains,  and 
I  was  then  so  young,  that  I  feel  a  great  impatience  to  re- 
visit them,  though  the  pleasure  must  be  deferred  until 
spring." 

"  I  conclude  they  are  the  handsomest  mountains  in  the 
known  world,  Miss  Effingham  !  " 

"  That  is  much  more  than  I  shall  venture  to  claim  for 
them  ;  but,  according  to  my  imperfect  recollection,  and, 
what  I  esteem  of  far  more  importance,  according  to  the 
united  testimony  of  Mr.  John  Effingham  and  my  father,  I 
think  they  must  be  very  beautiful." 

Aristabulus  looked  up,  as  if  he  had  a  facetious  thing  to 
say,  and  he  even  ventured  on  a  smile,  while  he  made  his 
answer. 

"  I  hope  Mr.  John  Effingham  has  prepared  you  for  a 
great  change  in  the  house  ?  " 

"  We  know  that  it  has  been  repaired  and  altered  under 
his  directions.  That  was  done  at  my  father's  request." 

*'  We  consider  it  denationalized,  Miss  Effingham,  there 
being  nothing  like  it,  west  of  Albany  at  least." 

"  I  should  be  sorry  to  find  that  my  cousin  has  subjected 
us  to  this  imputation,"  said  Eve,  smiling — perhaps  a  little 
equivocally  ;  "  the  architecture  of  America  being  generally 
so  simple  and  pure.  Mr.  Effingham  laughs  at  his  own  im- 
provements, however,  in  which,  he  says,  he  has  only  carried 
out  the  plans  of  the  original  artiste,  who  worked  very  much 
in  what  was  called  the  composite  order." 

"  You  allude  to  Mr.  Hiram  Doolittle,  a  gentleman  I 
never  saw  ;  though  I  hear  he  has  left  behind  him  many 
traces  of  his  progress  in  the  newer  States.  Ex  pede  Hercu- 
lem,  as  we  say  in  the  classics,  Miss  Effingham.  I  believe  it 
is  the  general  sentiment  that  Mr.  Doolittle's  designs  have 
been  improved  on,  though  most  people  think  fhat  the 


HOME  AS  POUND.  19 

Grecian  or  Roman  architecture,  which  is  so  much  in  use  in 
America,  would  be  more  republican.  But  everybody  knows 
that  Mr.  John  Effingham  is  not  much  of  a  republican." 

Eve  did  not  choose  to  discuss  her  kinsman's  opinions 
with  Mr.  Aristabulus  Bragg,  and  she  quietly  remarked  that 
she  "  did  not  know  that  the  imitations  of  the  ancient  archi- 
tecture, of  which  there  are  so  many  in  the  country,  were 
owing  to  attachment  to  republicanism." 

"To  what  else  can  it  be  owing,  Miss  Eve  ? " 

"  Sure  enough,"  said  Grace  Van  Cortlandt ;  "  it  is  un- 
suited  to  the  materials,  the  climate,  and  the  uses  ;  and 
some  very  powerful  motive,  like  that  mentioned  by  Mr. 
Bragg,  could  alone  overcome  these  obstacles." 

Aristabulus  started  from  his  seat,  and  making  sundry 
apologies,  declared  his  previous  unconsciousness  that  Miss 
Van  Cortlandt  was  present ;  all  of  which  was  true  enough, 
as  he  had  been  so  much  occupied  mentally  with  her  cousin 
as  not  to  have  observed  her,  seated  as  she  was  partly  be- 
hind a  screen.  Grace  received  the  excuses  favorably,  and 
the  conversation  was  resumed. 

"  I  am  sorry  that  my  cousin  should  offend  the  taste  of 
the  country,"  said  Eve,  "  but  as  we  are  to  live  in  the  house 
the  punishment  will  fall  heaviest  on  the  offenders." 

"  Do  not  mistake  me,  Miss  Eve,"  returned  Aristabulus 
in  a  little  alarm,  for  he  too  well  understood  the  influence 
and  wealth  of  John  Effingham,  not  to  wish  to  be  on  good 
terms  with  him,  "do  not  mistake  me.  I  admire  the  house, 
and  know  it  to  be  a  perfect  specimen  of  a  pure  archi- 
tecture in  its  way,  but  then  public  opinion  is  not  yet  quite 
up  to  it.  I  see  all  its  beauties,  I  would  wish  you  to  know, 
but  then  there  are  many,  -a  majority  perhaps,  who  do  not, 
and  these  persons  think  they  ought  to  be  consulted  about 
such  matters." 

"  I  believe  Mr.  John  Effingham  thinks  less  of  his  own 
work  than  you  seem  to  think  of  it  yourself,  sir,  for  I  have 
frequently  heard  him  laugh  at  it  as  a  mere  enlargement  of 
the  merits  of  the  Composite  order.  He  calls  it  a  caprice 
rather  than  a  taste  ;  nor  do  I  see  what  concern  a  majority, 
as  you  term  them,  can  have  with  a  house  that  does  not  be- 
long to  them." 

Aristabulus  was  surprised  that  any  one  could  disregard 
a  majority  ;  for  in  this  respect  he  a  good  deal  resembled 


20  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

Mr.  Dodge,  though  running  a  different  career  ;  and  the 
look  of  surprise  he  gave  was  natural  and  open. 

"  I  do  not  mean  that  the  public  has  a  legal  right  to  con- 
trol the  tastes  of  the  citizen,"  he  said,  "  but  in  a  republican 
government,  you  undoubtedly  understand,  Miss  Eve,  it 
will  rule  in  all  things." 

"  I  can  understand  that  one  would  wish  to  see  his  neigh- 
bor use  good  taste,  as  it  helps  to  embellish  a  country  ;  but 
the  man  who  should  consult  the  whole  neighborhood  be- 
fore he  built  would  be  very  apt  to  cause  a  complicated 
house  to  be  erected,  if  he  paid  much  respect  to  the  differ- 
ent opinions  he  received  ;  or,  what  is  quite  as  likely,  apt  to 
have  no  house  at  all." 

"I  think  you  are  mistaken,  Miss  Effingham,  for  the  pub- 
lic sentiment  just  now  runs  almost  exclusively  and  popu- 
larly into  the  Grecian  school.  We  build  little  besides 
temples  for  our  churches,  our  banks,  our  taverns,  our 
court-houses,  and  our  dwellings.  A  friend  of  mine  has  just 
built  a  brewery  on  the  model  of  the  Temple  of  the  Winds." 

"  Had  it  been  a  mill,  one  might  understand  the  conceit," 
said  Eve,  who  now  began  to  perceive  that  her  visitor  had 
some  latent  humor,  though  he  produced  it  in  a  manner  to 
induce  one  to  think  him  anything  but  a  droll.  "  The 
mountains  must  be  doubly  beautiful  if  they  are  decorated 
in  the  way  you  mention.  I  sincerely  hope,  Grace,  that  I 
shall  find  the  hills  as  pleasant  as  they  now  exist  in  my 
recollection." 

"Should  they  not  prove  to  be  quite  as  lovely  as  you 
imagine,  Miss  Effingham,"  returned  Aristabulus,  who  saw 
no  impropriety  in  answering  a  remark  made  to  Miss  Van 
Cortlandt,  or  anyone  else,  "  I  hope  you  will  have  the  kind' 
ness  to  conceal  the  fact  from  the  world." 

"  I  am  afraid  that  would  exceed  my  power — the  disap- 
pointment would  be  so  strong.  May  I  ask  why  you  show 
so  much  interest  in  my  keeping  so  cruel  a  mortification  to 
myself?" 

"Why,  Miss  Eve,"  said  Aristabulus,  looking  grave,  "I 
am  afraid  that  our  people  would  hardly  bear  the  expres- 
sion of  such  an  opinion  from  you." 

•*  From  me  ! — and  why  not  from  me,  in  particular  ?  " 

"  Perhaps  it  is  because  they  think  you  have  travelled, 
and  have  seen  other  countries." 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  31 

"  And  is  it  only  those  who  have  not  travelled,  and  who 
have  no  means  of  knowing  the  value  of  what  they  say, 
that  are  privileged  to  criticise  ? " 

"  I  cannot  exactly  explain  my  own  meaning,  perhaps, 
but  I  think  Miss  Grace  will  understand  me.  Do  you  not 
agree  with  me,  Miss  Van  Cortlandt,  in  thinking  it  would 
be  safer  for  one  who  never  saw  any  other  mountains,  to 
complain  of  the  tameness  and  monotony  of  our  own,  than 
for  one  who  had  passed  a  whole  life  among  the  Andes  and 
the  Alps  ? " 

Eve  smiled,  for  she  saw  that  Mr.  Bragg  was  capable  of 
detecting  and  laughing  at  provincial  pride,  even  while  he 
was  so  much  under  its  influence  ;  and  Grace  colored,  for 
she  had  the  consciousness  of  having  already  betrayed 
some  of  this  very  silly  sensitiveness  in  her  intercourse 
with  her  cousin,  in  connection  with  other  subjects.  A  re- 
ply was  unnecessary,  however,  as  the  door  just  then 
opened,  and  John  Effingham  made  his  appearance.  The 
meeting  between  the  two  gentlemen,  for  we  suppose  Aris- 
tabulus  must  be  included  in  the  category,  by  courtesy,  if 
not  of  right,  was  more  cordial  than  Eve  had  expected  to 
witness,  for  each  really  entertained  a  respect  for  the  other, 
in  reference  to  a  merit  of  a  particular  sort  ;  Mr.  Bragg 
esteeming  Mr.  John  Effingham  as  a  wealthy  and  caustic 
cynic,  and  Mr.  John  Effingham  regarding  Mr.  Bragg 
much  as  the  owner  of  a  dwelling  regards  a  valuable  house- 
dog. After  a  few  moments  of  conversation  the  two  with- 
drew together  ;  and  just  as  the  ladies  were  about  to  de- 
scend to  the  drawing-room,  previously  to  dinner,  Pierre 
announced  that  a  plate  had  been  ordered  for  the  land 
agent.  

CHAPTER   II. 

"  I  know  that  Deformed  ;  he  has  been  a  vile  thief  this  seven  years  ;  he 
goes  up  and  down  like  a  gentleman."  MUCH  ADO  ABOUT  NOTHING. 

Eve  and  her  cousin  found  Sir  George  Templemore  and 
Captain  Truck  in  the  drawing-room,  the  former  having 
lingered  in  New  York,  with  a  desire  to  be  near  his  friends, 
and  the  latter  being  on  the  point  of  sailing  for  Europe,  in 
his  regular  turn.  To  these  must  be  added  Mr.  Bragg  and 


22  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

the  ordinary  inmates  of  the  house,  when  the  reader  will 
get  a  view  of  the  whole  party. 

Aristabulus  had  never  before  sat  down  to  as  brilliant  a 
table,  and  for  the  first  time  in  his  life  he  saw  candles  lighted 
at  a  dinner  ;  but  he  was  not  a  man  to  be  disconcerted  at  a 
novelty.  Had  he  been  a  European  of  the  same  origin  and 
habits,  awkwardness  would  have  betrayed  him  fifty  times 
before  the  dessert  made  its  appearance  ;  but  being  the  man 
he  was,  one  who  overlooked  a  certain  prurient  politeness 
that  rather  illustrated  his  deportment,  might  very  well 
have  permitted  him  to  pass  among  the  oi polloi  oi  the  world, 
were  it  not  for  a  peculiar  management  in  the  way  of  pro- 
viding for  himself.  It  is  true,  he  asked  every  one  near  him 
to  eat  of  everything  he  could  himself  reach,  and  that  he 
used  his  knife  as  a  coal-heaver  uses  his  shovel  ;  but  the 
company  he  was  in,  though  fastidious  in  its  own  deport- 
ment, was  altogether  above  the  silver-forkisms,  and  this 
portion  of  his  demeanor,  if  it  did  not  escape  undetected, 
passed  away  unnoticed.  Not  so,  however,  with  the  pecu- 
liarity already  mentioned  as  an  exception.  This  touch  of 
deportment  (or  management,  perhaps,  is  the  better  word), 
being  characteristic  of  the  man,  it  deserves  to  be  men- 
tioned a  little  in  detail. 

The  service  at  Mr.  Effingham's  table  was  made  in  the 
quiet  but  thorough  manner  that  distinguishes  a  French 
dinner.  Every  dish  was  removed,  carved  by  the  domestics, 
and  handed  in  turn  to  each  guest.  But  there  was  a  delay 
and  a  finish  in  this  arrangement  that  suited  neither  Aris- 
tabulus's  go-a-head-ism,  nor  his  organ  of  acquisitiveness. 
Instead  of  waiting,  therefore,  for  the  more  graduated  move- 
ments of  the  domestics,  he  began  to  take  care  of  himself, 
an  office  that  he  performed  with  a  certain  dexterity  that 
he  had  acquired  by  frequenting  ordinaries — a  school,  by  the 
way,  in  which  he  had  obtained  most  of  his  notions  of  the 
proprieties  of  the  table.  One  or  two  slices  were  obtained 
in  the  usual  manner,  or  by  means  of  the  regular  service  ; 
aud  then,  like  one  who  had  laid  the  foundation  of  a  for- 
tune by  some  lucky  windfall  in  the  commencement  of  his 
career,  he  began  to  make  accessions,  right  and  left,  as  op- 
portunity offered.  Sundry  entremets,  or  light  dishes,  that 
had  a  peculiarly  tempting  appearance,  came  first  under 
his  grasp.  Of  these  he  soon  accumulated  all  within  hia 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  23 

reach,  by  taxing  his  neighbors,  when  he  ventured  to  send 
his  plate  here  and  there,  or  wherever  he  saw  a  dish  that 
promised  to  reward  his  trouble.  By  such  means,  which 
were  resorted  to,  however,  with  a  quiet  and  unobtrusive 
assiduity  that  escaped  much  observation,  Mr.  Bragg  con- 
trived to  make  his  own  plate  a  sample  epitome  of  the  first 
course.  It  contained  in  the  centre,  fish,  beef,  and  ham  ; 
and  around  these  staple  articles  he  had  arranged  croquettes, 
rognons,  ragouts,  vegetables,  and  other  light  things,  until 
not  only  was  the  plate  completely  covered,  but  it  was  ac- 
tually covered  in  double  and  triple  layers  ;  mustard,  cold 
butter,  salt,  and  even  pepper  garnishing  its  edges.  These 
different  accumulations  were  the  work  of  time  and  address, 
and  most  of  the  company  had  repeatedly  changed  their 
plates  before  Aristabulus  had  eaten  a  mouthful,  the  soup 
excepted.  The  happy  moment  when  his  ingenuity  was  to 
be  rewarded  had  now  arrived,  and  the  land  agent  was 
about  to  commence  the  process  of  mastication,  or  of  deg- 
lutition rather,  for  he  troubled  himself  very  little  with  the 
first  operation,  when  the  report  of  a  cork  drew  his  atten- 
tion toward  the  champagne.  To  Aristabulus  this  wine 
never  came  amiss,  for  relishing  its  piquancy,  he  had  never 
gone  far  enough  into  the  science  of  the  table  to  learn 
which  were  the  proper  moments  for  using  it.  As  respected 
all  the  others  at  table,  this  moment  had  in  truth  arrived, 
though,  as  respected  himself,  he  was  no  nearer  to  it,  oc- 
cording  to  a  regulated  taste,  than  when  he  first  took  his 
seat.  Perceiving  that  Pierre  was  serving  it,  however,  he  of- 
fered his  own  glass,  and  enjoyed  a  delicious  instant  as  he 
swallowed  a  beverage  that  much  surpassed  anything  he 
had  ever  known  to  issue  out  of  the  waxed  and  leaded  noz- 
zles that,  pointed  like  so  many  enemies'  batteries  loaded 
with  headaches  and  disordered  stomachs,  garnished  sundry 
village  bars  of  his  acquaintance. 

Aristabulus  finished  his  glass  at  a  draught,  and  when  he 
took  breath  he  fairly  smacked  his  lips.  That  was  an  un 
lucky  instant  ;  his  plate,  burdened  with  all  its  treasures, 
being  removed  at  this  unguarded  moment  ;  the  man  who 
performed  this  unkind  office  fancying  that  a  dislike  to  the 
dishes  could  alone  have  given  rise  to  such  an  omnium- 
gatherum. 

It  was  necessary  to  commence  de  novo,  but  this  could  no 


24  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

longer  be  done  with  the  first  course,  which  was  removed, 
and  Aristabulus  set  to  with  zeal  forthwith  on  the  game. 
Necessity  compelled  him  to  eat,  as  the  different  dishes 
were  offered  ;  and  such  was  his  ordinary  assiduity  with 
the  knife  and  fork,  that,  at  the  end  of  the  second  remove, 
he  had  actually  disposed  of  more  food  than  any  other 
person  at  table.  He  now  began  to  converse,  and  we  shall 
open  the  conversation  at  the  precise  point  in  the  dinner 
when  it  was  in  the  power  of  Aristabulus  to  make  one  of 
the  interlocutors. 

Unlike  Mr.  Dodge,  he  had  betrayed  no  peculiar  interest 
in  the  baronet,  being  a  man  too  shrewd  and  worldly  to  set 
his  heart  on  trifles  of  any  sort ;  and  Mr.  Bragg  no  more 
hesitated  about  replying  to  Sir  George  Templemore  or 
Mr.  Effingham,  than  he  would  have  hesitated  about  an- 
swering one  of  his  own  nearest  associates.  With  him  age 
and  experience  formed  no  particular  claims  to  be  heard, 
and,  as  to  rank,  it  is  true  he  had  some  vague  ideas  about 
there  being  such  a  thing  in  the  militia,  but  as  it  was  un- 
salaried  rank,  he  attached  no  great  importance  to  it.  Sir 
George  Templemore  was  inquiring  concerning  the  re- 
cording of  deeds,  a  regulation  that  had  recently  attracted 
attention  in  England  ;  and  one  of  Mr.  Effingham's  replies 
contained  some  immaterial  inaccuracy,  which  Aristabulus 
took  occasion  to  correct,  as  his  first  appearance  in  the 
general  discourse. 

"I  ask  pardon,  sir,"  he  concluded  his  explanations  by 
saying,  "  but  I  ought  to  know  these  little  niceties,  having 
served  a  short  part  of  a  term  as  a  county  clerk,  to  fill  a 
vacancy  occasioned  by  a  death." 

"  You  mean,  Mr.  Bragg,  that  you  were  employed  to 
write  in  a  county  clerk's  office,"  observed  John  Effingham, 
who  so  much  disliked  untruth,  that  he  did  not  hesitate 
much  about  refuting  it,  or  what  he  now  fancied  to  be  an 
untruth. 

I  "As  county  clerk,  sir.  Major  Pippin  died  a  year  before 
his  time  was  out,  and  I  got  the  appointment.  As  regular 
a  county  clerk,  sir,  as  there  is  in  the  fifty-six  counties  of 
New  York." 

"  When  I  had  the  honor  to  engage  you  as  Mr.  Effing- 
ham's  agent,  sir,"  returned  the  other,  a  little  sternly,  for 
he  felt  his  own  character  for  veracity  involved  in  that  of 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  25 

the  subject  of  his  selection,  "  I  believed,  indeed,  that  you 
were  writing  in  the  office,  but  I  did  not  understand  it  was 
as  the  clerk." 

"  Very  true,  Mr.  John,"  returned  Aristabulus,  without 
discovering  the  least  concern,  "  I  was  then  engaged  by  my 
successor  as  a  clerk  ;  but  a  few  months  earlier,  I  filled  the 
office  myself." 

"  Had  you  gone  on,  in  the  regular  line  of  promotion,  my 
dear  sir,"  pithily  inquired  Captain  Truck,  "  to  what  prefer- 
ment would  you  have  risen  by  this  time  ? " 

"  I  believe  I  understand  you,  gentlemen,"  returned  the 
unmoved  Aristabulus,  who  perceived  a  general  smile.  "  I 
know  that  some  people  are  particular  about  keeping 
pretty  much  on  the  same  level,  as  to  office  ;  but  I  hold  to 
no  such  doctrine.  If  one  good  thing  cannot  be  had,  I  do 
not  see  that  it  is  a  reason  for  rejecting  another.  I  ran 
that  year  for  sheriff,  and  finding  that  I  was  not  strong 
enough  to  carry  the  county,  I  accepted  my  successor's 
offer  to  write  in  the  office,  until  something  better  might 
turn  up." 

"  You  practised  all  this  time,  I  believe,  Mr.  Bragg,"  ob- 
served John  Effingham. 

"  I  did  a  little  in  that  way  too,  sir  ;  or  as  much  as  I 
could.  Law  is  flat  with  us  of  late,  and  many  of  the  at- 
torneys  are  turning  their  attention  to  other  callings." 

"And  pray,  sir,"  asked  Sir  George,  "  what  is  the  favorite 
pursuit  with  most  of  them  just  now  ?  " 

"  Some  our  way  have  gone  into  the  horse-line  ;  but 
much  the  greater  portion  are  just  now  dealing  in  western 
cities." 

"  In  western  cities  !  "  exclaimed  the  baronet,  looking  as 
if  he  distrusted  a  mystification. 

"  In  such  articles,  and  in  mill-seats,  and  railroad  lines, 
and  other  expectations." 

"  Mr.  Bragg  means  that  they  are  buying  and  selling  lands 
on  which  it  is  hoped  all  these  conveniences  may  exist,  a 
century  hence,"  explained  John  Effingham. 

"  The  hope  is  for  next  year,  or  next  week  even,  Mr. 
John,"  returned  Aristabulus  with  a  sly  look,  "  though  you 
may  be  very  right  as  to  the  reality.  Great  fortunes  have 
been  made  on  a  capital  of  hopes,  lately  in  this  country." 

"  And  have  you  been  able  yourself  to  resist  these  temp* 


26  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

tations  ?"  asked  Mr.  Effingham.  "  I  feel  doubly  indebted 
to  you,  sir,  that  you  should  have  continued  to  devote  your 
time  to  my  interests,  while  so  many  better  things  were 
offering." 

"It  was  my  duty,  sir,"  said  Aristabulus,  bowing  so 
much  the  lower,  from  the  consciousness  that  he  had  ac- 
tually deserted  his  post  for  some  months,  to  embark  in 
the  western  speculations  that  were  then  so  active  in  the 
country,  "  not  to  say  my  pleasure.  There  are  many 
profitable  occupations  in  this  country,  Sir  George,  that 
have  been  overlooked  in  the  eagerness  to  embark  in  the 
town-trade " 

"  Mr.  Bragg  does  not  mean  trade  in  town,  but  trade  in 
towns,"  explained  John  Effingham. 

"  Yes,  sir,  the  traffic  in  cities.  I  never  come  this  way 
without  casting  an  eye  a&out  me,  in  order  to  see  if  there 
is  anything  to  be  done  that  is  useful  ;  and  I  confess  that 
several  available  opportunities  have  offered,  if  one  had 
capital.  Milk  is  a  good  business." 

"Lelait!"  exclaimed  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  involun- 
tarily. 

"  Yes,  ma'am,  for  ladies  ^as  well  as  gentlemen.  Sweet 
potatoes  I  have  heard  well  spoken  of,  and  peaches  are 
really  making  some  rich  men's  fortunes." 

"  All  of  which  are  honesterand  better  occupations  than 
the  traffic  in  cities,  that  you  have  mentioned,"  quietly  ob- 
served Mr.  Effingham. 

Aristabulus  looked  up  in  a  little  surprise,  for  with  him 
everything  was  eligible  that  returned  a  good  profit,  and 
all  things  honest  that  the  law  did  not  actually  punish. 
Perceiving,  however,  that  the  company  was  disposed  to 
listen,  and  having  by  this  time  recovered  the  lost  ground, 
in  the  way  of  food,  he  cheerfully  resumed  his  theme. 

"  Many  families  have  left  Otsego,  this  and  the  last  sum- 
mer, Mr.'Effingham,  as  emigrants  for  the  West.  The  fever 
has  spread  far  and  wide." 

"  The  fever  !  Is  old  Otsego,"  for  so  its  inhabitants  loved 
to  call  a  county  of  half  a  century's  existence,  it  being  vene- 
rable by  comparison,  "  is  old  Otsego  losing  its  well-estab- 
lished character  for  salubrity  ? " 

"  I  do  not  allude  to  an  animal  fever,  but  to  the  western 
fever." 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  27 

"  Ce pays  de  I' attest  est-il  Men  ma/sain?"  whispered  Ma- 
demoiselle Viefville. 

"  Appar  eminent,  mademoiselle,  sous  plusieurs  rapports" 

"  The  western  fever  has  seized  old  and  young,  and  it  has 
carried  off  many  active  families  from  our  part  of  the 
world,"  continued  Aristabulus,  who  did  not  understand  the 
little  aside  just  mentioned,  and  who,  of  course,  did  not 
heed  it  ;  "most  of  the  counties  adjoining  our  own  have 
lost  a  considerable  portion  of  their  population." 

"  And  they  who  have  gone,  do  they  belong  to  the  per- 
manent families,  or  are  they  merely  the  floating  inhabi- 
tants?" inquired  Mr.  Effingham. 

"  Most  of  them  belong  to  the  regular  movers." 

"  Movers  !  "  again  exclaimed  Sir  George — "is  there  any 
material  part  of  your  population  who  actually  deserve  this 
name  ?" 

11  As  much  so  as  the  man  who  shoes  a  horse  ought  to  be 
called  a  smith,  or  the  man  who  frames  a  house  a  carpen- 
ter," answered  John  Effingham. 

"To  be  sure,"  continued  Mr.  Bragg,  "we  have  a  pretty 
considerable  leaven  of  them  in  our  political  dough,  as  well 
as  in  our  active  business.  I  believe,  Sir  George,  that  in 
England  men  are  tolerably  stationary." 

"  We  love  to  continue  for  generations  on  the  same  spot. 
We  love  the  tree  that  our  forefathers  planted,  the  roof 
that  they  built,  the  fireside  by  which  they  sat,  the  sods 
that  cover  their  remains." 

"  Very  poetical,  and  I  dare  say  there  are  situations  in 
life  in  which  such  feelings  come  in  without  much  effort. 
It  must  be  a  great  check  to  business  operations,  however, 
in  your  part  of  the  world,  sir  ! " 

"  Business  operations  !  what  is  business,  as  you  term  it, 
sir,  to  the  affections,  to  the  recollections  of  ancestry,  and 
to  the  solemn  feelings  connected  with  history  and  tradi- 
tion ? " 

"  Why,  sir,  in  the  way  of  history,  one  meets  with  but 
few  incumbrances  in  this  country,  but  he  may  do  very 
much  as  interest  indicates,  so  far  as  that  is  concerned,  at 
least.  A  nation  is  much  to  be  pitied  that  is  weighed  down 
by  the  past,  in  this  manner,  since  its  industry  and  enter- 
prise are  constantly  impeded  by  obstacles  that  grow  out 
of  its  recollections.  America  may,  indeed,  be  termed  a 


28  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

happy  and  a  free  country,  Mr.  John  Effingham,  in  this,  as 
well  as  in  all  other  things  !  " 

Sir  George  Templemore  was  too  well-bred  to  utter  all 
he  felt  at  that  moment,  as  it  would  unavoidably  wound  the 
feelings  of  his  hosts,  but  he  was  rewarded  for  his  forbear- 
ance by  intelligent  smiles  from  Eve  and  Grace,  the  latter 
of  whom  the  young  baronet  fancied,  just  at  that  moment, 
was  quite  as  beautiful  as  her  cousin,  and  if  less  finished  in 
manners,  she  had  the  most  interesting  naivete. 

"  I  have  been  told  that  most  old  nations  have  to  strug- 
gle with  difficulties  that  we  escape,"  returned  John  Effing- 
ham,  "  though  I  confess  this  is  a  superiority  on  our  part 
that  never  before  presented  itself  to  my  mind." 

"The  political  economists,  and  even  the  geographers, 
have  overlooked  it,  but  practical  men  see  and  feel  its  ad- 
vantages every  hour  in  the  day.  I  have  been  told,  Sir 
George  Templemore,  that  in  England,  there  are  difficul- 
ties in  running  highways  and  streets  through  homesteads 
and  dwellings  ;  and  that  even  a  railroad  or  a  canal  is 
obliged  to  make  a  curve  to  avoid  a  church-yard  or  a  tomb- 
stone ? " 

"  I  confess  to  the  sin,  sir." 

"  Our  friend  Mr.  Bragg,"  put  in  John  Effingham,  "con- 
siders life  as  all  means  and  no  end." 

"  An  end  cannot  be  got  at  without  the  means,  Mr.  John 
Effingham,  as  I  trust  you  will  yourself  admit.  I  am  for 
the  end  of  the  road  at  least,  and  must  say  that  I  rejoice  in 
being  a  native  of  a  country  in  which  as  few  impediments 
as  possible  exist  to  onward  impulses.  The  man  who 
should  resist  an  improvement  in  our  part  of  the  country, 
on  account  of  his  forefathers,  would  fare  badly  among  his 
contemporaries." 

"  Will  you  permit  me  to  ask,  Mr.  Bragg,  if  you  feel  no 
local  attachments  yourself,"  inquired  the  baronet,  throwing 
as  much  delicacy  into  the  tones  of  his  voice,  as  a  question 
that  he  felt  ought  to  be  an  insult  to  a  man's  heart  would 
allow — "  if  one  tree  is  not  more  pleasant  than  another  ;  the 
house  you  were  born  in  more  beautiful  than  a  house  into 
which  you  never  entered  ;  or  the  altar  at  which  you  have' 
long  worshipped,  more  sacred  than  another  at  which  you 
never  knelt  ? " 

"  Nothing  gives  me  greater  satisfaction  than  to  answer 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  29 

questions  of  gentlemen  that  travel  through  our  country," 
returned  Aristabulus,  "for  I  think,  in  making  nations  ac- 
quainted with  each  other,  we  encourage  trade  and  render 
business  more  secure.  To  reply  to  your  inquiry,  a  human 
being  is  not  a  cat,  to  love  a  locality  rather  than  its  own  in- 
terests. I  have  found  some  trees  much  pleasanter  than 
others,  and  the  pleasantest  tree  I  can  remember  was  one 
of  my  own,  out  of  which  the  sawyers  made  a  thousand 
feet  of  clear  stuff,  to  say  nothing  of  middlings.  The  house 
I  was  born  in  was  pulled  down  shortly  after  my  birth,  as 
indeed  has  been  its  successor,  so  I  can  tell  you  nothing 
on  that  head  ;  and  as  for  altars,  there  are  none  in  my  per- 
suasion." 

"  The  church  of  Mr.  Bragg  has  stripped  itself  as  naked 
as  he  would  strip  everything  else,  if  he  could,"  said  John 
Effingham.  "  I  must  question  if  he  ever  knelt  even  ;  much 
less  before  the  altar." 

"We  are  of  the  standing  order,  certainly,"  returned 
Aristabulus,  glancing  toward  the  ladies  to  discover  how 
they  took  his  wit,  "and  Mr.  John  Effingham  is  as  near 
right  as  a  man  need  be,  in  a  matter  of  faith.  In  the  way 
of  houses,  Mr.  Effingham,  I  believe  it  is  the  general  opin- 
ion you  might  have  done  better  with  your  own,  than  to 
have  repaired  it.  Had  the  materials  been  disposed  of, 
they  would  have  sold  well,  and  by  running  a  street 
through  the  property,  a  pretty  sum  might  have  been  real- 
ized." 

"  In  which  case  I  should  have  been  without  a  home,  Mr. 
Bragg." 

"  It  would  have  been  no  great  matter  to  get  another  on 
cheaper  land.  The  old  residence  would  have  made  a  good 
factory  or  an  inn." 

"Sir,  I  am  a  cat,  and  like  the  places  I  have  long  fre- 
quented." 

Aristabulus,  though  not  easily  daunted,  was  awed  by  Mr. 
Effingham's  manner,  and  Eve  saw  that  her  father's  fine 
face  had  flushed.  This  interruption,  therefore,  suddenly 
changed  the  discourse,  which  has  been  related  at  some 
length,  as  likely  to  give  the  reader  a  better  insight  into  a 
character  that  will  fill  some  space  in  our  narrative,  than  a 
more  labored  description. 

"  I  trust  your  owners,  Captain  Truck,"  said  John  Effing- 


30  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

ham,  by  way  of  turning  the  conversation  into  another 
channel,  "  are  fully  satisfied  with  the  manner  in  which  you 
saved  their  property  from  the  hands  of  the  Arabs  ?  " 

"Men,  when  money  is  concerned,  are  more  disposed  to 
remember  how  it  was  lost  than  how  it  was  recovered,  re- 
ligion and  trade  being  the  two  poles,  on  such  a  point,"  re- 
turned the  old  seaman,  with  a  serious  face.  "  On  the 
whole,  my  dear  sir,  I  have  reason  to  be  satisfied,  however  ; 
and  so  long  as  you,  my  passengers  and  my  friends,  are  not 
inclined  -fee  blame  me,  I  shall  feel  as  if  I  had  done  at  least 
a  part  of  my  duty." 

Eve  rose  from  the  table,  went  to  a  side-board  and  re- 
turned, when  she  gracefully  placed  before  the  master  of 
the  Montauk  a  rich  and  beautifully  chased  punch-bowl  in 
silver.  Almost  at  the  same  moment,  Pierre  offered  a  sal- 
ver that  contained  a  capital  watch,  a  pair  of  small  silver 
tongs  to  hold  a  coal,  and  a  deck  trumpet,  in  solid  silver. 

"  These  are  so  many  faint  testimonials  of  our  feelings," 
said  Eve — "and  you  will  do  us  the  favor  to  retain  them,  as 
evidences  of  the  esteem  created  by  skill,  kindness,  and 
courage." 

"  My  dear  young  lady !  "  cried  the  old  tar,  touched  to  the 
soul  by  the  feeling  with  which  Eve  acquitted  herself  of 
this  little  duty,  "my  dear  young  lady — well,  God  bless  you 
— God  bless  you  all — you  too,  Mr.  John  Effingham,  for 
that  matter — and  Sir  George — that  I  should  ever  have 
taken  that  runaway  for  a  gentleman  and  a  baronet — though 
I  suppose  there  are  some  silly  baronets,  as  well  as  silly 
lords — retain  them  ? "  glancing  furiously  at  Mr.  Aristabulus 
Bragg,  "  may  the  Lord  forget  me  in  the  heaviest  hurri- 
cane, if  I  ever  forget  whence  these  things  came,  and  why 
they  were  given." 

Here  the  worthy  captain  was  obliged  to  swallow  some 
wine,  by  way  of  relieving  his  emotions,  and  Aristabulus, 
profiting  by  the  opportunity,  coolly  took  the  bowl,  which 
to  use  a  word  of  his  own,  he  hefted  in  his  hand,  with  a 
view  to  form  some  tolerably  accurate  notion  of  its  intrin- 
sic value.  Captain  Truck's  eye  caught  the  action,  and  he 
reclaimed  his  property  quite  as  unceremoniously  as  it  had 
been  taken  away  ;  nothing  but  the  presence  of  the  ladies 
prevented  an  outbreaking  that  would  have  amounted  to  a 
declaration  of  war. 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  31 

"  With  your  permission,  sir,"  said  the  captain  drily,  aftel 
he  had  recovered  the  bowl,  not  only  without  the  other's 
consent,  but  in  some  degree  against  his  will  ;  "  this  bowl 
is  as  precious  in  my  eyes  as  if  it  were  made  of  my  father's 
bones." 

"  You  may  indeed  think  so,"  returned  the  land-agent, 
"  for  its  cost  could  not  be  less  than  a  hundred  dollars." 

"  Cost,  sir !  But,  my  dear  young  lady,  let  us  talk  of  the 
real  value.  For  what  part  of  these  things  am  I  indebted 
to  you?" 

"The  bowl  is  my  offering,"  Eva  answered  smilingly, 
though  a  tear  glistened  in  her  eye,  as  she  witnessed  the 
strong  unsophisticated  feeling  of  the  old  tar.  "  I  thought 
it  might  serve  sometimes  to  bring  me  to  your  recollection, 
when  it  was  well  filled  in  honor  of  'sweethearts  and 
wives.'  " 

"  It  shall— it  shall,  by  the  Lord  ;  and  Mr.  Saunders 
needs  look  to  it,  if  he  do  not  keep  this  work  as  bright  as  a 
cruising  frigate's  bottom.  To  whom  do  I  owe  the  coal- 
tongs  ? " 

"  Those  are  from  Mr.  John  Effingham,  who  insists  that 
he  will  come  nearer  to  your  heart  than  any  of  us,  though 
the  gift  be  of  so  little  cost." 

"  He  does  not  know  me,  my  dear  young  lady — nobody 
ever  got  as  near  my  heart  as  you  ;  no,  not  even  my  own 
dear  pious  old  mother.  But  I  thank  Mr.  John  Effingham 
from  my  inmost  spirit,  and  shall  seldom  smoke  without 
thinking  of  him.  The  watch  I  know  is  Mr.  Effingham's, 
and  I  ascribe  the  trumpet  to  Sir  George." 

The  bows  of  the  several  gentlemen  assured  the  captain 
he  was  right,  and  he  shook  each  of  them  cordially  by  the 
hand,  protesting,  in  the  fulness  of  his  heart,  that  nothing 
would  give  him  greater  pleasure  than  to  be  able  to  go 
through  the  same  perilous  scenes  as  those  from  which  they 
had  so  lately  escaped,  in 'their  good  company  again. 

While  this  was  going  on,  Aristabulus,  notwithstanding 
the  rebuke  he  had  received,  contrived  to  get  each  article, 
in  succession,  into  his  hands,  and  by  dint  of  poising  it  on 
a  finger,  or  by  examining  it,  to  form  some  approximative 
notion  of  its  inherent  value.  The  watch  he  actually 
opened,  taking  as  good  a  survey  of  its  works  as  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  case  would  very  well  allow. 


32  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  I  respect  these  things,  sir,  more  than  you  respect  your 
father's  grave,"  said  Captain  Truck  sternly,  as  he  rescued 
the  last  article  from  what  he  thought  the  impious  grasp  of 
Aristabulus  again,  "  and  cat  or  no  cat,  they  sink  or  swim 
with  me  for  the  remainder  of  the  cruise.  If  there  is  any 
virtue  in  a  will,  which  I  am  sorry  to  say  I  hear  there  is 
not  any  longer,  they  shall  share  my  last  bed  with  me,  be 
it  ashore  or  be  it  afloat.  My  dear  young  lady,  fancy  all 
the  rest,  but  depend  on  it,  punch  will  be  sweeter  than  ever 
taken  from  this  bowl,  and  '  sweethearts  and  wives  '  will 
never  be  so  honored  again." 

"  We  are  going  to  a  ball  this  evening,  at  the  house  of 
one  with  whom  I  am  sufficiently  intimate  to  take  the  lib- 
erty of  introducing  a  stranger,  and  I  wish,  gentlemen," 
said  Mr.  Effingham,  bowing  to  Aristabulus  and  the  cap- 
tain, by  way  of  changing  the  conversation,  "you  would  do 
me  the  favor  to  be  of  our  party." 

Mr.  Bragg  acquiesced  very  cheerfully,  and  quite  as  a 
matter  of  course  ;  while  Captain  Truck,  after  protesting 
his  unfitness  for  such  scenes,  was  finally  prevailed  on  by 
John  Effingham  to  comply  with  the  request  also.  The 
ladies  remained  at  table  but  a  few  minutes  longer,  when 
they  retired,  Mr.  Effingham  having  dropped  into  the  old 
custom  of  sitting  at  the  bottle  until  summoned  to  the 
drawing-room,  a  usage  that  continues  to  exist  in  America, 
for  a  reason  no  better  than  the  fact  that  it  continues  to 
exist  in  England ;  it  being  almost  certain  that  it  will  cease 
in  New  York,  the  season  after  it  is  known  to  have  ceased 
in  London. 

CHAPTER  III. 

"Thou  art  as  wise  as  thou  art  beautiful  !  "—SHAKESPEARE. 

As  Captain  Truck  asked  permission  to  initiate  the  new 
coal-tongs  by  lighting  a  cigar,  Sir  George  Templemore 
contrived  to  ask  Pierre,  in  an  aside,  if  the  ladies  would  al- 
low him  to  join  them.  The  desired  consent  having  been 
obtained,  the  baronet  quietly  stole  from  table,  and  was 
soon  beyond  the  odors  of  the  dining-room. 

"  You  miss  the  censer  and  the  frankincense,"  said  Eve, 
laughing,  as  Sir  George  entered  the  drawing-room  ;  "  but 


ffOME  AS  FOUND. 


33 


you  will  remember  we  have  no  church  establishment,  and 
dare  not  take  such  liberties  with  the  ceremonials  of  the 
altar." 

"  That  is  a  short-lived  custom  with  us,  I  fancy,  though 
far  from  an  unpleasant  one.  But  you  do  me  injustice  in 
supposing  I  am  merely  running  away  from  the  fumes  of 
the  dinner." 

"  No,  no  ;  we  understand  perfectly  well  that  you  have 
something  to  do  with  the  fumes  of  flattery,  and  we  will  at 
once  fancy  all  has  been  said  that  the  occasion  requires.  Is 
not  our  honest  old  captain  a  jewel  in  his  way  ?" 

"  Upon  my  word,  since  you  allow  me  to  speak  of  your 
father's  guests,  I  do  not  think  it  possible  to  have  brought 
together  two  men  who  are  so  completely  the  opposites  of 
each  other,  as  Captain  Truck  and  this  Mr.  Aristabulus 
Bragg.  The  latter  is  quite  the  most  extraordinary  person 
in  his  way  it  was  ever  my  good  fortune  to  meet  with." 

"  You  call  him  a  person,  while  Pierre  calls  him  a  person- 
age ;  I  fancy  he  considers  it  very  much  as  a  matter  of  ac- 
cident, whether  he  is  to  pass  his  days  in  the  one  character 
or  in  the  other.  Cousin  Jack  assures  me,  that  while  this 
man  accepts  almost  any  duty  that  he  chooses  to  assign 
him,  he  would  not  deem  it  at  all  a  violation  of  the  conven- 
ances to  aim  at  the  throne  in  the  White  House." 

"  Certainly  with  no  hopes  of  ever  attaining  it ! ' 

"  One  cannot  answer  for  that.  The  man  must  undergo 
many  essential  changes,  and  much  radical  improvement, 
before  such  a  climax  to  his  fortunes  can  ever  occur  ;  but 
the  instant  you  do  away  with  the  claims  of  hereditary  pow- 
er, the  door  is  opened  to  a  new  chapter  of  accidents.  Alex- 
ander of  Russia  styled  himself  u-n  heureux  accident ;  and 
should  it  ever  be  our  fortune  to  receive  Mr.  Bragg  as  Presi- 
dent, we  shall  only  have  to  term  him  un  malheureux  accident. 
I  believe  that  will  contain  all  the  difference." 

"Your  republicanism  is  indomitable,  Miss  Effingham, 
and  I  shall  abandon  the  attempt  to  convert  you  to  safer 
principles,  more  especially  as  I  find  you  supported  by  both 
the  Mr.  Effinghams,  who,  while  they  condemn  so  much  at 
home,  seem  singularly  attached  to  their  own  system  at  the 
bottom." 

"  They  condemn,  Sir  George  Templemore,  because  they 
know  that  perfection  is  hopeless,  and  because  they  feel  it 


34  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

to  be  unsafe  and  unwise  to  eulogize  defects  ;  and  they  are 
attached,  because  near  views  of  other  countries  have  con- 
vinced  them  that,  comparatively  at  least,  bad  as  we  are,  we 
are  still  better  than  most  of  our  neighbors." 

"  I  can  assure  you,"  said  Grace,  "  that  many  of  the  opin- 
ions of  Mr.  John  Effirigham,  in  particular,  are  not  at  all  the 
opinions  that  are  most  in  vogue  here  ;  he  rather  cen- 
sures what  we  like,  and  likes  what  we  censure.  Even  my 
dear  uncle  is  thought  to  be  a  little  heterodox  on  such  sub- 
jects." 

"  I  can  readily  believe  it,"  returned  Eve,  steadily.  "  These 
gentleman  having  become  familiar  with  better  things  in 
the  way  of  the  tastes  and  of  the  purely  agreeable,  cannot 
discredit  their  own  knowledge  so  much  as  to  extol  that 
which  their  own  experience  tells  them  is  faulty,  or  condemn 
that  which  their  own  experience  tells  them  is  relatively 
good.  Now,  Grace,  if  you  will  reflect  a  moment,  you  will 
perceive  that  people  necessarily  like  the  best  of  their  own 
tastes  until  they  come  to  a  knowledge  of  better,  and  that 
they  as  necessarily  quarrel  with  the  unpleasant  facts  that 
surround  them,  although  these  facts,  as  consequences  of  a 
political  system,  may  be  much  less  painful  than  those  of 
other  systems  of  which  they  have  no  knowledge.  In  the 
one  case  they  like  their  own  best,  simply  because  it  is  their 
own  best  ;  and  they  dislike  their  own  worst,  because  it  is 
their  own  worst.  We  cherish  a  taste  in  the  nature  of  things 
without  entering  into  any  comparisons  ;  for  when  the  means 
of  comparison  offer,  and  we  find  improvements,  it  ceases 
to  be  a  taste  at  all,  while  to  complain  of  any  positive  griev- 
ance, is  the  nature  of  man,  I  fear." 

"  I  think  a  republic  odious  !  " 

"  La  republique  est  une  horreur!  " 

Grace  thought  a  republic  odious,  without  knowing  any- 
thing of  any  other  state  of  society,  and  because  it  contained 
odious  things,  and  Mademoiselle  Viefville  called  a  republic 
une  horreur,  because  heads  fell  and  anarchy  prevailed  in  her 
own  country  during  its  early  struggles  for  liberty.  Though 
Eve  seldom  spoke  more  sensibly  and  never  more  temper- 
ately than  while  delivering  the  foregoing  opinions,  Sir 
George  Templemore  doubted  whether  she  had  all  that  ex- 
quisite finesse  and  delicacy  of  features  that  he  had  so  much 
admired,  and  when  Grace  burst  out  in  the  sudden  and 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  35 

senseless  exclamation  we  have  recorded,  he  turned  toward 
her  sweet  and  animated  countenance,  which,  for  the  mo- 
ment, he  fancied  the  loveliest  of  the  two. 

Eve  Effingham  had  yet  to  learn  that  she  had  just  entered 
into  the  most  intolerant  society,  meaning  purely  as  society, 
and  in  connection  with  what  are  usually  called  liberal  sen- 
timents, in  Christendom.  We  do  not  mean  by  this,  that  it 
would  be  less  safe  to  utter  a  generous  opinion  in  favor  of 
human  rights  in  America  than  in  any  other  country,  for 
the  laws  and  the  institutions  become  active  in  this  respect ; 
but  simply  that  the  resistance  of  the  more  refined  to  the 
encroachments  of  the  unrefined,  has  brought  about  a  state 
of  feeling — a  feeling  that  is  seldom  just  and  never  philo- 
sophical— which  has  create.d  a  silent  but  almost  unanimous 
bias  against  the  effects  of  the  institutions  in  what  is  called 
the  world.  In  Europe  one  rarely  utters  a  sentiment  of 
this  nature  unaer  circumstances  in  which  it  is  safe  to  do 
so  at  all,  without  Ending  a  very  general  sympathy  in  the 
auditors  ;  but  in  the  circle  into  which  Eve  had  now  fallen, 
it  was  almost  considered  a  violation  of  the  proprieties.  We 
do  not  wish  to  be  understood  as  spying  more  than  we  mean, 
fiowever  ;  for  we  have  no  manner  &i  doubt  that  a  large 
portion  of  the  dissentients  even,  are  so  idly,  and  without 
reflection,  or  for  the  very  natural  reasons  already  given  by 
our  heroine  ;  but  we  do  wish  to  be  understood  as  meaning 
that  such  is  the  outward  appearance  which  American  so- 
ciety presents  to  every  stranger,  and  to  every  native  of  the 
country  too,  on  his  return  from  a  residence  among  other 
people.  Of  its  taste,  wisdom,  and  safety  we  shall  not  now 
speak,  content  ourselves  with  merely  saying  that  the  effect 
of  Grace's  exclamation  on  Eve  was  unpleasant,  and  that, 
unlike  the  baronet,  she  thought  her  cousin  was  never  less 
handsome  than  while  her  pretty  face  was  covered  with  the 
pettish  frown  it  had  assumed  for  the  occasion. 

Sir  George  Templemore  had  tact  enough  to  perceive 
there  had  been  a  slight  jar  in  the  feelings  of  these  two 
young  women,  and  he  adroitly  changed  the  conversation. 
With  Eve  he  had  entire  confidence  on  the  score  of  pro- 
vincialism, and,  without  exactly  anticipating  the  part  Grace 
would  be  likely  to  take  in  such  a  discussion,  he  introduced 
the  subject  of  general  society  in  New  York. 

"  I  am  desirous  to  know,"  he  said,  "  if  you  have  your 


36  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

sets,  as  we  have  them  in  London  and  Paris.  Whether  you 
have  your  Faubourg  St.  Germain  and  your  Chaussee 
d'Antin  ;  your  Piccadilly,  Grosvenor  and  Russell  Squares  ?" 

"  I  must  refer  you  to  Miss  Van  Cortlandt  for  an  answer 
to  that  question,"  said  Eve. 

Grace  looked  up  blushing  ;  for  there  were  both  novelty 
and  excitement  in  having  an  intelligent  foreigner  question 
her  on  such  a  subject. 

"I  do  not  know  that  I  rightly  understand  the  allusion," 
she  said  ;  "although  I  am  afraid  Sir  George  Templemore 
means  to  ask  if  we  have  distinctions  in  society  ?  '4 

"And  why  afraid,  Miss  Van  Cortlandt  ?" 

"  Because  it  strikes  me  such  a  question  would  imply  a 
doubt  of  our  civilization." 

"There  are  frequently  distinctions  made,  when  the  differ- 
ences are  not  obvious,"  observed  Eve.  "  Even  London 
and  Paris  are  not  above  the  imputation  of  this  folly.  Sir 
George  Templemore,  if  I  understand  him,  wishes  to  know 
if  we  estimate  gentility  by  streets,  and  quality  by  squares." 

"  Not  exactly  that  either,  Miss  Effingham  ;  but,  whether 
among  those  who  may  very  well  pass  for  gentlemen  and 
ladies,  you  enter  into  the  minute  distinctions  that  are  else- 
where found.  Whether  you  have  your  exclusives  and  your 
elegants  and  elegantes  ;•  or  whether  you  deem  all  within  the 
pale  as  on  an  equality  ?  " 

" Les  femmes  Americaines  sont  bien  jolies  !  "  exclaimed  Ma- 
demoiselle Viefville. 

''It  is  quite  impossible  that  coteries  should  not  form  in  a 
town  of  three  hundred  thousand  souls." 

"  I  do  not  mean  exactly  that.  Is  there  no  distinction 
between  coteries  ?  Is  not  one  placed  by  opinion,  by  a  silent 
consent,  if  not  by  positive  ordinances,  above  another?" 

"  Certainly,  that  to  which  Sir  George  Templemore  al- 
ludes is  to  be  found,"  said  Grace,  who  gained  courage  to 
speak,  as  she  found  the  subject  getting  to  be  more  clearly 
within  her  comprehension.  "  All  the  old  families,  for  in- 
stance, keep  more  together  than  the  others,  though  it  is 
the  subject  of  regret  that  they  are  not  more  particular 
than  they  are." 

"  Old  families  !  "  exclaimed  Sir  George  Templemore,  with 
quite  as  much  stress  as  a  well-bred  man  could  very  well  lay 
on  the  words  in  such  circumstances, 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  37 

"Old  families,"  repeated  Eve,  with  all  that  emphasis 
which  the  baronet  himself  had  hesitated  about  giving. 
"  As  old  at  least  as  two  centuries  can  make  them,  and  this, 
too,  with  origins  beyond  that  period,  like  those  of  the 
rest  of  the  world.  Indeed,  the  American  has  a  better  gen- 
tility than  common,  as,  besides  his  own,  he  may  take  root 
in  that  of  Europe." 

"  Do  not  misconceive  me,  Miss  Effingham.  I  am  fully 
aware  that  the  people  of  this  country  are  exactly  like  the 
people  of  all  other  civilized  countries  in  this  respect  ;  but 
my  surprise  is  that,  in  a  republic,  you  should  have  such  a 
term  even  as  that  of  'old  families.'  " 

"The  surprise  has  arisen,  I  must  be  permitted  to  say, 
from  not  having  sufficiently  reflected  on  the  real  state  of 
the  country.  There  are  two  great  causes  of  distinction 
everywhere,  wealth  and  merit.  Now  if  a  race  of  Ameri- 
cans continue  conspicuous  in  their  own  society  through 
either  or  both  of  these  causes  for  a  succession  of  genera- 
tions, why  have  they  not  the  same  claim  to  be  considered 
members  of  old  families,  as  Europeans  under  the  same 
circumstances  ?  A  republic  history  is  as  much  history  as 
a  monarchical  history  ;  and  a  historical  name  in  one,  is 
quite  as  much  entitled  to  consideration  as  a  historical 
name  in  another.  Nay,  you  admit  this  in  your  European 
republics,  while  you  wish  to  deny  it  in  ours." 

"  I  must  insist  on  having  proofs  ;  if  we  permit  these 
charges  to  be  brought  against  us  without  evidence,  Made- 
moiselle Viefville,  we  shall  finally  be  defeated  through 
our  own  neglect." 

"  C'est  une  belle  illustration,  celle  de  Fantiquite"  observed 
the  governess,  in  a  matter-of-course  tone. 

"  If  you  insist  on  proof,  what  answer  can  you  urge  to 
the  Capponi?  '  Sonnez  vos  trompettes,  et  je  vais  faire  sonner 
mes  cloches,' — or  to  the  Von  Erlachs,  a  family  that  has 
headed  so  many  resistances  to  oppression  and  invasion, 
five  centuries  ? " 

"All  this  is  very  true,"  returned  Sir  George,  "and  yet  I 
confess  it  is  not  the  way  in  which  it  is  usual  with  us  to 
consider  American  society." 

"A  descent  from  Washington,  with  a  character  and  a 
social  position  to  correspond,  would  not  be  absolutely 
vulgar,  notwithstanding ! " 


38  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"Nay,  if  you  press  me  so  hard,  I  must  appeal  to  Miss 
Van  Cortlandt  for  succor." 

"  On  this  point  you  will  find  no  support  in  that  quarter  ; 
Miss  Van  Cortlandt  has  an  historical  name  herself,  and 
will  not  forego  an  honest  pride,  in  order  to  relieve  one  of 
the  hostile  powers  from  a  dilemma." 

"  While  I  admit  that  time  and  merit  must,  in  a  certain 
sense,  place  families  in  America  in  the  same  situation 
with  families  in  Europe,  I  cannot  see  that  it  is  in  con- 
formity with  your  institutions  to  lay  the  same  stress  on 
the  circumstance." 

"  In  that  we  are  perfectly  of  a  mind,  as  I  think  the 
American  has  much  the  best  reason  to  be  proud  of  his 
family,"  said  Eve,  quietly. 

"  You  delight  in  paradoxes,  apparently,  this  evening, 
Miss  Effingham,  for  I  now  feel  very  certain  you  can  hardly 
make  out  a  plausible  defence  of  this  new  position." 

"If  I  had  my  old  ally,  Mr.  Powis,  here,"  said  Eve, 
touching  the  fender  unconsciously  with  her  little  foot,  and 
perceptibly  losing  the  animation  and  pleasantry  of  her 
voice,  in  tones  that  were  gentler,  if  not  melancholy,  "  I 
should  ask  him  to  explain  this  matter  to  you,  for  he  was 
singularly  ready  in  such  replies.  As  he  is  absent,  how- 
ever, I  will  attempt  the  duty  myself.  In  Europe,  office, 
power,  and  consequently  consideration,  are  all  hereditary  ; 
whereas^  in  this  country,  they  are  not,  but  depend  on  se- 
lection. Now,  surely,  one  has  more  reason  to  be  proud 
of  ancestors  who  have  been  chosen  to  fill  responsible  sta- 
tions, than  of  ancestors  who  have  filled  them  through  the 
accidents,  heureux  ou  malhenreux.,  of  birth.  The  only 
difference  between  England  and  America,  as  respects 
families,  is  that  you  add  positive  rank  to  that  to  which  we 
only  give  consideration.  Sentiment  is  at  the  bottom  of 
our  nobility,  and  the  great  seal  at  the  bottom  of  yours. 
And  now,  having  established  the  fact  that  there  are  fami- 
lies in  America,  let  us  return  whence  we  started,  and  in- 
quire how  far  they  have  an  influence  in  every-day  so- 
ciety." 

"  To  ascertain  which,  we  must  apply  to  Miss  Van  Cort- 
landt." 

"Much  less  than  they  ought,  if  my  opinion  is  to  be 
taken,"  said  Grace,  laughing,  "for  the  great  inroad  of 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  39 

strangers  has  completely  deranged  all  the  suitablenesses 
in  that  respect." 

"And  yet,  I  dare  say  these  very  strangers  do  good,"  re- 
joined Eve.  "  Many  of  them  must  have  been  respectable 
in  their  native  places,  and  ought  to  be  an  acquisition  to  a 
society  that  in  its  nature  must  be,  Grace,  tant  soit  pen, 
provincial." 

"  Oh  ! "  cried  Grace,  "  I  can  tolerate  anything  but  the 
Hajjis  !" 

"The  what?"  asked  Sir  George,  eagerly — "will  you 
suffer  me  to  ask  an  explanation,  Miss  Van  Cortlandt?" 

"The  Hajjis,"  repeated  Grace,  laughing,  though  she 
blushed  to  the  eyes. 

The  baronet  looked  from  one  cousin  to  the  other,  and 
then  turned  an  inquiring  glance  on  Mademoiselle  Viefville. 
The  latter  gave  a  slight  shrug,  and  seemed  to  ask  an  ex- 
planation of  the  young  lady's  meaning  herself. 

"A  Hajji  is  one  of  a  class,  Sir  George  Templemore," 
Eve  at  length  said,  "to  which  you  and  I  have  both  the 
honor  of  belonging." 

"No,  not  Sir  George  Templemore,"  interrupted  Grace, 
with  a  precipitation  that  she  instantly  regretted  ;  "  he  is 
not  an  American." 

"Then  I  alone,  of  all  present,  have  that  honor.  It 
means  the  pilgrimage  to  Paris  instead  of  Mecca  ;  and  the 
pilgrim  must  be  an  American  instead  of  a  Mahom- 
medan." 

"  Nay,  Eve,  you  are  not  a  Hajji,  neither." 

Then  there  is  some  qualification  with  which  I  am  not 
et  acquainted.  Will  you  relieve  our  doubts,  Grace,  and 
et  us  know  the  precise  character  of  the  animal  ? " 

"You  stayed  too  long  to  be  a  Hajji — one  must  get  ino- 
culated merely,  not  take  the  disease  and  become  cured,  to 
be  a  true  Hajji." 

"  I  thank  you,  Miss  Van  Cortlandt,  for  this  descrip- 
tion," returned  Eve,  in  her  quiet  way.  "  I  hope,  as  I  have 
gone  through  the  malady,  it  has  not  left  me  pitted." 

"  I  should  like  to  see  one  of  these  Hajjis,"  cried  Sir 
George.  "  Are  they  of  both  sexes  ? " 

Grace  laughed,  and  nodded  her  head. 

"  Will  you  point  it  out  to  me,  should  we  be  so  fortunate 
as  to  encounter  one  this  evening  ?  " 


I 


40  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

Again  Grace  laughed,  and  nodded  her  head. 

"I  have  been  thinking,  Grace,"  said  Eve,  after  a  short 
pause,  "  that  we  may  give  Sir  George  Templemore  a  better 
idea  of  the  sets  about  which  he  is  so  curious,  by  doing  what 
is  no  more  than  a  duty  of  our  own,  and  by  letting  him 
profit  by  the  opportunity.  Mrs.  Hawker  receives  this 
evening  without  ceremony  ;  we  have  not  yet  sent  our  an- 
swer to  Mrs.  Jarvis,  and  might  very  well  look  in  upon  her 
for  half  an  hour,  after  which  we  shall  be  in  very  good  sea- 
son for  Mrs.  Houston's  ball." 

"  Surely,  Eve,  you  would  not  wish  to  take  Sir  George 
Templemore  to  such  a  house  as  that  of  Mrs.  Jarvis  ? " 

"  I  do  not  wish  to  take  Sir  George  Templemore  any- 
where, for  your  Hajjis  have  opinions  of  their  own  on  such 
subjects.  But  as  Cousin  Jack  will  accompany  us,  he  may 
very  well  confer  that  important  favor.  I  dare  say  Mrs. 
Jarvis  will  not  look  upon  it  as  too  great  a  liberty." 

"  I  will  answer  for  it,  that  nothing  Mr.  John  Effingham 
can  do  will  be  thought  mal-a-propos  by  Mrs.  Jared  Jarvis. 
His  position  in  society  is  too  well  established,  and  hers  is 
too  equivocal  to  leave  any  doubt  on  that  head." 

"This,  you  perceive,  settles  the  point  of  coteries"  said 
Eve  to  the  baronet.  "  Volumes  might  be  written  to  es- 
tablish principles  ;  but  when  one  can  do  anything  he  or 
she  pleases,  anywhere  that  he  or  she  likes,  it  is  pretty  safe 
to  say  that  he  or  she  is  privileged." 

"  All  very  true  as  to  the  fact,  Miss  Effingham  ;  but  I 
should  like  exceedingly  to  know  the  reason." 

"  Half  the  time  such  things  are  decided  without  a  reason 
at  all.  You  are  a  little  exacting  in  requiring  a  reason  in 
New  York  for  that  which  is  done  in  London  without  even 
the  pretence  of  such  a  thing.  It  is  sufficient  that  Mrs. 
Jarvis  will  be  delighted  to  see  you  without  an  invitation, 
and  that  Mrs.  Houston  would  at  least  think  it  odd  were 
you  to  take  the  same  liberty  with  her." 

"  It  follows,"  said  Sir  George,  smiling,  "that  Mrs.  Jarvis 
is  much  the  more  hospitable  person  of  the  two." 

"  But,  Eve,  what  is  to  be  done  with  Captain  Truck  and 
Mr.  Bragg  ?  "  asked  Grace.  "  We  cannot  take  them  to 
Mrs.  Hawker's  ? " 

"  Aristabulus  would,  indeed,  be  a  little  out  of  place  in 
such  a  house,  but  as  for  our  excellent,  brave,  straight-for- 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  41 

ward  old  captain,  he  is  worthy  to  go  anywhere.     I  shall  be 
delighted  to  present  him  to  Mrs.  Hawker  myself." 

After  a  little  consultation  between  the  ladies,  it  was 
settled  that  nothing  should  be  said  of  the  two  first  visits  to 
Mr.  Bragg,  but  that  Mr.  Effingham  should  be  requested 
to  bring  him  to  the  ball  at  the  proper  hour,  and  that  the 
rest  of  the  party  should  go  quietly  off  to  the  other  places 
without  mentioning  their  projects.  As  soon  as  this  was 
arranged,  the  ladies  retired  to  dress,  Sir  George  Temple- 
more  passing  into  the  library  to  amuse  himself  with  a 
book  the  while  ;  where,  however,  he  was  soon  joined  by 
John  Effingham.  Here  the  former  revived  the  conversa- 
tion on  distinctions  in  society,  with  the  confusion  of 
thought  that  usually  marks  a  European's  notions  of  such 
matters. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

"Ready." 
"And  I." 
' 'And  I." 

"Where  shall  we  go?" 

MIDSUMMER-NIGHT'S  DREAM. 

GRACE  VAN  CORTLANDT  was  the  first  to  make  her  appear- 
ance after  the  retreat  from  the  drawing-room.  It  has  often 
been  said  that  pretty  as  the  American  females  incontesta- 
bly  are,  as  a  whole  they  appear  better  in  demi-toilette,  than 
when  attired  for  a  ball.  With  what  would  be  termed  high 
dress  in  other  parts  of  the  world,  they  are  little  acquainted  ; 
but  reversing  the  rule  of  Europe,  where  the  married  be- 
stow the  most  care  on  their  personal  appearance,  and  the 
single  are  taught  to  observe  a  rigid  simplicity,  Grace  now 
seemed  sufficiently  ornamented  in  the  eyes  of  the  fastidious 
baronet,  while  at  the  same  time  he  thought  her  less  obnox- 
ious to  the  criticisms  just  mentioned,  than  most  of  her 
young  countrywomen  in  general. 

An  embonpoint  that  was  just  sufficient  to  distinguish  her 
from  most  of  her  companions,  a  fine  color,  brilliant  eyes, 
a  sweet  smile,  rich  hair,  and  such  feet  and  hands  as  Sir 
George  Templemore  had  somehow — he  scarcely  knew  how 
himself — fancied  could  only  belong  to  the  daughters  of 


42  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

peers  and  princes,  rendered  Grace  so  strikingly  attractive 
this  evening,  that  the  young  baronet  began  to  think  her 
even  handsomer  than  her  cousin.  There  was  also  a  charm 
in  the  unsophisticated  simplicity  of  Grace,  that  was  par- 
ticularly alluring  to  a  man  educated  amidst  the  coldness 
and  mannerism  of  the  higher  classes  of  England.  In  Grace, 
too,  this  simplicity  was  chastened  by  perfect  decorum  and 
retenue  of  deportment ;  the  exuberance  of  the  new  school 
of  manners  not  having  helped  to  impair  the  dignity  of  her 
character,  or  to  weaken  the  charm  of  diffidence.  She  was 
less  finished  in  her  manners  than  Eve,  certainly  ;  a  circum- 
stance, perhaps,  that  induced  Sir  George  Templemore  to 
fancy  her  a  shade  more  simple,  but  she  was  never  unfemi- 
nine  or  unladylike  ;  and  the  term  vulgar,  in  spite  of  all  the 
capricious  and  arbitrary  rules  of  fashion,  under  no  circum- 
stance could  ever  be  applied  to  Grace  Van  Cortlandt.  In 
this  respect  nature  seemed  to  have  aided  her  ;  for  had  not 
her  associations  raised  her  above  such  an  imputation,  no  one 
could  believe  that  she  would  be  obnoxious  to  the  charge, 
had  her  lot  in  life'  been  cast  even  many  degrees  lower  that 
it  actually  was. 

It  is  well  known  that  after  a  sufficient  similarity  has  been 
created  by  education  to  prevent  any  violent  shocks  to  our 
habits  or  principles,  we  most  affect  those  whose  characters 
and  dispositions  the  least  resemble  our  own.  This  was 
probably  one  of  the  reasons  why  Sir  George  Templemore, 
who  for  some  time  had  been  well  assured  of  the  hopeless- 
ness of  his  suit  with  Eve,  began  to  regard  her  scarcely  less 
lovely  cousin  with  an  interest  of  a  novel  and  lively  nature. 
Quick-sighted  and  deeply  interested  in  Grace's  happiness, 
Miss  Effingham  had  already  detected  this  change  in  the 
young  baronet's  inclinations,  and  though  sincerely  re- 
joiced on  her  own  account,  she  did  not  observe  it  without 
concern  ;  for  she  understood  better  than  most  of  her 
country-women,  the  great  hazards  of  destroying  her  peace 
of  mind,  that  are  incurred  by  transplanting  an  American 
woman  into  the  more  artificial  circles  of  the  old  world. 

"  I  shall  rely  on  your  kind  offices  in  particular,  Miss  Van 
Cortlandt,  to  reconcile  Mrs.  Jarvis  and  Mrs.  Hawker  to 
the  liberty  I  am  about  to  take,"  cried  Sir  George,  as  Grace 
burst  upon  them  in  the  library  in  a  blaze  of  beauty  that, 
in  her  case,  was  aided  by  her  attire  ;  "and  cold-hearted  and 


HOME  AS  F017ND.  43 

unchristian-like  women  they  must  be,  indeed,  to  resist  such 
a  mediator!  " 

Grace  was  unaccustomed  to  adulation  of  this  sort ;  for 
though  the  baronet  spoke  gaily,  and  like  one  half  trifling, 
his  look  of  admiration  was  too  honest  to  escape  the  intui- 
tive perception  of  woman.  She  blushed  deeply,  and  then 
recovering  herself  instantly,  said  with  a  naivete  that  had  a 
thousand  charms  with  her  listener  : 

"  I  do  not  see  why  Miss  .Effingham  and  myself  should 
hesitate  about  introducing  you  at  either  place.  Mrs. 
Hawker  is  a  relative  and  an  intimate — an  intimate  of  mine, 
at  least — and  as  for  poor  Mrs.  Jarvis,  she  is  the  daughter 
of  an  old  neighbor,  and  will  be  too  glad  to  see  us  to  raise 
objections.  I  fancy  any  one  of  a  certain "  Grace  hesi- 
tated and  laughed. 

"Any  one  of  a  certain ?"  said  Sir  George  inquir- 
ingly. 

"Any  one  from  this  house,"  resumed  the  young  lady, 
correcting  the  intended  expression,  "  will  be  welcome  in 
Spring  Street." 

"  Pure  native  aristocracy  !  "  exclaimed  the  baronet,  with 
an  air  of  affected  triumph.  "  This,  you  see,  Mr.  John 
Effingham,  is  in  aid  of  my  argument." 

"  I  am  quite  of  your  opinion,"  returned  the  gentleman 
addressed  ;  "  as  much  native  aristocracy  as  you  please,  but 
no  hereditary." 

The  entrance  of  Eve  and  Mademoiselle  Viefville  inter- 
rupted this  pleasantry,  and  the  carriages  being  just  then 
announced,  John  Effingham  went  in  quest  of  Captain 
Truck,  who  was  in  the  drawing-room  with  Mr.  Effingham 
and  Aristabulus. 

"  I  have  left  Ned  to  discuss  trespass  suits  and  leases  with 
his  land-agent,"  said  John  Effingham,  as  he  followed  Eve 
to  the  street-door.  "  By  ten  o'clock  they  will  have  taxed  a 
pretty  bill  of  costs  between  them  ! " 

Mademoiselle  Viefville  followed  John  Effingham  ;  Grace 
came  next,  and  Sir  George  Templemore  and  the  Captain 
brought  up  the  rear.  Grace  wondered  the  young  baronet 
did  not  offer  her  his  arm,  for  she  had  been  accustomed  to 
receive  this  attention  from  the  other  sex  in  a  hundred 
situations  in  which  it  was  rather  an  incumbrance  than  a 
service  ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  Sir  George  himself 


44  HOME.  AS  FOUND. 

would  have  hesitated  about  offering  such  assistance,  as  an 
act  of  uncalled-for  familiarity. 

Miss  Van  Cortlandt,  being  much  in  society,  kept  a 
chariot  for  her  own  use,  and  the  three  ladies  took  their 
seats  in  it,  while  the  gentlemen  took  possession  of  Mr.  Ef- 
fingham's  coach.  The  order  was  given  to  drive  to  Spring 
Street,  and  the  whole  party  proceeded. 

.  The  acquaintance  between  the  Effinghams  and  Mr.  Jar- 
vis  had  arisen  from  the  fact  of  .their  having  been  near,  and, 
in  a  certain  sense,  sociable  neighbors  in  the  country.  Their 
town  associations,  however,  were  as  distinct  as  if  they  dwelt 
in  different  hemispheres,  with  the  exception  of  an  occa- 
sional morning  call,  and  now  and  then  a  family  dinner 
given  by  Mr.  Effingham.  Such  had  been  the  nature  of 
the  intercourse  previously  to  the  family  of  the  latter's 
having  gone  abroad,  and  there  were  symptoms  of  its  being 
renewed  on  the  same  quiet  and  friendly  footing  as  for- 
merly. But  no  two  beings  could  be  less  alike,  in  certain 
essentials,  than  Mr.  Jarvis  and  his  wife.  The  former  was 
a  plain,  painstaking,  sensible  man  of  business,  while  the 
latter  had  an  itching  desire  to  figure  in  the  world  of  fash- 
ion. The  first  was  perfectly  aware  that  Mr.  Effingham,  in 
education,  habits,  associations,  and  manners,  was,  at  least, 
of  a  class  entirely  distinct  from  his  own  ;  and  without 
troubling  himself  to  analyze  causes,  and  without  a  feeling 
of  envy  or  unkindness  of  any  sort,  while  totally  exempt 
from  any  undue  deference  or  unmanly  cringing,  he  quietly 
submitted  to  let  things  take  their  course.  His  wife  ex- 
pressed her  surprise  that  any  one  in  New  York  should 
presume  to  be  better  than  themselves  ;  and  the  remark 
gave  rise  to  the  following  short  conversation  on  the  very 
morning  of  the  day  she  gave  the  party  to  which  we  are 
now  conducting  the  reader. 

"  How  do  you  know,  my  dear,  that  any  one  does  think 
himself  our  better  ?  "  demanded  the  husband. 

"  Why  do  they  not  all  visit  us  then  ?" 

"  Why  do  you  not  visit  everybody  yourself  ?  A  pretty 
household  we  should  have,  if  you  did  nothing  but  visit 
every  one  who  lives  even  in  this  street ! " 

"You  surely  would  not  have  me  visiting  the  grocers' 
wives  at  the  corners,  and  all  the  other  rubbish  of  the  neigh- 
borhood. What  I  mean  is,  that  all  the  people  of  a  certain 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  45 

sort  ought  to  visit  all  the  other  people  of  a  certain  sort,  in 
the  same  town." 

"  You  surely  will  make  an  exception,  at  least  on  account 
of  numbers.  I  saw  number  three  thousand  six  hundred 
and  fifty  this  very  day  on  a  cart,  and  if  the  wives  of  all 
these  carmen  should  visit  one  another,  each  would  have  to 
make  ten  visits  daily  in  order  to  get  through  with  the  list 
in  a  twelvemonth." 

"  I  have  always  bad  luck  in  making  you  comprehend 
these  things,  Mr.  Jarvis." 

"  I  am  afraid,  my  dear,  it  is  because  you  do  not  very 
clearly  comprehend  them  yourself.  You  first  say  that 
everybody  ought  to  visit  everybody,  and  then  you  insist 
on  it  you  will  visit  none  but  those  you  think  good  enough 
to  be  visited  by  Mrs.  Jared  Jarvis." 

"  What  I  mean  is,  that  no  one  in  New  York  has  a  right 
to  think  himself,  or  herself,  better  than  ourselves." 

"  Better  ? — In  what  sense  better?" 

"  In  such  a  sense  as  to  induce  them  to  think  themselves 
too  good  to  visit  us." 

"That  may  be  your  opinion,  my  dear,  but  others  may 
judge  differently.  You  clearly  think  yourself  too  good  to 
visit  Mrs.  Onion,  the  grocer's  wife,  who  is  a  capital  woman 
in  her  way  ;  and  how  do  we  know  that  certain  people  may 
not  fancy  we  are  not  quite  refined  enough  for  them  ?  Re- 
finement is  a  positive  thing,  Mrs.  Jarvis,  and  one  that  has 
much  more  influence  on  the  pleasures  of  association  than 
money.  We  may  want  a  hundred  little  perfections  that 
escape  our  ignorance,  and  which  those  who  are  trained  to 
such  matters  deem  essentials." 

"I  never  met  with  a  man  of  so  little  social  spirit,  Mr. 
Jarvis!  Really,  you  are  quite  unsuited  to  be  a  citizen  of 
a  republican  country." 

"  Republican ! — I  do  not  really  see  what  republican  has 
to  do  with  the  question.  In  the  first  place,  it  is  a  droll 
word  for  you  to  use,  in  this  sense  at  least  ;  for,  taking  your 
own  meaning  of  the  term,  you  are  as  anti-republican  as 
any  woman  I  know.  But  a  republic  does  not  necessarily 
infer  equality  of  condition,  or  even  equality  of  rights — it 
meaning  merely  the  substitution  of  the  right  of  the  com- 
monwealth for  the  right  of  a  prince.  Had  you  said  de- 
mocracy, there  would  have  been  some  plausibility  in  using 


46  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

the  word,  though  even  then  its  application  would  have 
been  illogical.  If  I  am  a  freeman  and  a  democrat,  I  hope 
I  have  the  justice  to  allow  others  to  be  just  as  free  and 
democratic  as  I  am  myself." 

"  And  who  wishes  the  contrary  ?  All  I  ask  is  a  claim  to 
be  considered  a  fit  associate  for  anybody  in  this  country — 
in  these  United  States  of  America." 

"  I  would  quit  these  United  States  of  America  next 
week,  if  I  thought  there  existed  any  necessity  for  such  an 
intolerable  state  of  things." 

"  Mr.  Jarvis  ! — and  you,  too,  one  of  the  Committee  ol 
Tammany  Hall  !  " 

"  Yes,  Mrs.  Jarvis,  and  I  one  of  the  Committee  of  Tan> 
many  Hall !  What !  Do  you  think  I  want  the  three 
thousand  six  hundred  and  fifty  carmen  running  in  and  out 
of  my  house,  with  their  tobacco  saliva  and  pipes,  all  day 
long  ? " 

"  Who  is  thinking  of  your  carmen  and  grocers  !  I  speak 
now  only  of  genteel  people." 

"  In  other  words,  my  dear,  you  are  thinking  only  oi 
those  whom  you  fancy  to  have  the  advantage  of  you,  and 
keep  those  who  think  of  you  in  the  same  way,  quite  out 
of  sight.  This  is  not  my  democracy  and  freedom.  I  be- 
lieve that  it  requires  two  people  to  make  a  bargain  ;  and 

although  I  may  consent  to  dine  with  A- ,  if  A will 

not  consent  to  dine  with  me,  there  is  an  end  of  the  matter." 

"  Now,  you  have  come  to  a  case  in  point.  You  often 
dined  with  Mr.  Effingham  before  he  went  abroad,  and  yet 
you  would  never  allow  me  to  ask  Mr.  Effingham  to  dine 
with  us.  That  is  what  I  call  meanness." 

"  It  might  be  so,  indeed,  if  it  were  done  to  save  my 
money.  I  dined  with  Mr.  Effingham  because  I  like  him  ; 
because  he  was  an  old  neighbor  ;  because  he  asked  me, 
and  because  I  found  a  pleasure  in  the  quiet  elegance 
of  his  table  and  society  ;  and  I  did  not  ask  him  to  dines 
with  me,  because  I  was  satisfied  he  would  be  bettei 
pleased  with  such  a  tacit  acknowledgment  of  his  su- 
periority in  this  respect,  than  by  any  bustling  and  un- 
graceful efforts  to  pay  him  in  kind.  Edward  Effinghan* 
has  dinners  enough  without  keeping  a  debtor  and  credii 
account  with  his  guests,  which  is  rather  too  New 
r,ven  for  me.'1 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  47 

"Bustling  and  ungraceful!"  repeated  Mrs.  Jarvis,  bit- 
terly ;  "  I  do  not  know  that  you  are  at  all  more  bustling 
and  ungraceful  than  Mr.  Effingham  himself." 

"No,  my  dear,  I  am  a  quiet,  unpretending  man,  like  the 
great  majority  of  my  countrymen,  thank  God." 

"  Then  why  talk  of  these  sorts  of  differences  in  a  country 
in  which  the  law  establishes  none  ? " 

"  For  precisely  the  reason  that  I  talk  of  the  river  at  the 
foot  of  this  street,  or  because  there  is  a  river.  A  thing 
may  exist  without  there  being  a  law  for  it.  There  is  no 
law  for  building  this  house,  and  yet  it  is  built.  There  is 
no  law  for  making  Dr.  Verse  a  better  preacher  than  Dr. 
Prolix,  and  yet  he  is  a  much  better  preacher  ;  neither  is 
there  any  law  for  making  Mr.  Effingham  a  more  finished 
gentleman  than  I  happen  to  be,  and  yet  I  am  not  fool 
enough  to  deny  the  fact.  In  the  way  of  making  out  a  bill 
of  parcels,  I  will  not  turn  my  back  to  him,  I  can  promise 
you." 

"  All  this  strikes  me  as  being  very  spiritless,  and  as  par- 
ticularly anti-republican,"  said  Mrs.  Jarvis,  rising  to  quit 
the  room  ;  "  and  if  the  Effinghams  do  not  come  this  even- 
ing, I  shall  not  enter  their  house  this  winter.  I  am  sure 
they  have  no  right  to  pretend  to  be  our  betters,  and  I  feel 
no  disposition  to  admit  the  impudent  claim." 

"Before  you  go,  Jane,  let  me  say  a  parting  word,"  re- 
joined the  husband,  looking  for  his  hat,  "which  is  just 
this.  If  you  wish  the  world  to  believe  you  the  equal  of 
any  one,  no  matter  whom,  do  not  be  always  talking  about 
it,  lest  they  see  you  distrust  the  fact  yourself.  A  positive 
thing  will  surely  be  seen,  and  they  who  have  the  highest 
claims  are  the  least  disposed  to  be  always  pressing  them 
on  the  attention  of  the  world.  An  outrage  may  certainly 
be  done  those  social  rights  which  have  been  established 
by  common  consent,  and  then  it  may  be  proper  to  resent 
it  ;  but  beware  betraying  a  consciousness  of  your  own  in- 
feriority, by  letting  every  one  see  you  are  jealous  of  your 
station.  Now,  kiss  me  ;  here  is  the  money  to  pay  for  your 
finery  this  evening,  and  let  me  see  you  as  happy  to  receive 
Mrs.  Jewett  from  Albion  Place,  as  you  would  be  to  receive 
Mrs.  Hawker  herself." 

"  Mrs.  Hawker  !  "  cried  the  wife,  with  a  toss  of  her 
head,  "  I  would  not  cross  the  street  to  invite  Mrs.  Hawker, 


4S  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

and  all  her  clan,"  which  was  very  true,  as  Mrs.  Jarvis  was 
thoroughly  convinced  the  trouble  would  be  unavailing, 
the  lady  in  question  being  as  near  the  head  of  fashion  in 
New  York  as  it  was  possible  to  be  in  a  town  that,  in  a 
moral  sense  resembles  an  encampment,  quite  as  much  as 
it  resembles  a  permanent  and  a  long-existing  capital. 

Notwithstanding  a  great  deal  of  management  on  the 
part  of  Mrs.  Jarvis  to  get  showy  personages  to  attend  her 
entertainment,  the  simple  elegance  of  the  two  carriages 
that  bore  the  Effingham  party,  threw  all  the  other  equip- 
ages into  the  shade.  The  arrival,  indeed,  was  deemed  a 
matter  of  so  much  moment,  that  intelligence  was  conveyed 
to  the  lady,  who  was  still  at  her  post  in  the  inner  drawing- 
room,  of  the  arrival  of  a  party  altogether  superior  to  any- 
thing that  had  yet  appeared  in  her  rooms.  It  is  true,  this 
was  not  expressed  in  words,  but  it  was  made  sufficiently 
obvious  by  the  breathless  haste  and  the  air  of  importance 
of  Mrs.  Jarvis's  sister,  who  had  received  the  news  from  a 
servant,  and  who  communicated  it  proprid  persona  to  the 
mistress  of  the  house. 

The  simple,  useful,  graceful,  almost  indispensable  usage 
of  announcing  at  the  door,  indispensable  to  those  who  re- 
ceive much,  and  where  there  is  the  risk  of  meeting  people 
known  to  us  by  name  and  not  in  person,  is  but  little  prac- 
tised in  America.  Mrs.  Jarvis  would  have  shrunk  from 
such  an  innovation,  had  she  known  that  elsewhere  the 
custom  prevailed,  but  she  was  in  happy  ignorance  on  this 
point,  as  on  many  others  that  were  more  essential  to  the 
much-coveted  social  eclat  at  which  she  aimed.  When  Ma- 
demoiselle Viefville  appeared,  therefore,  walking  unsup- 
ported, as  if  she  were  out  of  leading-strings,  followed  by 
Eve  and  Grace,  and  the  gentlemen  of  their  party,  she  at 
first  supposed  there  was  some  mistake,  and  that  her  vis- 
itors had  got  into  the  wrong  house,  there  being  an  oppo- 
sition party  in  the  neighborhood. 

"What  brazen  people  !"  whispered  Mrs.  Abijah  Gross, 
who  having  removed  from  an  interior  New  England  vil- 
lage, fully  two  years  previously,  fancied  herself  au  fait  of 
all  the  niceties  of  breeding  and  social  tact.  "  There  are 
positively  two  young  ladies  actually  walking  about  with" 
out  gentlemen  ! " 

But  it  was  not  in  the  power  of  Mrs.  Abijah  Gross,  with 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  49 

her  audible  whisper  and  obvious  sneer  and  laugh,  to  put 
down  two  such  lovely  creatures  as  Eve  and  her  cousin. 
The  simple  elegance  of  their  attire,  the  indescribable  air 
of  polish,  particularly  in  the  former,  and  the  surpassing 
beauty  and  modesty  of  mien  of  both,  effectually  silenced 
criticism,  after  this  solitary  outbreaking  of  vulgarity.  Mrs. 
Jarvis  recognized  Eve  and  John  Effingham,  and  her  hur- 
ried compliments  and  obvious  delight  proclaimed  to  all 
near  her  the  importance  she  attached  to  their  visit.  Ma- 
demoiselle Viefville  she  had  not  recollected  in  her  present 
dress,  and  even  she  was  covered  with  expressions  of  de- 
light and  satisfaction. 

"I  wish  particularly  to  present  to  you  a  friend  that  we 
all  prize  exceedingly,"  said  Eve,  as  soon  as  there  was  an 
opportunity  of  speaking.  "  This  is  Captain  Truck,  the 
gentleman  who  commands  the  Montauk,  the  ship  of  which 
you  have  heard  so  much.  Ah  !  Mr.  Jarvis,"  offering  a 
hand  to  him  with  sincere  cordiality,  for  Eve  had  known 
him  from  childhood,  and  always  sincerely  respected  him — 
"you  will  receive  my  friend  with  a  cordial  welcome,  I  am 
certain." 

She  then  explained  to  Mr.  Jarvis  who  the  honest  cap- 
tain was,  when  the  former,  first  paying  the  proper  respect 
to  his  other  guests,  led  the  old  sailor  aside,  and  began  an 
earnest  conversation  OR  the  subject  of  the  recent  passage. 

John  Effingham  presented  the  baronet,  whom  Mrs.  Jar- 
vis  out  of  pure  ignorance  of  his  rank  in  his  own  country, 
received  with  perfect  propriety  and  self-respect. 

"We  have  very  few  people  of  note  in  town  at  present,  I 
believe,"  said  Mrs.  Jarvis  to  John  Effingham.  "A  great 
traveller,  a  most  interesting  man,  is  the  only  person  of 
that  sort  I  could  obtain  for  this  evening,  and  I  shall  have 
great  pleasure  in  introducing  you.  He  is  there  in  that 
crowd,  for  he  is  in  the  greatest  possible  demand  ;  he  has 
seen  so  much, — Mrs.  Snow,  with  your  permission — really 
the  ladies  are  thronging  about  him  as  if  he  were  a  Paw- 
nee,— have  the  goodness  to  step  a  little  this  way,  Mr.  Ef- 
fingham— Miss  Effingham — Mrs.  Snow,  just  touch  his  arm 
and  let  him  know  I  wish  to  introduce  a  couple  of  friends. 
— Mr.  Dodge,  Mr.  John  Effingham,  Miss  Effingham,  Miss 
Van  Cortlandt.  I  hope  you  may  succeed  in  getting  him 
a  little  to  yourselves,  ladies,  for  he  can  tell  you  all  about 


50  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

Europe — saw  the  king  of  France  riding  out  to  Nully,  and 
has  a  prodigious  knowledge  of  things  on  the  other  side  of 
the  water." 

It  required  a  good  deal  of  Eve's  habitual  self-command 
to  prevent  a  smile,  but  she  had  the  tact  and  discretion  to 
receive  Steadfast  as  an  utter  stranger.  John  Effingham 
bowed  as  haughtily  as  man  can  bow,  and  then  it  was  whis- 
pered that  he  and  Mr.  Dodge  were  rival  travellers.  The 
distance  of  the  former,  coupled  with  an  expression  of  coun- 
tenance that  did  not  invite  familiarity,  drove  nearly  all  the 
company  over  to  the  side  of  Steadfast,  who,  it  was  soon 
settled,  had  seen  much  the  most  of  the  world,  understood 
society  the  best,  and  had,  moreover,  travelled  as  far  as  Tim- 
buctoo  in  Africa.  The  clientele  of  Mr.  Dodge  increased 
rapidly,  as  these  reports  spread  in  the  rooms,  and  those 
who  had  not  read  the  "  delightful  letters  published  in  the 
Active  Inquirer"  furiously  envied  those  who  had  enjoyed 
that  high  advantage. 

"  It  is  Mr.  Dodge,  the  great  traveller,"  said  one  young 
lady,  who  had  extricated  herself  from  the  crowd  around 
the  "  lion,"  and  taken  a  station  near  Eve  and  Grace,  and 
who,  moreover,  was  a  "  blue  "  in  her  own  set ;  "  his  beauti- 
ful and  accurate  descriptions  have  attracted  great  attention 
in  England,  and  it  is  said  they  have  actually  been  repub- 
lished  ! " 

"  Have  you  read  them,  Miss  Brackett  ? " 

"  Not  the  letters  themselves,  absolutely  ;  but  all  the  re- 
marks on  them  in  the  last  week's  Hebdomad.  Most  de- 
lightful letters,  judging  from  those  remarks  ;  full  of  nature 
and  point,  and  singularly  accurate  in  all  their  facts.  In 
this  respect  they  are  invaluable,  travellers  do  fall  into  such 
extraordinary  errors  ! " 

"  I  hope,  ma'arn,"  said  John  Effingham,  gravely,  "  that 
the  gentleman  has  avoided  the  capital  mistake  of  comment- 
ing on  things  that  actually  exist.  Comments  on  its  facts 
are  generally  esteemed  by  the  people  of  a  country  imper- 
tinent and  unjust  ;  and  your  true  way  to  succeed  ^is  to 
treat  as  freely  as  possible  its  imaginary  peculiarities.  ' 

Miss  Brackett  had  nothing  to  answer  to  this  observation, 
the  Hebdomad  having,  among  its  other  profundities,  never 
seen  proper  to  touch  on  the  subject.  She  went  on  prais- 
ing the  "  Letters/'  however,  not  one  of  which  had  she  read, 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  $\ 

or  would  she  read  ;  for  this  young  lady  had  contrived  to 
gain  a  high  reputation  in  her  own  coterie  for  taste  and 
knowledge  in  books,  by  merely  skimming  the  strictures  of 
those  who  do  not  even  skim  the  works  they  pretend  to  an- 
alyze. 

Eve  had  never  before  been  in  so  close  contact  with  so 
much  flippant  ignorance,  and  she  could  not  but  wonder  at 
seeing  a  man  like  her  kinsman  overlooked,  in  order  that  a 
man  like  Mr.  Dodge  should  be  preferred.  All  this  gave 
John  Effingham  himself  no  concern,  but  retiring  a  little 
from  the  crowd,  he  entered  into  a  short  conversation  with 
the  young  baronet. 

"  I  should  like  to  know  your  real  opinions  of  this  set," 
he  said  ;  "  not  that  I  plead  guilty  to  the  childish  sensibility 
that  is  so  common  in  all  provincial  circles  to  the  judgments 
of  strangers,  but  with  a  view  to  aid  you  in  forming  a  just 
estimate  of  the  real  state  of  the  country." 

"  As  I  know  the  precise  connection  between  you  and  our 
host,  there  can  be  no  objection  to  giving  a  perfectly  frank 
reply  The  women  strike  me  as  being  singularly  delicate 
and  pretty  ;  well  dressed,  too,  I  might  add  ;  but  while  there 
is  a  great  air  of  decency,  there  is  very  little  high  finish  ; 
and  what  strikes  me  as  being  quite  odd,  under  such  circum- 
stances, scarcely  any  downright  vulgarity  or  coarseness." 

"A  Daniel  come  to  judgment  !  One  who  had  passed  a 
life  here  would  not  have  come  so  near  the  truth,  simply 
because  he  would  not  have  observed  peculiarities  that  re- 
quire the  means  of  comparison  to  be  detected.  You  are  a 
little  too  indulgent  in  saying  there  is  no  downright  vulgar- 
ity ;  for  some  there  is  ;  though  surprisingly  little  for  the 
circumstances.  But  of  the  coarseness  that  would  be  so 
prominent  elsewhere,  there  is  hardly  any.  True,  so  great 
is  the  equality  in  all  things  in  this  country,  so  direct  the 
tendency  to  this  respectable  mediocrity,  that  what  you  now 
see  here  to-night  may  be  seen  in  almost  every  village  in 
the  land,  with  a  few  immaterial  exceptions  in  the  way  of 
furniture  and  other  city  appliances,  and  not  much  even  in 
these." 

"  Certainly,  as  a  mediocrity  this  is  respectable,  though  a 
fastidious  taste  might  see  a  multitude  of  faults." 

"  I  should  not  say  that  the  taste  would  be  merely  fasti- 
dious, for  much  is  wanting  that  would  add  to  the  grace 


52  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

and  beauty  of  society,  while  much  that  is  wanting  would  be 
missed  only  by  the  over-sophisticated.  Those  young  men 
who  are  sniggering  over  some  bad  joke  in  the  corner  for 
instance,  are  positively  vulgar,  as  is  that  young  lady  who 
is  indulging  in  practical  coquetry  ;  but,  on  the  whole,  there 
is  little  of  this  ;  and  even  our  hostess,  a  silly  woman,  de- 
voured with  the  desire  of  being  what  neither  her  social  po- 
sition, education,  habits,  nor  notions  fit  her  to  be,  is  less 
obtrusive,  bustling,  and  offensive,  than  a  similar  person 
elsewhere." 

"I  am  quite  of  your  way  of  thinking,  and  intended  to 
ask  you  to  account  for  it." 

"The  Americans  are  an  imitative  people,  of  necessity, 
and  they  are  apt  at  this  part  of  imitation  in  particular. 
Then  they  are  less  artificial  in  all  their  practices  than  older 
and  more  sophisticated  nations  ;  and  this  company  has  got 
that  essential  part  of  good  breeding,  simplicity,  as  it  were 
perforce.  A  step  higher  in  the  social  scale  you  will  see 
less  of  it  ;  for  greater  daring  and  bad  models  lead  to  blun- 
ders in  matters  that  require  to  be  exceedingly  well  done,  if 
done  at  all.  The  faults  here  would  be  more  apparent  by 
an  approach  near  enough  to  get  into  the  tone  of  mind,  the 
forms  of  speech,  and  the  attempts  at  wit." 

"  Which  I  think  we  shall  escape  to-night,  as  I  see  the  la- 
dies are  already  making  their  apologies  and  taking  leave. 
We  must  defer  this  investigation  to  another  time." 

"  It  may  be  indefinitely  postponed,  as  it  would  scarcely 
reward  the  trouble  of  an  inquiry." 

The  gentlemen  now  approached  Mrs.  Jarvis,  paid  their 
parting  compliments,  hunted  up  Captain  Truck,  whom  they 
tore  by  violence  from  the  good-natured  hospitality  of  the 
master  of  the  house,  and  then  saw  the  ladies  into  their 
carriage.  As  they  drove  off,  the  worthy  mariner  protested 
that  Mr.  Jarvis  was  one  of  the  honestest  men  he  had  ever 
met,  and  announced  that  he  intended  giving  him  a  dinner 
on  board  the  Montauk  the  very  next  day. 

The  dwelling  of  Mrs.  Hawker  was  in  Hudson  Square,  or 
in  a  portion  of  the  city  that  the  lovers  of  the  grandiose  are 
endeavoring  to  call  St.  John's  Park  ;  for  it  is  rather  an 
amusing  peculiarity  among  a  certain  portion  of  the  emi- 
grants who  have  flocked  into  the  Middle  States  within  the 
last  thirty  years,  that  they  are  not  satisfied  with  permitting 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  53 

any  family  or  thing  to  possess  the  name  it  originally  en- 
joyed, if  there  exists  the  least  opportunity  to  change  it. 
There  was  but  a  carriage  or  two  before  the  door,  though 
the  strong  lights  in  the  house  showed  that  the  company 
had  collected. 

"  Mrs.  Hawker  is  the  widow  and  the  daughter  of  men  of 
long  established  New  York  families  ;  she  is  childless,  afflu- 
ent, and  universally  respected  where  known  for  her  breed- 
ing, benevolence,  good  sense,  and  heart,"  said  John  Effing- 
ham,  while  the  party  was  driving  from  one  house  to  the 
other.  "  Were  you  to  go  into  most  of  the  sets  of  this  town 
and  mention  Mrs.  Hawker's  name,  not  one  person  in  ten 
would  know  that  there  is  such  a  being  in  their  vicinity  ; 
the  pele  mele  of  a  migratory  population  keeping  persons  of 
her  character  and  condition  of  life  quite  out  of  view.  The 
very  persons  who  will  prattle  by  the  hour  of  the  establish- 
ments of  Mrs.  Peleg  Pond,  and  Mrs.  Jonah  Twist,  and  Mrs. 
Abiram  Wattles,  people  who  first  appeared  on  this  island 
five  or  six  years  since,  and  who,  having  accumulated  what  to 
them  are  relatively  large  fortunes,  have  launched  out  into 
vulgar  and  uninstructed  finery,  would  look  with  surprise  at 
hearing  Mrs.  Hawker  mentioned  as  one  having  any  claims 
to  social  distinction.  Her  historical  names  are  overshad- 
owed in  their  minds  by  the  parochial  glories  of  certain  local 
prodigies  in  the  townships  whence  they  emigrated  ;  her 
manners  would  puzzle  the  comprehension  of  people  whose 
imitation  has  not  gone  beyond  the  surface  ;  and  her  pol- 
ished and  simple  mind  would  find  little  sympathy  among  a 
class  who  seldom  rise  above  a  commonplace  sentiment  with- 
out getting  upon  stilts." 

"  Mrs.  Hawker,  then,  is  a  lady,"  observed  Sir  George 
Templemore. 

"  Mrs.  Hawker  is  a  lady  in  every  sense  of  the  word  ;  by 
position,  education,  manners,  association,  mind,  fortune, 
and  birth.  I  do  not  know  that  we  ever  had  more  of  her 
class  than  exist  to-day,  but  certainly  we  once  had  them 
more  prominent  in  society." 

"I  suppose,  sir,"  said  Captain  Truck,  "that  this  Mrs. 
Hawker  is  of  what  is  called  the  old  school  ?  " 

"  Of  a  very  ancient  school,  and  one  that  is  likely  to  con- 
tinue, though  it  may  not  be  generally  attended." 

"I  am  afraid,  Mr.  John  Effingham,  that  I  shall  be  like  a 


54  HOME  A3  FOUND. 

fish  out  of  water  in  such  a  house.  I  can  get  along  very 
well  with  your  Mrs.  Jarvis,  and  with  the  dear  young  lady 
in  the  other  carriage  ;  but  the  sort  of  a  woman  you  have 
described  will  be  apt  to  jam  a  plain  mariner  like  myself. 
What  in  nature  should  I  do,  now,  if  she  should  ask  me  to 
dance  a  minuet  ?" 

"  Dance  it  agreeably  to  the  laws  of  nature,"  returned 
John  Effingham,  as  the  carriage  stopped. 

A  respectable,  quiet,  and  an  aged  black  admitted  the 
party,  though  even  he  did  not  announce  the  visitors,  while 
he  held  the  door  of  the  drawing-room  open  for  them  with 
respectful  attention.  Mrs.  Hawker  arose  and  advanced  to 
meet  Eve  and  her  companions,  and  though  she  kissed  the 
cousins  affectionately,  her  reception  of  Mademoiselle  Vief- 
ville  was  so  simply  polite  as  to  convince  the  latter  she  was 
valued  on  account  of  her  services.  John  Effingham,  who 
was  ten  or  fifteen  years  the  junior  of  the  old  lady,  gal- 
lantly kissed  her  hand,  when  he  presented  his  two  male 
companions.  After  paying  proper  attention  to  the  great- 
est stranger,  Mrs.  Hawker  turned  to  Captain  Truck  and 
said — 

"This,  then,  is  the  gentleman  to  whose  skill  and  courage 
you  all  owe  so  much— we  all  owe  so  much,  I  might  better 
have  said — the  commander  of  the  Montauk  ?  " 

"I  have  the  honor  of  commanding  that  vessel,  ma'am," 
returned  Captain  Truck,  who  was  singularly  awed  by  the 
dignified  simplicity  of  his  hostess,  although  her  quiet,  na- 
tural, and  yet  finished  manner,  which  extended  even  to  the 
intonation  of  the  voice  and  the  smallest  movement,  were 
as  unlike  what  he  had  expected  as  possible,  "  and  with  such 
passengers  as  she  had  last  voyage,  I  can  only  say  it  is  a  pity 
that  she  is  not  better  off  for  one  to  take  care  of  her." 

"  Your  passengers  give  a  different  account  of  the  matter ; 
but  in  order  that  I  may  judge  impartially,  do  me  the  favor 
to  take  this  chair,  and  let  me  learn  a  few  of  the  particulars 
from  yourself." 

Observing  that  Sir  George  Templemore  had  followed 
Eve  to  the  other  side  of  the  room,  Mrs.  Hawker  now  re- 
sumed her  seat,  and  without  neglecting  any  to  attend  to 
one  in  particular,  or  attending  to  one  in  any  way  to  make 
him  feel  oppressed,  she  contrived  in  a  few  minutes  to  make 
the  captain  forget  all  about  the  minuet,  and  to  feel  much 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  55 

more  at  his  ease  than  would  have  been  the  case  with  Mrs. 
Jarvis  in  a  month's  intercourse. 

In  the  meantime  Eve  had  crossed  the  room  to  join  a 
lady  whose  smile  invited  her  to  her  side.  This  was  a 
young,  slightly  framed  female,  of  a  pleasing  countenance, 
but  who  would  not  have  been  particularly  distinguished 
in  such  a  place  for  personal  charms.  Still  her  smile  was 
sweet,  her  eyes  were  soft,  and  the  expression  of  her  face  was 
what  might  almost  be  called  illuminated.  As  Sir  George 
Templemore  followed  her,  Eve  mentioned  his  name  to  her 
acquaintance,  whom  she  addressed  as  Mrs.  Bloomfield. 

"  You  are  bent  on  perpetrating  further  gayety  to-night," 
said  the  latter,  glancing  at  the  ball  dresses  of  the  two  cou- 
sins. "  Are  you  in  the  colors  of  the  Houston  faction,  or 
in  those  of  the  Peabody  ?  " 

•'  Not  in  pea-green,  certainly,"  returned  Eve,  laughing, 
"as  you  may  see  ;  but  in  simple  white." 

"  You  intend  then  to  be  '  led  a  measure  '  at  Mrs.  Hous 
ton's.  It  were  more  suitable  than  among  the  other  fac- 
tion." 

"  Is  fashion  then  faction  in  New  York  ? "  inquired  Sir 
George. 

"  Fractions  would  be  a  better  word,  perhaps  ;  but  we 
have  parties  in  almost  everything  in  America — in  politics, 
religion,  temperance,  speculations,  and  taste.  Why  not 
in  fashion  ?  " 

"  I  fear  we  are  not  quite  independent  enough  to  form 
parties  on  such  a  subject,"  said  Eve. 

"  Perfectly  well  said,  Miss  Effingham.  One  must  think 
a  little  originally,  let  it  be  ever  so  falsely,  in  order  to  get 
up  a  fashion.  I  fear  we  shall  have  to  admit  our  insignifi- 
cance on  this  point.  You  are  a  late  arrival,  Sir  George 
Templemore  ? " 

"  As  lately  as  the  commencement  of  this  month.  I  had 
the  honor  of  being  a  fellow-passenger  with  Mr.  Effingham 
and  his  family." 

"  In  which  voyage  you  suffered  shipwreck,  captivity,  and 
famine,  if  half  we  hear  be  true." 

"  Report  has  a  little  magnified  our  risks.  We  encoun- 
tered some  serious  dangers,  but  nothing  amounting  to  the 
sufferings  you  have  mentioned." 

"  Being  a  married  woman,  and  having  reached  the  crisis 


56  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

in  which  deception  is  not  practised,  I  expect  to  hear  truth 
again,"  said  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  smiling.  "  I  trust,  however, 
you  underwent  enough  to  qualify  you  all  for  heroes  and 
heroines,  and  shall  content  myself  with  knowing  that  you 
are  here,  safe  and  happy,"  if,  she  added,  looking  inquiring- 
ly at  Eve,  "one  who  has  been  educated  abroad,  can  be 
happy  at  home." 

"  One  educated  abroad,  may  be  happy  at  home,  though 
possibly  not  in  the  modes  most  practised  by  the  world," 
said  Eve,  firmly. 

"Without  an  opera,  without  a  court,  almost  without  so- 
ciety !  " 

"An  opera  would  be  desirable,  I  confess.  Of  courts  I 
know  nothing,  unmarried  females  being  ciphers  in  Eu- 
rope, and  I  hope  better  things  than  to  think  I  shall  be 
without  society." 

"  Unmarried  females  are  considered  ciphers  too,  here, 
provided  there  be  enough  of  them  with  a  good  respectable 
digit  at  their  head.  I  assure  you  no  one  quarrels  with  the 
ciphers  under  such  circumstances.  I  think,  Sir  George 
Templemore,  a  town  like  this  must  be  something  of  a  par- 
adox to  you." 

"  Might  I  venture  to  inquire  the  reason  for  this  opinion  ? " 

"  Merely  because  it  is  neither  one  thing  nor  another. 
Not  a  capital,  nor  yet  merely  a  provincial  place,  with 
something  more  than  commerce  in  its  bosom,  and  yet  with 
that  something  hidden  under  a  bushel.  A  good  deal  more 
than  Liverpool,  and  a  good  deal  less  than  London.  Bet- 
ter even  than  Edinburgh  in  many  respects,  and  worse  than 
Wapping  in  others." 

"  You  have  been  abroad,  Mrs.  Bloomfield  ?" 

"  Not  a  foot  out  of  my  own  country  ;  scarcely  a  foot  out 
of  my  own  State.  I  have  been  at  Lake  George,  the  Falls, 
and  the  Mountain  House,  and  as  one  does  not  travel  in  a 
balloon,  I  saw  some  of  the  intermediate  places.  As  for  all 
else,  I  am  obliged  to  go  by  report." 

"  It  is  a-pity  Mrs.  Bloomfield  was  not  with  us  this  even- 
ing at  Mrs.  Jarvis's,"  said  Eve,  laughing.  "  She  might 
then  have  increased  her  knowledge  by  listening  to  a  few 
cantos  from  the  epic  of  Mr.  Dodge." 

"I  have  glanced  at  some  of  that  author's  wisdom,"  re- 
turned Mrs.  Bloomfield,  "but  I  soon  found  \twas  learning 


FfOME  AS  FOUND.  57 

backward.  There  is  a  never-failing  rule  by  which  it  is 
easy  to  arrive  at  a  traveller's  worth,  in  a  negative  sense  at 
least" 

"  That  is  a  rule  which  may  be  worth  knowing,"  said 
the  baronet,  "as  it  would  save  much  useless  wear  of  the 
eyes." 

"When  one  betrays  a  profound  ignorance  of  his  own 
country,  it  is  a  fair  presumption  that  he  cannot  be  very 
acute  in  his  observation  of  strangers.  Mr.  Dodge  is  one 
of  these  writers,  and  a  single  letter  fully  satisfied  my  curi- 
osity. I  fear,  Miss  Effingham,  very  inferior  wares  in  the 
way  of  manners  have  been  lately  imported  in  large  quan- 
tities into  this  country,  as  having  the  Tower  mark  on 
them." 

Eve  laughed,  but  declared  that  Sir  George  Temple- 
more  was  better  qualified  than  herself  to  answer  such  a 
question. 

"  We  are  said  to  be  a  people  of  facts,  rather  than  a  people 
of  theories,"  continued  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  without  attending 
to  the  reference  of  the  young  lady,  "and  any  coin  that 
offers,  passes  until  another  that  is  better  arrives.  It  is  a 
singular  but  a  very  general  mistake,  I  believe,  of  the 
people  of  this  country,  in  supposing  that  they  can  exist 
under  the  present  regime,  when  others  would  fail,  because 
their  opinions  keep  even  pace  with,  or  precede  the  actual 
condition  of  society  ;  whereas  those  who  have  thought  and 
observed  most  on  such  subjects,  agree  in  thinking  the  very 
reverse  of  the  case." 

"  This  would  be  a  curious  condition  for  a  government 
so  purely  conventional,"  observed  Sir  George  with  inter- 
est, "and  it  certainly  is  entirely  opposed  to  the  state  of 
things  all  over  Europe." 

"  It  is  so,  and  yet  there  is  no  great  mystery  in  it  after  all. 
Accident  has  liberated  us  from  trammels  that  still  fetter 
you.  We  are  like  a  vehicle  on  the  top  of  a  hill,  which  the 
moment  it  is  pushed  beyond  the  point  of  resistance,  rolls 
down  of  itself,  without  the  aid  of  horses.  One  may  follow 
with  the  team  and  hook  on  when  it  gets  to  the  bottom, 
but  there  is  no  such  thing  as  keeping  company  with  it 
until  it  arrives  there." 

"You  will  allow,  then,  that  there  is  a  bottom  ?" 

"  There  is  a  bottom  to  everything — to  good  and  bad  ; 


58  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

happiness  and  misery  ;  hope,  fear,  faith,  and  charity  ;  even 
to  a  woman's  mind,  which  I  have  sometimes  fancied  the 
most  bottomless  thing  in  nature.  There  may,  therefore, 
well  be  a  bottom  even  to  the  institutions  of  America." 

Sir  George  listened  with  the  interest  with  which  an 
Englishman  of  his  class  always  endeavors  to  catch  a  con- 
cession that  he  fancies  is  about  to  favor  his  o\vn  political 
predilections,  and  he  felt  encouraged  to  push  the  subject 
further. 

"  And  you  think  that  the  political  machine  is  rolling 
downward  toward  this  bottom  ? "  he  said,  with  an  inter- 
est in  the  answer  that,  living  in  the  quiet  and  forgetfulness 
of  his  own  home,  he  would  have  laughed  at  himself  for 
entertaining.  But  our  sensibilities  become  quickened  by 
collision,  and  opposition  is  known  even  to  create  love. 

Mrs.  Bloomfield  was  quick-witted,  intelligent,  cultivated 
and  shrewd/  She  saw  the  motive  at  a  glance,  and,  notwith- 
standing she  saw  and  felt  all  its  abuses,  strongly  attached 
to  the  governing  principle  of  her  country's  social  organi- 
zation, as  is  almost  universally  the  case  with  the  strongest 
minds  and  most  generous  hearts  of  the  nation,  she  was  not 
disposed  to  let  a  stranger  carry  away  a  false  impression  oi 
her  sentiments  on  such  a  point. 

"  Did  you  ever  study  logic,  Sir  George  Templemore  ? ' 
she  asked,  archly. 

"  A  little,  though  not  enough  I  fear  to  influence  my 
mode  of  reasoning,  or  even  to  leave  me  familiar  with  the 
terms." 

"  Oh !  I  am  not  about  to  assail  you  with  sequiturs  and 
non-sequitursy  dialectics  and  all  the  mysteries  of  Denk-Lehre, 
but  simply  to  remind  you  there  is  such  a  thing  as  the  bot- 
tom of  a  subject.  When  I  tell  you  we  are  flying  toward 
the  bottom  of  our  institutions,  it  is  in  the  intellectual 
sense,  and  not,  as  you  have  erroneously  imagined,  in  an 
unintellectual  sense.  I  mean  that  we  are  getting  to  under- 
stand them,  which  I  fear  we  did  not  absolutely  do  at  the 
commencement  of  the  '  experiment.'  ' 

"But  I  think  you  will  admit,  that  as  the  civilization  ol 
the  country  advances,  some  material  changes  must  occur  ; 
your  people  cannot  always  remain  stationary  ;  they  must, 
either  go  backward  or  forward." 

"  Up  or  down,  if  you  will  allow  me  to  correct  your  phra 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  59 

geology.  The  civilization  of  the  country,  in  one  sense  at 
least,  is  retrogressive,  and  the  people,  as  they  cannot  *  go 
up,'  betray  a  disposition  to  go  *  down.'  ' 

"  You  deal  in  enigmas,  and  I  am  afraid  to  think  I  under- 
stand you." 

"  I  mean,  merely,  that  gallows  are  fast  disappearing, 
and  that  the  people — le peuple,  you  will  understand — begin 
to  accept  money.  In  both  particulars,  I  think  there  is  a 
sensible  change  for  the  worse,  within  my  own  recollection." 

Mrs.  Bloomfield  then  changed  her  manner,  and  from 
using  that  light-hearted  gayety  with  which  she  often  ren- 
dered her  conversation  piquante,  and  even  occasionally 
brilliant,  she  became  more  grave  and  explicit.  The  sub- 
ject soon  turned  to  that  of  punishments,  and  few  men 
could  have  reasoned  more  sensibly,  justly,  or  forcibly,  on 
such  a  subject,  than  this  slight  and  fragile-looking  young 
woman.  Without  the  least  pedantry,  with  a  beauty  of 
language  that  the  other  sex  seldom  attains,  and  with  a 
delicacy  of  discrimination,  and  a  sentiment  that  were 
strictly  feminine,  she  rendered  a  theme  interesting,  that, 
however  important  in  itself,  is  forbidding,  veiling  all  its 
odious  and  revolting  features  in  the  refinement  and  finesse 
of  her  own  polished  mind. 

Eve  could  have  listened  all  night,  and,  at  every  syllable 
that  fell  from  the  lips  of  her  friend,  she  felt  a  glow  of  tri- 
umph ;  for  she  was  proud  of  letting  an  intelligent  for- 
eigner see  that  America  did  contain  women  worthy  to  be 
ranked  with  the  best  of  other  countries — a  circumstance 
that  they  who  merely  frequented  what  is  called  the  world, 
she  thought  might  be  reasonably  justified  in  distrusting. 
In  one  respect,  she  even  fancied  Mrs.  Bloomfield's  knowl- 
edge and  cleverness  superior  to  those  which  she  had  so 
often  admired  in  her  own  sex  abroad.  It  was  untram- 
melled, equally  by  the  prejudices  incident  to  a  fictitious 
condition  of  society,  or  by  their  reaction  ;  two  circum- 
stances that  often  obscured  the  sense  and  candor  of  those 
to  whom  she  had  so  often  listened  with  pleasure  in  other 
countries.  The  singularly  feminine  tone,  too,  of  all  that 
Mrs.  Bloomfield  said  or  thought,  while  it  lacked  nothing 
in  strength,  added  to  the  charm  of  her  conversation,  and 
increased  the  pleasure  of  those  that  listened. 

"  Is  the  circle  large  to  which  Mrs.  Hawker  and  her  friends 


60  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

belong  ? "  asked  Sir  George,  as  he  assisted  Eve  and  Grace 
to  cloak,  when  they  had  taken  leave.  "  A  town  which  can 
boast  of  half-a-dozen  such  houses  need  not  accuse  itself  of 
wanting  society." 

"  Ah  !  there  is  but  one  Mrs.  Hawker  in  New  York,"  an- 
swered Grace,  "  and  not  many  Mrs.  bloomfields  in  the 
world.  It  would  be  too  much  to  say,  we  have  even  half-a- 
dozen  such  houses." 

"  Have  you  not  been  struck  with  the  admirable  tone  of 
this  drawing-room  ?  "  half-whispered  Eve.  "  It  may  want 
a  little  of  that  lofty  ease  that  one  sees  among  the  better 
portion  of  the  old  Princesses  et  Duchesses,  which  is  a  relic  of 
a  school  that  it  is  to  be  feared  is  going  out ;  but  in  its  place 
there  is  a  winning  nature,  with  as  much  dignity  as  is  neces- 
sary, and  a  truth  that  gives  us  confidence  in  the  sincerity 
of  those  around  us." 

"  Upon  my  word,  I  think  Mrs.  Hawker  quite  fit  for  a 
Duchess." 

"You  mean  a  Duchesse"  said  Eve,  "  and  yet  she  is  with- 
out the  manner  that  we  understand  by  such  a  word.  Mrs. 
Hawker  is  a  lady,  and  there  can  be  no  higher  term." 

"She  is  a  delightful  old  woman,"  cried  John  Effingham, 
"  and  if  twenty  years  younger  and  disposed  to  change  her 
condition,  I  should  really  be  afraid  to  enter  the  house." 

"  My  dear  sir,"  put  in  the  captain,  '•  I  will  make  her  Mrs. 
Truck  to-morrow,  and  say  nothing  of  years,  if  she  could  be 
content  to  take  up  with  such  an  offer.  Why,  sir,  she  is  no 
woman,  but  a  saint  in  petticoats  !  I  felt  the  whole  time  as 
if  talking  to  my  own  mother,  and  as  for  ships,  she  knows 
more  about  them  than  I  do  !  " 

The  whole  party  laughed  at  the  strength  of  the  captain's 
admiration,  and  getting  into  carriages  proceeded  to  the 
last  of  the  houses  they  intended  visiting  that  night. 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  61 


CHAPTER  V. 

"  So  turns  she  every  man  the  wrong  side  out ; 
And  never  gives  to  truth  and  virtue,  that 
Which  simpleness  and  merit  purchaseth." 

MUCH  ADO  ABOUT  NOTHING. 

MRS.  HOUSTON  was  what  is  termed  a  fashionable  woman 
in  New  York.  She,  too,  was  of  a  family  of  local  note, 
though  of  one  much  less  elevated  in  the  olden  time  than 
that  of  Mrs.  Hawker.  Still  her  claims  were  admitted 
by  the  most  fastidious  on  such  points,  for  a  few  do  remain 
who  think  descent  indispensable  to  gentility  ;  and  as  her 
means  were  ample  and  her  tastes  perhaps  superior  to  those 
of  most  around  her,  she  kept  what  was  thought  a  house  of 
better  tone  than  common  even  in  the  highest  circle.  Eve 
had  but  a  slight  acquaintance  with  her  ;  but  in  Grace's 
eyes,  Mrs.  Houston's  was  the  place  of  all  others  that  she 
thought  might  make  a  favorable  impression  on  her  cousin. 
Her^wish  that  this  should  prove  to  be  the  case  was  so 
strong,  that,  as  they  drove  toward  the  door,  she  could  not 
forbear  from  making  an  attempt  to  prepare  Eve  for  what 
she  was  to  meet. 

"  Although  Mrs.  Houston  has  a  very  large  house  for 
New  York,  and  lives  in  a  uniform  style,  you  are  not  to 
expect  antechambers  and  vast  suites  of  rooms,  Eve,"  said 
Grace  ;  "  such  as  you  have  been  accustomed  to  see 
abroad." 

"  It  is  not  necessary,  my  dear  cousin,  to  enter  a  house 
of  four  or  five  windows  in  front,  to  see  it  is  not  a  house  of 
twenty  or  thirty.  I  should  be  very  unreasonable  to  expect 
an  Italian  palazzo  or  a  Parisian  hotel  in  this  good  town." 

"We  are  not  old  enough  for  that  yet,  Eve  ;  a  hundred 
years  hence,  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  such  things  may  exist 
here." 

"  Bien  stir.      Cest  naturel" 

"  A  hundred  years  hence,  as  the  world  tends,  Grace,  they 
are  not  likely  to  exist  anywhere,  except  as  taverns,  or  hos- 
pitals, or  manufactories.  But  what  have  we  to  do,  coz., 
with  a  century  ahead  of  us  ?  Young  as  we  both  are,  we 
cannot  hope  to  live  that  time." 


62  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

Grace  would  have  been  puzzled  to  account  satisfactorily 
to  herself  for  the  strong  desire  she  felt  that  neither  of  her 
companions  should  expect  to  see  such  a  house  as  their 
senses  so  plainly  told  them  did  not  exist  in  the  place  ;  but 
her  foot  moved  in  the  bottom  of  the  carriage,  for  she  was 
not  half  satisfied  with  her  cousin's  answer. 

"All  I  mean,  Eve,"  she  said,  after  a  pause,  "  is,  that  one 
ought  not  to  expect,  in  a  town  as  new  as  this,  the  improve- 
ments that  one  sees  in  an  older  state  of  society." 

"  And  have  Mademoiselle  Viefville  or  I  ever  been  so 
weak  as  to  suppose  that  New  York  is  Paris,  or  Rome,  or 
Vienna  ?" 

Grace  was  still  less  satisfied,  for,  unknown  to  herself,  she 
had  hoped  that  Mrs.  Houston's  ball  might  be  quite  equal 
to  a  ball  in  either  of  those  ancient  capitals  ;  and  she  was 
now  vexed  that  her  cousin  considered  it  so  much  a  matter 
of  course  that  it  should  not  be.  But  there  was  no  time  for 
explanations,  as  the  carriage  now  stopped. 

The  noise,  confusion,  calling  out,  swearing,  and  rude 
clamor  before  the  house  of  Mrs.  Houston,  said  little  for  the 
out-door  part  of  the  arrangements.  Coachmen  are  no- 
where a  particularly  silent  and  civil  class  ;  but  the  uncouth 
European  peasants  who  have  been  preferred  to  the  honors 
of  the  whip  in  New  York,  to  the  usual  feelings  of  competi- 
tion and  contention,  added  that  particular  feature  of 
humility  which  is  known  to  distinguish  "the  beggar  on 
horseback."  The  imposing  equipages  of  our  party,  how- 
ever, had  that  effect  on  most  of  these  rude  brawlers,  which 
a  display  of  wealth  is  known  to  produce  on  the  vulgar- 
minded  ;  and  the  ladies  got  into  the  house  through  a  lane 
of  coachmen,  by  yielding  a  little  to  a  chevaux  de  frise  of 
whips,  without  any  serious  calamity. 

"  One  hardly  knows  which  is  the  most  terrific,"  said 
Eve,  involuntarily,  as  soon  as  the  door  closed  on  them — 
"  the  noise  within  or  the  noise  without  !  " 

This  was  spoken  rapidly,  and  in  French,  to  Mademoiselle 
Viefville,  but  Grace  heard  and  understood  it,  and  for  the 
first  time  in  her  life  she  perceived  that  Mrs.  Houston's 
company  was  not  composed  of  nightingales.  The  surprise 
is,  that  the  discovery  should  have  come  so  late. 

"  I  am  delighted  at  having  got  into  this  house,"  said  Sir 
George,  who,  having  thrown  his  cloak  to  his  own  servant, 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  63 

stood  with  the  two  other  gentlemen  waiting  the  descent  of 
the  ladies  from  the  upper  room,  where  the  bad  arrange- 
ments of  the  house  compelled  them  to  uncloak  and  to  put 
aside  their  shawls,  "as  I  am  told  it  is  the  best  house  in 
town  to  see  the  other  sex." 

"To  hear  them,  would  be  nearer  the  truth,  perhaps," 
returned  John  Effingham.  "  As  for  pretty  women,  one  can 
hardly  go  amiss  in  New  York  ;  and  your  ears  now  tell  you 
that  they  do  not  come  into  the  world  to  be  seen  only." 

The  baronet  smiled,  but  he  was  too  well  bred  to  contra- 
dict or  to  assent.  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  unconscious  that 
she  was  violating  the  proprieties,  walked  into  the  rooms 
by  herself,  as  soon  as  she  descended,  followed  by  Eve,  but 
Grace  shrank  to  the  side  of  John  Effingham,  whose  arm 
she  took  as  a  step  necessary  even  to  decorum. 

Mrs.  Houston  received  her  guests  with  ease  and  dignity. 
She  was  one  of  those  females  that  the  American  world  calls 
gay ;  in  other  words,  she  opened  her  own  house  to  a  very 
promiscuous  society,  ten  or  a  dozen  times  in  a  winter,  and 
accepted  the  greater  part  of  the  invitations  she  got  to  other 
people's.  Still,  in  most  other  countries,  as  a  fashionable 
woman,  she  would  have  been  esteemed  a  model  of  devotion 
to  the  duties  of  a  wife  and  a  mother,  for  she  paid  a  per- 
sonal attention  to  her  household,  and  had  actually  taught 
all  her  children  the  Lord's  prayer,  the  creed,  and  the  ten 
commandments.  She  attended  church  twice  every  Sunday, 
and  only  stayed  at  home  from  the  evening  lectures  that  the 
domestics  might  have  the  opportunity  of  going  (which,  by 
the  way,  they  never  did)  in  her  stead.  Feminine,  well- 
mannered,  rich,  pretty,  of  a  very  positive  social  condition, 
and  naturally  kind-hearted  and  disposed  to  sociability, 
Mrs.  Houston,  supported  by  an  indulgent  husband,  who  so 
much  loved  to  see  people  with  the  appearance  of  happi- 
ness, that  he  was  not  particular  as  to  the  means,  had  found 
no  difficulty  in  rising  to  the  pinnacle  of  fashion,  and  of 
having  her  name  in  the  mouths  of  all  those  who  find  it 
necessary  to  talk  of  somebodies,  in  order  that  they  may 
seem  to  be  somebodies  themselves.  All  this  contributed 
to  Mrs.  Houston's  happiness,  or  she  fancied  it  did ;  and  as 
every  passion  is  known  to  increase  by  indulgence,  she  had 
insensibly  gone  on  in  her  much-envied  career,  until,  as  has 
just  been  said,  she  reached  the  summ.it. 


64  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  These  rooms  are  very  crowded,"  said  Sir  George,  glano 
ing  his  eyes  around  two  very  pretty  little  narrow  drawing- 
rooms  that  were  beautifully,  not  to  say  richly  furnished  ; 
"  one  wonders  that  the  same  contracted  style  of  building 
should  be  so  very  general  in  a  town  that  increases  as  rap- 
idly as  this,  and  where  fashion  has  no  fixed  abode,  and 
land  is  so  abundant." 

"  Mrs.  Bloomfield  will  tell  you,"  said  Eve,  "  that  these 
houses  are  types  of  the  social  state  of  the  country,  in 
which  no  one  is  permitted  to  occupy  more  than  his  share 
of  ground." 

-  "  But  there  are  reasonably  large  dwellings  in  the  place. 
Mrs.  Hawker  has  a  good  house,  and  your  father's,  for  in- 
stance, would  be  thought  so  too,  in  London  even  ;  and 
yet  I  fancy  you  will  agree  with  me  in  thinking  that  a  good 
room  is  almost  unknown  in  New  York." 

"  I  do  agree  with  you  in  this  particular,  certainly ;  for 
to  meet  with  a  good  room  one  must  go  into  the  houses 
built  thirty  years  ago.  We  have  inherited  these  snugger- 
ies, however,  England  not  having  mu^h  to  boast  of  in  the 
way  of  houses." 

"In  the  way  of  town  residences  I  a^ree  with  you  en- 
tirely, as  a  whole,  though  we  have  son»e  capital  excep- 
tions. Still  I  do  not  think  we  are  quite  as  compact  as 
this  ;  do  you  not  fancy  the  noise  increased  m  consequence 
of  its  being  so  confined  ? " 

Eve  laughed,  and  shook  her  head  quite  p^itively. 
"What  would  it  be  if  fairly  let  out?"she>  said.  "  But 
we  will  not  waste  the  precious  moments,  but  tJ*rn  our  eyes 
about  us  in  quest  of  the  belles.  Grace,  you  wMo  are  so 
much  at  home,  must  be  our  Cicerone,  and  tell  v-s  which 
are  the  idols  we  are  to  worship." 

" Dites  moi  premeirement ;  que  veut  dire  une  belle  a  New 
York  ?  "  demanded  Mademoiselle  Viefville.  "  Apparew- 
ment,  tout  le  monde  est  joli" 

"A  belle,  mademoiselle,"  returned  John  Effingham,  "  i> 
not  necessarily  beautiful,  the  qualifications  for  the  char- 
acter  being  various  and  a  little  contradictory.  One  may 
be  a  belle  by  means  of  money,  a  tongue,  an  eye,  a  foot, 
teeth,  a  laugh,  or  an  v  other  separate  feature  or  grace  ; 
though  no  woman  was  ever  yet  a  belle,  I  believe,  by  means 
of  the  head,  considered  collectively.  But  why  deal  in  de- 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  65 

scription  when  the  thing  itself  confronts  us  ?  The  young 
lady  standing  directly  before  us  is  a  belle  of  the  most  ap- 
proved stamp  and  silvery  tone.  Is  it  not  Miss  Ring, 
Grace  ? " 

The  answer  was  in  the  affirfnative,  and  the  eyes  of  the 
whole  party  turned  toward  the  subject  of  this  remark.  The 
young  lady  in  question  was  about  twenty,  rather  tall  for 
an  American  woman,  not  conspicuously  handsome,  but 
like  most  around  her  of  delicate  features  and  frame,  and 
with  such  a  physique  as,  under  proper  training,  would 
have  rendered  her  the  beau-ideal  of  feminine  delicacy  and 
gentleness.  She  had  natural  spirit,  likewise,  as  appeared 
in  her  clear  blue  eye,  and,  moreover,  she  had  the  spirit  to 
be  a  belle. 

Around  this  young  creature  were  clustered  no  less  than 
five  young  men,  dressed  in  the  height  of  the  fashion,  all  of 
whom  seemed  to  be  entranced  with  the  words  that  fell  from 
her  lips,  and  each  of  whom  appeared  anxious  to  say  some- 
thing clever  in  return.  They  all  laughed,  the  lady  most, 
and  sometimes  all  spoke  at  once.  Notwithstanding  these 
outbreaking?.  Miss  Ring  did  most  of  the  talking,  and  once 
or  twice  as  a  young  man  would  gape  after  a  most  exhilarat- 
ing show  of  merriment,  and  discover  an  inclination  to  re- 
treat, she  managed  to  recall  him  to  his  allegiance  by  some 
remark  particularly  pertinent  to  himself  or  his  feelings. 

"  Qui  est  cette  dame?"  asked  Mademoiselle  Viefville, 
very  much  as  one  would  put  a  similar  question  on  seeing  a 
man  enter  a  church  during  service  with  his  hat  on. 

" Elle  est  demoiselle"  returned  Eve. 

"  Quelle  horreur  /  " 

"Nay,  nay,  mademoiselle,  I  shall  not  allow  you  to  set 
up  France  as  immaculate  on  this  point,  neither,"  said  John 
Effingham,  looking  at  the  last  speaker  with  an  affected 
frown  :  "  a  young  lady  may  have  a  tongue,  and  she  may 
even  speak  to  a  young  gentleman,  and  not  be  guilty  of 
felony  ;  although  I  will  admit  that  five  tongues  are  unneces- 
sary, and  that  five  listeners  are  more  than  sufficient  for  the 
wisdom  of  twenty  in  petticoats." 

"  C'est  une  horreur  !  " 

"  I  dare  say  Miss  Ring  would  think  it  a  greater  horror  to 
to  obliged  to  pass  an  evening  in  a  row  of  girls,  unspoken 
to,  except  to  be  asked  to  dance,  and  admired  only  in  the 
5 


66  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

distance.  But  let  us  take  seats  on  that  sofa,  and  then  we 
may  go  beyond  the  pantomime  and  become  partakers  in 
the  sentiment  of  the  scene." 

Grace  and  Eve  were  now  led  off  to  dance,  and  the  others 
did  as  John  Effingham  hacl  suggested.  In  the  eyes  of  tiie 
belle  and  her  admirers  they  who  had  passed  thirty  were  of 
no  account,  and  her  listeners  succeeded  in  establishing 
themselves  quietly  within  ear-shot — this  was  almost  at 
duelling  distance,  too — without  at  all  interrupting  the 
regular  action  of  the  piece.  We  extract  a  little  of  the  dia- 
logue by  way  of  giving  a  more  dramatic  representation  of 
the  scene. 

"  Do  you  think  the  youngest  Miss  Danvers  beautiful  ? " 
asked  the  belle,  while  her  eye  wandered  in  quest  ot  a  sixth 
gentleman  to  "  entertain,"  as  the  phrase  is.  "  In  my  opin- 
ion she  is  absolutely  the  prettiest  female  in  Mrs.  Hous- 
ton's rooms  this  night." 

The  young  men,  one  and  all,  protested  against  this  judg- 
ment, and  with  perfect  truth,  for  Miss  Ring  was  too  origi- 
nal to  point  out  charms  that  every  one  could  see. 

"  They  say  it  will  not  be  a  match  between  her  and  Mr. 
Egbert,  after  everybody  has  supposed  it  settled  so  long-. 
What  is  your  opinion,  Mr.  Edson  ?" 

This  timely  question  prevented  Mr.  Edsonls  retreat,  for 
he  had  actually  got  so -far  in  this  important  evolution  as  to 
have  gaped  and  turned  his  back.  Recalled,  as  it  were  by 
the  sound  of  the  bugle,  Mr.  Edson  was  compelled  to  say 
something,  a  sore  affliction  to  him  always. 

"  Oh  !  I'm  quite  of  your  way  of  thinking  ;  they  have 
certainly  courted  too  long  to  think  of  marrying." 

"  I  detest  long  courtships  ;  they  must  be  perfect  antidotes 
to  love  ;  are  they  not,  Mr.  Moreland?" 

A  truant  glance  of  Mr.  Moreland's  eye  was  rebuked  by 
this  appeal,  and  instead  of  looking  for  a  place  of  refuge  he 
now  merely  looked  sheepish.  He,  however,  entirely  agreed 
with  the  young  lady,  as  the  surer  way  of  getting  out  of  the 
difficulty. 

"  Pray,  Mr.  Summerfield,  how  do  you  like  the  last  Hajji 
— Miss  Eve  Effingham  ?  To  my  notion,  she  is  prettyish, 
though  by  no  means  as  well  as  her  cousin,  Miss  Van  Cort- 
landt,  who  is  really  rather  good-looking." 

As  Eve  and  Grace  were  the  two  most  truly  lovely  young 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  67 

women  in  the  rooms,  this  opinion,  as  well  as  the  loud  tone 
in  which  it  was  given,  startled  Mademoiselle  Viefville 
quite  as  much  as  the  subjects  that  the  belle  had  selected 
for  discussion.  She  would  have  moved,  as  listening  to  a 
conversation  that  was  not  meant  for  their  ears  ;  but  John 
Effingham  quietly  assured  her  that  Miss  Ring  seldom 
spoke  in  company  without  intending  as  many  persons  as 
possible  to  hear  her. 

"  Miss  Effingham  is  very  plainly  dressed  for  an  only 
daughter,"  continued  the  young  lady,  "though  that  lace 
of  her  cousin's  is  real  point !  I'll  engage  it  cost  every  cent 
of  ten  dollars  a  yard  !  They  are  both  engaged  to  be  mar- 
ried, I  hear." 

"  del!  "  exclaimed  Mademoiselle  Viefville. 

"  Oh  !  that  is  nothing,"  observed  John  Effingham,  coolly, 
"  Wait  a  moment,  and  you'll  hear  that  they  have  been 
privately  married  these  six  months,  if,  indeed,  you  hear  no 
more." 

"Of  course  this  is  but  an  idle  tale?"  said  Sir  George 
Templemore,  with  a  concern  which,  in  spite  of  his  good 
breeding,  compelled  him  to  put  a  question  that,  under 
other  circumstances,  would  scarcely  have  been  permis- 
sible. 

"  As  true  as  the  gospel.  But  listen  to  the  bell,  it  is 
ringing  for  the  good  of  the  wThole  parish." 

"  The  affair  between  Miss  Effingham  and  Mr.  Morpeth, 
who  knew  her  abroad,  I  understand  is  entirely  broken  off  ; 
some  say  the  father  objected  to  Mr.  Morpeth's  want  of 
fortune;  others  that  the  lady  was  fickle,  while  some  accuse 
the  gentleman  of  the  same  vice.  Don't  you  think  it  shock- 
ing to  jilt,  in  either  sex,  Mr.  Mosely  ?  " 

The  retiring  Mr.  Mosely  was  drawn  again  within  the 
circle,  and  was  obliged  to  confess  that  he  thought  it  was 
very  shocking  in  either  sex  to  jilt. 

"  If  I  were  a  man,"  continued  the  belle,  *'  i  would  never 
think  of  a  young  woman  who  had  once  jilted  a  lover.  To 
my  mind  it  bespeaks  a  bad  heart,  ana  a  woman  with  a 
bad  heart  cannot  make  a  very  amiable  wife." 

"  What  an  exceedingly  clever  creature  she  is,"  whispered 
Mr.  Mosely  to  Mr.  Moreland,  and  he  now  made  up  his 
mind  to  remain  and  be  "entertained  ''  some  time  longer. 

"  I  think  poor  Mr.  Morpeth  greatly  to  be  pitied  ;  for  no 


68  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

man  would  be  so  silly  as  to  be  attentive  seriously  to  a  lady 
without  encouragement.  Encouragement  is  the  ne  plus 
ultra  of  courtship  ;  are  you  not  of  my  opinion,  Mr.  Wai- 
worth  ? " 

Mr.  Walworth  was  number  five  of  the  entertainees,  and 
he  did  understand  Latin,  of  which  the  young  lady,  though 
fond  of  using  scraps,  knew  literally  nothing.  He  smiled 
an  assent,  therefore,  and  the  belle  felicitated  herself  in  hav- 
ing "  entertained  "  him  effectually  ;  nor  was  she  mistaken. 

"Indeed,  they  say  Miss  Effingham  had  several , affairs 
of  the  heart  while  in  Europe,  but  it  seems  she  was  unfor- 
tunate in  them  all." 

"  Mais,  ceci  est  tr op  fort  !     Je  ne  peux  plus  ecouter" 

"  My  dear  mademoiselle,  compose  yourself.  The  crisis 
is  not  yet  arrived,  by  any  means." 

"  I  understand  she  still  corresponds  with  a  German 
baron  and  an  Italian  marquis,  though  both  engagements 
are  absolutely  broken  off.  Some  people  say  she  walks 
into  company  alone,  unsupported  by  any  gentleman,  by 
way  of  announcing  a  firm  determination  to  remain  single 
for  life." 

A  common  exclamation  from  the  young  men  proclaimed 
their  disapprobation  ;  and  that  night  three  of  them  ac- 
tually repeated  the  thing,  as  a  well-established  truth,  and 
two  of  the  three,  failing  of  something  better  to  talk  about, 
also  announced  that  Eve  was  cictually  engaged  to  be 
married. 

"  There  is  something  excessively  indelicate  in  a  young 
lady's  moving  about  a  room  without  having  a  gentleman's 
arm  to  lean  on  !  I  always  feel  as  if  such  a  person  was  out 
of  her  place,  and  ought  to  be  in  the  kitchen." 

"  But,  Miss  Ring,  what  well-bred  person  does  it  ?"  sput- 
tered Mr.  Moreland.  "  No  one  ever  heard  of  such  a  thing 
in  good  society.  '1'is  quite  shocking !  Altogether  unpre- 
cedented." 

"  It  strikes  me  as  being  excessively  coarse  ! " 

"  Oh  !  manifestly  ;  quite  rustic  !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Edson. 

"  What  can  possibly  be  more  vulgar  !  "  added  Mr.  Wal- 
worth. 

"  I  never  heard  of  such  a  thing  among  the  right  sort  !  " 
said  Mr.  Mosely. 

"  A  young  lady  who  can  be  so  brazen  as  to  come  into  a 


HOME   AS  FOUND.  69 

room  without  a  gentleman's  arm  to  lean  on,  is,  in  my 
judgment  at  least,  but  indifferently  educated,  Hajji  or  no 
Hajji.  Mr.  Edson,  have  you  ever  felt  the  tender  passion  ? 
I  know  you  have  been  desperately  in  love  once,  at  least  ; 
do  describe  to  me  some  of  the  symptoms,  in  order  that  I 
may  know  when  I  am  seriously  attacked  myself  by  the 
disease." 

"  Mais,  ceci  est  ridicule  !  L' enfant  s'est  sauvee  du  Charenton 
de  New  York." 

"  From  the  nursery  rather,  mademoiselle  ;  you  perceive 
she  does  not  yet  know  how  to  walk  alone." 

Mr.  Edson  now  protested  that  he  was  too  stupid  to  feel 
a  passion  as  intellectual  as  love,  and  that  he  was  afraid 
he  was  destined  by  nature  to  remain  as  insensible  as  a 
block. 

"One  never  knows,  Mr.  Edson,"  said  the  young  lady 
encouragingly.  "  Several  of  my  acquaintances,  who 
thought  themselves  quite  safe,  have  been  seized  suddenly, 
and,  though  none  have  actually  died,  more  than  one  has 
been  roughly  treated,  I  assure  you." 

Here  the  young  men,  one  and  all,  protested  that  she  was 
excessively  clever.  Then  succeeded  a  pause,  for  Miss 
Ring  was  inviting,  with  her  eyes,  a  number  six  to  join  the 
circle,  her  ambition  being  dissatisfied  with  five  entertainees, 
as  she  saw  that  Miss  Trumpet,  a  rival  belle,  had  managed 
to  get  exactly  that  number  also,  in  the  other  room.  All 
the  gentlemen  availed  themselves  of  the  cessation  in  wit 
to  gape,  and  Mr.  Edson  took  the  occasion  to  remark  to 
Mr.  Summerfield  that  he  understood  "  lots  had  been  sold 
in  Seven  Hundredth  Street  that  morning  as  high  as  two 
hundred  dollars  a  lot." 

The  quadrille  now  ended,  and  Eve  returned  toward  her 
friends.  As  she  approached,  the  whole  party  compared 
her  quiet,  simple,  feminine,  and  yet  dignified  air,  with  the 
restless,  beau-catching,  and  worldly  look  of  the  belle,  and 
wondered  by  what  law  of  nature,  or  of  fashion,  the  one 
could  possibly  become  the  subject  of  the  other's  comments. 
Eve  never  appeared  better  than  on  that  evening.  Her 
dress  had  all  the  accuracy  and  finish  of  a  Parisian  toilette, 
being  equally  removed  from  exaggeration  and  neglect ,' 
and  it  was  worn  with  the  ease  of  one  accustomed  to  be 
elegantly  attired,  and  yet  never  decked  with  finery.  Her 


yo  HOME   AS  FOUND. 

step  even  was  that  of  lady,  having  neither  the  mincing 
tread  of  a  Paris  grisette,  a  manner  that  sometimes  ascends 
even  to  the  bourgeoise,  the  march  of  a  cockneyess,  nor  the 
tiptoe  swing  of  a  belle ;  but  it  was  the  natural  though 
regulated  step  of  a  trained  and  delicate  woman.  Walk 
alone  she  could  certainly,  and  always  did,  except  on  those 
occasions  of  ceremony  that  demanded  a  partner.  Her 
countenance,  across  which  an  unworthy  thought  had  never 
left  a  trace,  was  an  index,  too,  to  the  purity,  high  princi- 
ples, and  womanly  self-respect  that  controlled  all  her  acts, 
and,  in  these  particulars,  was  the  very  reverse  of  the  fever- 
ish, half-hoydenish,  half-affected  expression  of  that  of  Miss 
Ring. 

"  They  may  say  what  they  please,"  muttered  Captain 
Truck,  who  had  been  a  silent  but  wondering  listener  of  all 
that  passed  ;  "she  is  worth  as  many  of  them  as  could  be 
stowed  in  the  Montauk's  lower  hold." 

Miss  Ring,  perceiving  Eve  approach,  was  desirous  of  say- 
ing something  to  her,  for  there  was  an  eclat  about  a  Hajji, 
after  all,  that  rendered  an  acquaintance  or  even  an  intimacy 
desirable,  and  she  smiled  and  courtesied.  Eve  returned  the 
salutation,  but  as  she  did  not  care  to  approach  a  group  of 
six,  of  which  no  less  than  five  were  men,  she  continued  to 
move  toward  her  own  party.  This  reserve  compelled  Miss 
Ring  to  advance  a  step  or  two,  when  Eve  was  obliged  to 
stop.  Courtesyingto  her  partner,  she  thanked  him  for  his 
attention,  relinquished  his  arm,  and  turned  to  meet  the  lady. 
At  the  same  instant  the  five  "  entertainees  "  escaped  in  a 
body,  equally  rejoiced  at  their  release,  and  proud  of  their 
captivity. 

"I  have  been  dying  to  come  and  speak  to  you,  Miss 
Effingham,"  commenced  Miss  Ring,  "but  these  five  giants 
(she  emphasized  the  word  wre  have  put  in  italics)  so  beset 
me,  that  escape  was  quite  impossible.  There  ought  to  be 
a  law  that  but  one  gentleman  should  speak  to  a  lady  at  a 
time." 

"  I  thought  there  was  such  a  law  already,"  said  Eve, 
quietly. 

"  You  mean  in  good  breeding  ;  but  no  one  thinks  of  those 
antiquated  laws  nowadays.  Are  you  beginning  to  be  rec- 
onciled a  little  to  your  own  country  ? " 

"  It  is  not  easy  to  effect  a  reconciliation  where  there  has 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  71 

been  no  misunderstanding.  I  hope  I  have  never  quarrelled 
with  my  country,  or  my  country  with  me." 

"  Oh  !  it  is  not  exactly  that  I  mean.  Cannot  one  need  a 
reconciliation  without  a  quarrel  ?  What  do  you  say  to  this, 
Mr.  Edson  ?  " 

Miss  Ring  having  detected  some  symptoms  of  desertion 
in  the  gentleman  addressed,  had  thrown  in  this  question 
by  way  of  recall ;  when,  turning  to  note  its  effect,  she  per- 
ceived that  all  of  her  clientele  had  escaped.  A  look  of 
surprise  and  mortification  and  vexation  it  was  not  in  her 
power  to  suppress,  and  then  came  one  of  horror. 

"  How  conspicuous  we  have  made  ourselves,  and  it  is  all 
my  fault !  "  she  said,  for  the  first  time  .that  evening  permit- 
ting her  voice  to  fall  to  a  becoming  tone.  "  Why,  here  we 
actually  are,  two  ladies  conversing  together,  and  no  gentle- 
man near  us  ! " 

"  Is  that  being  conspicuous  ? "  asked  Eve,  with  a  sim- 
plicity that  was  entirely  natural. 

"  I  am  sure,  Miss  Effingham,  one  who  has  seen  as  much 
of  society  as  you,  can  scarcely  ask  that  question  seriously. 
I  do  not  think  I  have  done  so  improper  a  thing  since  I  was 
fifteen  ;  and,  dear  me  !  dear  me  !  how  to  escape  is  the  ques- 
tion. You  have  permitted  your  partner  to  go,  and  I  do 
not  see  a  gentleman  of  my  acquaintance  near  us,  to  give 
me  his  arm  !  " 

"  As  your  distress  is  occasioned  by  my  company,"  said 
Eve,  "  it  is  fortunately  in  my  power  to  relieve  it."  Thus 
saying,  she  quietly  walked  across  the  room,  and  took  her 
seat  next  to  Mademoiselle  Viefville. 

Miss  Ring  held  up  her  hands  in  amazement,  and  then 
fortunately  perceiving  one  of  the  truants  gaping  at  no 
great  distance,  she  beckoned  him  to  her  side. 

"  Have  the  goodness  to  give  me  your  arm,  Mr.  Summer- 
field,"  she  said,  "  I  am  dying  to  get  out  of  this  unpleasantly 
conspicuous  situation  ;  but  you  are  the  first  gentleman  that 
has  approached  me  this  twelvemonth.  I  would  not  for  the 
world  do  so  brazen  a  thing  as  Miss  Effingham  has  just 
achieved  ;  would  you  believe  it  she  positively  went  from 
this  spot  to  her  seat,  quite  alone  !  " 

"The  Hajjis  are  privileged." 

"  They  make  themselves  so.  But  everybody  knows 
how  bold  and  unwomanly  the  French  females  are.  One 


72  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

could  wish,  notwithstanding,  that  our  own  people  would 
not  import  their  audacious  usages  into  this  country." 

"  It  is  a  thousand  pities  that  Mr.  Clay,  in  his  com- 
promise, neglected  to  make  an  exception  against  that 
article.  A  tariff  on  impudence  would  not  be  at  all  sec- 
tional." 

"It  might  interfere  with  the  manufacture  at  home,  not- 
withstanding," said  John  Effingham  ;  for  the  lungs  were 
strong,  and  the  rooms  of  Mrs.  Houston  so  small,  that  little 
was  said  that  evening,  which  was  not  heard  by  any  who 
chose  to  listen.  But  Miss  Ring  never  listened,  it  being 
no  part  of  the  vocation  of  a  belle  to  perform  that  inferior 
office,  and  sustained  by  the  protecting  arm  of  Mr.  Sum- 
merfield,  she  advanced  more  boldly  into  the  crowd,  where 
she  soon  contrived  to  catch  another  group  of  even  six 
"entertainees."  As  for  Mr.  Summerfield,  he  lived  a  twelve- 
month on  the  reputation  of  the  exceedingly  clever  thing 
he  had  just  uttered. 

"  There  come  Ned  and  Aristabulus,"  said  John  Effing- 
ham,  as  soon  as  the  tones  of  Miss  Ring's  voice  were  lost 
in  the  din  of  fifty  others^  pitched  to  the  same  key.  "  A 
present,  mademoiselle,  je  vais  nous  venger" 

As  John  Effingham  uttered  this,  he  took  Captain  Truck 
by  the  arm,  and  went  to  meet  his  cousin  and  the  land- 
agent.  The  latter  he  soon  separated  from  Mr.  Effingham, 
and  with  this  new  recruit,  he  managed  to  get  so  near  to 
Miss  Ring  as  to  attract  her  attention.  Although  fifty, 
John  Effingham  was  known  to  be  a  bachelor,  well  con- 
nected, and  to  have  twenty  thousand  a  year.  In  addition, 
he  was  well  preserved  and  singularly  handsome,  besides 
having  an  air  that  set  all  pretending  gentility  at  defiance. 
These  were  qualities  that  no  belle,  despised,  and  ill-assorted 
matches  were,  moreover,  just  coming  into  fashion  in  New 
York.  Miss  Ring  had  an  intuitive  knowledge  that  he 
wished  to  speak  to  her,  and  she  was  not  slow  in  offering 
the  opportunity.  The  superior  tone  of  John  Effingham, 
his  caustic  wit  and  knowledge  of  the  world,  dispersed  the 
five  beaux  incontinently  ;  these  persons  having  a  natural 
antipathy  to  every  one  of  the  qualities  named. 

"  I  hope  you  will  permit  me  to  presume  on  an  acquaint- 
ance that  extends  back  as  far  as  your  grandfather,  Miss 
Ring,"  he  said,  "to  present  two  very  intimate  friends,  Mr. 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  73 

Bragg  and  Mr.  Truck  ;  gentlemen  who  will  well  reward 
the  acquaintance." 

The  lady  bowed  graciously,  for  it  was  a  matter  of  con- 
science with  her  to  receive  every  man  with  a  smile.  She 
was  still  too  much  in  awe  of  the  master  of  ceremonies  to 
open  her  batteries  of  attack,  but  John  Effingham  soon  re- 
lieved her,  by  affecting  a  desire  to  speak  to  another  lady. 
The  belle  had  now  the  two  strangers  to  herself,  and  having 
heard  that  the  Effinghams  had  an  Englishman  of  condition 
as  a  companion,  who  was  travelling  under  a  false  name, 
she  fancied  herself  very  clever  in  detecting  him  at  once  in 
the  person  of  Aristabulus  ;  while  by  the  aid  of  a  lively  im- 
agination, she  thought  Mr.  Truck  was  his  travelling  Men- 
tor, and  a  divine  of  the  Church  of  England.  The  incognito 
she  was  too  well  bred  to  hint  at,  though  she  wished  both 
the  gentlemen  to  perceive  that  a  belle  was  not  to  be  mysti- 
fied in  this  easy  manner.  Indeed,  she  was  rather  sensitive 
on  the  subject  of  her  readiness  in  recognizing  a  man  of 
fashion  under  any  circumstances,  and  to  let  this  be  known 
was  her  very  first  object,  as  soon  as  she  was  relieved  from 
the  presence  of  John  Effingham. 

"  You  must  be  struck  with  the  unsophisticated  nature 
and  the  extreme  simplicity  of  our  society,  Mr.  Bragg,"  she 
said,  looking  at  him  significantly  ;  "we  are  very  conscious 
it  is  not  what  it  might  be,  but  do  you  not  think  it  pretty 
well  for  beginners  ?  " 

Now,  Mr.  Bragg  had  an  entire  consciousness  that  he 
had  never  seen  any  society  that  deserved  the  name  before 
this  very  night,  but  he  was  supported  in  giving  his  opin- 
ions by  that  secret  sense  of  his  qualifications  to  fill  any 
station,  which  formed  so  conspicuous  a  trait  in  his  charac- 
ter, and  his  answer  was  given  with  an  aplomb  that  would 
have  added  weight  to  the  opinion  of  the  veriest  Elegant  of 
the  Chaussee  d1  Ant  in. 

"  It  is  indeed  a  good  deal  unsophisticated,"  he  said,  "  and 
so  simple  that  anybody  can  understand  it.  I  find  but  a 
single  fault  with  this  entertainment,  which  is,  in  all  else, 
the  perfection  of  elegance  in  my  eyes,  and  that  is,  that 
there  is  too  little  room  to  swing  the  legs  in  dancing." 

"  Indeed  ?  I  did  not  expect  that — is  it  not  the  best 
usage  of  Europe,  now,  to  bring  a  quadrille  into  the  very 
minimum  of  space  ?  " 


74  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  Quite  the  contrary,  miss.  All  good  dancing  requires 
evolutions.  The  dancing  dervishes,  for  instance,  would 
occupy  quite  as  much  space  as  both  of  these  sets  that  are 
walking  before  us,  and  I  believe  it  is  now  generally  ad- 
mitted that  all  good  dancing  needs  room  for  the  legs." 

"  We  necessarily  get  a  little  behind  the  fashions,  in  this 
distant  country.  Pray,  sir,  is  it  usual  for  ladies  to  walk 
alone  in  society  ?  " 

"Woman  was  not  made  to  move  through  life  alone, 
miss,"  returned  Aristabulus  with  a  sentimental  glance  of 
the  eye,  for  he  never  let  a  good  opportunity  for  prefer- 
ment slip  through  his  fingers,  and  failing  of  Miss  Effing- 
ham,  or  Miss  Van  Cortlandt,  of  whose  estates  and  con- 
nections he  had  some  pretty  accurate  notions,  it  struck  him 
Miss  Ring  might  possibly  be  a  very  eligible  selection,  as 
all  was  grist  that  came  to  his  mill  ;  "this,  I  believe,  is  an 
admitted  truth." 

"  By  life  you  mean  matrimony,  I  suppose." 

"Yes,  miss,  a  man  always  means  matrimony  when  he 
speaks  to  a  young  lady." 

This  rather  disconcerted  Miss  Ring,  who  picked  her 
nosegay,  for  she  was  not  accustomed  to  hear  gentlemen 
talk  to  ladies  of  matrimony,  but  ladies  to  talk  to  gentle- 
men. Recovering  her  self-possession,  however,  she  said 
with  a  promptitude  that  did  the  school  to  which  she  be- 
longed infinite  credit : 

"You  speak,  sir,  like  one  having  experience." 

"  Certainly,  miss  ;  I  have  been  in  love  ever  since  I  was 
ten  years  old  ;  I  may  say  I  was  born  in  love,  and  hope  to 
die  in  love." 

This  a  little  out-Heroded  Herod,  but  the  belle  was  not  a 
person  to  be  easily  daunted  on  such  a  subject.  She  smiled 
graciously,  therefore,  and  continued  the  conversation  with 
renewed  spirit. 

"  You  travelled  gentlemen  get  odd  notions,"  she  said, 
"  and  more  particularly  on  such  subjects.  I  always  feel 
afraid  to  discuss  them  with  foreigners,  though  with  my 
own  countrymen  I  have  few  reserves.  Pray,  Mr.  Truck, 
are  you  satisfied  with  America  ?  Do  you  find  it  the  coun* 
try  you  expected  to  see  ?  " 

"Certainly,  marm  ;"  for  so  they  pronounced  this  word 
in  the  river,  and  the  captain  cherished  his  first  impressions; 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  -75 

"when  we  sailed  from  Portsmouth,  I  expected  that  the 
first  land  we  should  make  would  be  the  Highlands  of  Nave- 
sink  ;  and,  although  a  little  disappointed,  I  have  had  the 
satisfaction  of  laying  eyes  on  it  at  last." 

"  Disappointment,  I  fear,  is  the  usual  fate  of  those  who 
come  from  the  other  side.  Is  this  dwelling  of  Mrs.  Hous- 
ton's equal  to  the  residence  of  an  English  nobleman,  Mr. 
Bragg?" 

"  Considerably  better,  miss,  especially  in  the  way  of 
republican  comfort." 

Miss  Ring,  like  all  belles,  detested  the  word  republican, 
their  vocation  being  clearly  to  exclusion,  and  she  pouted 
a  little  affectedly. 

"  I  should  distrust  the  quality  of  such  comfort,  sir,"  she 
said  with  point  ;  "but  are  the  rooms  at  all  comparable 
with  the  rooms  in  Apsley  House,  for  instance  ? " 

"  My  dear  miss,  Apsley  House  is  a  toll-gate  lodge  com- 
pared to  this  mansion  !  I  doubt  if  there  be  a  dwelling  in 
all  England  half  as  magnificent — indeed,  I  cannot  imagine 
anything  more  brilliant  and  rich." 

Aristabulus  was  not  a  man  to  do  things  by  halves,  and  it 
was  a  point  of  honor  with  him  to  know  something  of  every- 
thing. It  is  true  he  no  more  could  tell  where  Apsley  House 
was,  or  whether  it  was  a  tavern  or  a  jail,  than  lie  knew  half 
the  other  things  on  which  he  delivered  oracular  opinions  ; 
but  when  it  became  necessary  to  speak,  he  was  not  apt  to 
balk  conversation  from  any  ignorance,  real  or  affected.  The 
opinion  he  had  just  given,  it  is  true,  had  a  little  surpassed 
Miss  Ring's  hopes  ;  for  the  next  thing  in  her  ambition  to 
being  a  belle,  and  of  "  entertaining  "gentlemen,  was  to  fancy 
she  was  running  her  brilliant  career  in  an  orbit  of  fashion 
that  lay  parallel  to  that  of  the  ''nobility  and  gentry"  of 
Great  Britain. 

"Well,  this  surpasses  my  hopes,"  she  said,  "although  I 
was  aware  we  are  nearly  on  a  level  with  the  more  improved 
tastes  of  Europe  ;  still  I  thought  we  were  a  little  inferior 
to  that  part  of  the  world  yet."" 

"  Inferior,  miss  !  That  is  a  word  that  should  never  pass 
your  lips  ;  you  are  inferior  to  nothing,  whether  in  Europe 
or  America,  Asia  or  Africa." 

As  Miss  Ring  had  been  accustomed  to  do  most  of  the 
flattering  herself,  as  it  behoveth  a  belle,  she  began  to  be  dis< 


76  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

concerted  with  the  directness  of  the  compliments  of  Aris 
tabulus,  who  was  disposed  to  "  make  hay  while  the  sun 
shines,"  and  she  turned  in  a  little  confusion  to  the  captain 
by  way  of  relief  ;  we  say  confusion,  for  the  young  lady,  al- 
though so  liable  to  be  misunderstood,  was  not  actually  im- 
pudent, but  merely  deceived  in  the  relation  of  things  ;  or 
in  other  words,  by  some  confusion  in  usages,  she  had  hith- 
erto permitted  herself  to  do  that  in  society  which  female 
performers  sometimes  do  on  the  stage — enact  the  part  of 
a  man. 

"  You  should  tell  Mr.  Bragg,  sir,"  she  said,  with  an  ap- 
pealing look  at  the  captain,  "  that  flattery  is  a  dangerous 
vice,  and  one  altogether  unsuited  to  a  Christian." 

"It  is,  indeed,  marm,  and  one  that  I  never  indulge  in. 
No  one  under  my  orders  can  accuse  me  of  flattery." 

By  "  under  orders,"  Miss  Ring  understood  curates  and 
deacons  ;  for  she  was  aware  the  Church  of  England  had 
clerical  distinctions  of  this  sort,  that  are  unknown  in  Amer- 
ica. 

"I  hope,  sir,  you  do  not  intend  to  quit  this  country  with- 
out favoring  us  with  a  discourse." 

"Not  I,  marm — I  am  discoursing  pretty  much  from 
morning  till  night  when  among  my  own  people,  though  I 
own  that  this  conversing  rather  puts  me  out  of  my  reckon- 
ing. Let  me  get  my  foot  on  the  planks  I  love,  with  an  at- 
tentive audience,  and  a  good  cigar  in  my  mouth,  and  I'll 
hold  forth  with  any  bishop  in  the  universe." 

"  A  cigar  !  "  exclaimed  Miss  Ring,  in  surprise.  "  Do 
gentlemen  of  your  profession  use  cigars  when  on  duty  ? " 

"  Does  a  parson  take  his  fees  ?  Why,  miss,  there  is  not 
a  man  among  us  who  does  not  smoke  from  morning  till 
night" 

"  Surely  not  on  Sundays  ?" 

"  Two  for  one,  on  those  days  more  than  any  other." 

"And  your  people,  sir,  what  do  they  do  all  this  time  ? >: 

"  Why,  marm,  most  of  them  chew  ;  and  those  that  don't, 
if  they  cannot  find  a  pipe  have  a  dull  time  of  it.  For  my 
part,  I  shall  hardly  relish  the  good  place  itself,  if  cigars 
are  prohibited." 

Miss  Ring  was  surprised  ;  but  she  had  heard  that  the 
English  clergy  were  more  free  than  our  own,  and  then  she 
had  been  accustomed  to  think  everything  English  of  the 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  ft 

purest  water.  A  little  reflection  reconciled  her  to  the  in- 
novation ;  and  the  next  day,  at  a  dinner  party,  she  was 
heard  defending  the  usage  as  a  practice  that  had  a  prece- 
dent in  the  ancient  incense  of  the  altar.  At  that  moment, 
however,  she  was  dying  to  impart  her  discoveries  to  others  ; 
and  she  kindly  proposed  to  the  captain  and  Aristabulus  to 
introduce  them  to  some  of  her  acquaintances,  as  they  must 
find  it  dull,  being  strangers,  to  know  no  one.  Introduc- 
tions and  cigars  were  the  captain's  hobbies,  and  he  accented 
the  oifer  with  joy,  Aristabulus  uniting  cordially  in  the 
proposition,  as  he  fancied  he  had  a  right,  under  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  United  States  of  America,  to  be  introduced 
to  every  human  being  with  whom  he  came  in  contact. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  how  much  the  party  with 
whom  the  two  neophytes  in  fashion  had  come,  enjoyed  all 
this,  though  they  concealed  their  amusemeut  under  the 
calm  exterior  of  people  of  the  world.  From  Mr.  Effingham 
the  mystification  was  carefully  concealed  by  his  cousin,  as 
the  former  would  have  felt  it  due  to  Mrs.  Houston,  a  well- 
meaning  but  silly  woman,  to  put  an  end  to  it.  Eve  and 
Grace  laughed,  as  merry  girls  would  be  apt  to  laugh  at 
such  an  occurrence,  and  they  danced  the  remainder  of  the 
evening  with  lighter  hearts  than  ever.  At  one,  the  com- 
pany retired  in  the  same  informal  manner,  as  respects  an- 
nouncements and  the  calling  of  carriages,  as  that  in  which 
they  entered  ;  most  to  lay  their  drowsy  heads  on  their  pil- 
lows, and  Miss  Ring  to  ponder  over  the  superior  manners 
of  a  polished  young  Englishman,  and  to  dream  of  the  fra- 
grance of  a  sermon  that  was  preserved  in  tobacco. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

"  Marry,  our  play  is  the  most  lamentable 
Comedy,  and  most  cruel  death  of  Pyramus  and 
Thisby." — PETER  QUINCE. 

OUR  task  in  the  way  of  describing  town  society  will  soon 
be  ended.  The  gentlemen  of  the  Effingham  family  had 
been  invited  to  meet  Sir  George  Templemore  at  one  or  two 
dinners,  to  which  the  latter  had  been  invited  in  conse- 


j8  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

quence  of  his  letters,  most  of  which  were  connected  with 
his  pecuniary  arrangements.  As  one  of  these  entertain- 
ments was  like  all  the  rest  of  the  same  character,  a  very 
brief  account  of  it  will  suffice  to  let  the  reader  into  the  se- 
cret of  the  excellence  of  the  genus. 

A  well-spread  board,  excellent  viands,  highly  respectable 
cookery,  and  delicious  wines,  were  everywhere  met.  Two 
rows  of  men  clad  in  dark  dresses,  a  solitary  female  at  the 
head  of  the  table,  or,  if  fortunate,  with  a  supporter  of  the 
same  sex  near  her,  invariably  composed  the  convives.  The 
exaggerations  of  a  province  were  seen  ludicrously  in  one 
particular  custom.  The  host,  or  perhaps  it  might  have 
been  the  hostess,  had  been  told  there  should  be  a  contrast 
between  the  duller  light  of  the  reception-room  and  the 
brilliancy  of  the  table,  and  John  Effingham  actually  hit  his 
legs  against  a  stool  in  floundering  through  the  obscurity 
of  the  first  drawing-room  he  entered  on  one  of  the  occa- 
sions in  question. 

When  seated  at  table,  the  first  great  duty  of  restauration 
performed,  the  conversation  turned  on  the  prices  of  lots, 
speculations  in  towns,  or  the  currency.  After  this  came 
the  regular  assay  of  wines,  during  which  it  was  easy  to 
fancy  the  master  of  the  house  a  dealer,  for  he  usually  sat 
either  sucking  a  siphon  or  flourishing  a  corkscrew.  The 
discourse  would  now  have  done  credit  to  the  annual  meet- 
ing and  dinner  of  the  German  exporters,  assembled  at 
Rudesheim  to  bid  for  the  article. 

Sir  George  was  certainly  on  the  point  of  forming  a  very 
erroneous  judgment  concerning  the  country,  when  Mr. 
Effingham  extricated  him  from  this  set,  and  introduced  him 
properly  into  his  own.  Here,  indeed,  while  there  was 
much  to  strike  a  European  as  peculiar,  and  even  provin- 
cial, the  young  baronet  fared  much  better.  He  met  with 
the  same  quality  of  table,  relieved  by  an  intelligence  that 
was  always  respectable,  and  a  manliness  of  tone  which,  if 
not  unmixed,  had  the  great  merit  of  a  simplicity  and  na- 
ture that  are  not  always  found  in  more  sophisticated  cir* 
cles.  The  occasional  incongruities  struck  them  all,  more 
than  the  positive  general  faults  ;  and  Sir  George  Temple- 
more  did  justice  to  the  truth,  by  admitting  frankly  the 
danger  he  had  been  in  of  forming  a  too  hasty  opinion. 

All  this  time,  which  occupied  a  month,  the  young  ban> 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  79 

net  got  to  be  more  and  more  intimate  in  Hudson  Square, 
Eve  gradually  becoming  more  frank  and  unreserved  with 
him,  as  she  grew  sensible  that  he  had  abandoned  his  hopes 
of  success  with  herself,  and  Grace  gradually  more  cautious 
arid  timid,  as  she  became  conscious  of  his  power  to  please, 
and  the  interest  he  took  in  herself. 

It  might  have  been  three  days  after  the  ball  at  Mrs. 
Houston's  that  most  of  the  family  was  engaged  to  look  in 
on  a  Mrs.  Legend,  a  lady  of  what  was  called  a  literary 
turn,  Sir  George  having  been  asked  to  make  one  of  their 
party.  Aristabulus  was  already  returned  to  his  duty  in 
the  country,  where  we  shall  shortly  have  occasion  to  join 
him,  but  an  invitation  had  been  sent  to  Mr.  Truck,  under 
/.he  general  erroneous  impression  of  his  real  character? 

Taste,  whether  in  the  arts,  literature,  or  anything  else, 
is  a  natural  impulse,  like  love.  It  is  true  both  may  be 
cultivated  and  heightened  by  circumstances,  but  the  im- 
pulse must  be  voluntary,  and  the  flow  of  feeling,  or  of 
soul,  as  it  has  become  a  law  to  style  it,  is  not  to  be  forced, 
or  commanded  to  come  and  go  at  will.  This  is  the  reason 
that  all  premeditated  enjoyments  connected  with  the  in- 
tellect, are  apt  tu  baffle  expectations,  and  why  academies, 
literary  clubs,  coteries,  and  dinners  are  commonly  dull. 
It  is  true  that  a  body  of  clever  people  may  be  brought  to- 
gether, and,  if  left  to  their  own  impulses,  the  characters 
of  their  mind  will  show  themselves  ;  wit  will  flash,  and 
thought  will  answer  thought  spontaneously  ;  but  every 
effort  to  make  the  stupid  agreeable,  by  giving  a  direction 
of  a  pretending  intellectual  nature  to  their  efforts,  is  only 
rendering  dulness  more  conspicuous  by  exhibiting  it  in 
contrast  with  what  it  ought  to  be  to  be  clever,  as  a  bad 
picture  is  rendered  the  more  conspicuous  by  an  elaborate 
and  gorgeous  frame. 

The  latter  was  the  fate  of  most  of  Mrs.  Legend's  literary 
evenings,  at  which  it  was  thought  an  illustration  to  under- 
stand even  one  foreign  language.  But  it  was  known  that 
Eve  was  skilled  in  most  of  the  European  tongues,  and  the 
good  lady,  not  feeling  that  such  accomplishments  are 
chiefly  useful  as  a  means,  looked  about  her  in  order  to  col- 
lect a  set,  among  whom  our  heroine  might  find  some  one 
with  whom  to  converse  in  each  of  her  dialects.  Little  was 
said  about  if,  it  is  true,  but  great  efforts  were  made  to 


8o  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

cause  this  evening  to  be  memorable  in  the  annals  of  con 
versazioni. 

In  carrying  out  this  scheme,  nearly  all  the  wits,  writers, 
artists,  and  literati,  as  the  most  incorrigible  members  of  the 
book  clubs  were  styled  in  New  York,  were  pressingly  in- 
vited to  be  present.  Aristabulus  had  contrived  to  earn 
such  a  reputation  for  the  captain,  on  the  night  of  the  ball, 
that  he  was  universally  called  a  man  of  letters,  and  an  ar- 
ticle had  actually  appeared  in  one  of  the  papers,  speaking 
of  the  literary  merits  of  the  "  Hon.  and  Rev.  Mr.  Truck,  a 
gentleman  travelling  in  our  country,  from  whose  liberality 
and  just  views,  an  account  of  our  society  was  to  be  expected, 
that  should,  at  last,  do  justice  to  our  national  character." 
With  such  expectations,  then,  every  true  American  and 
Americaness  was  expected  to  be  at  his  or  her  post,  for  the 
solemn  occasion.  It  was  a  rally  of  literature,  in  defence 
of  the  institutions — no,  not  of  the  institutions,  for  they 
were  left  to  take  care  of  themselves — but  of  the  social 
character  of  the  community. 

Alas !  it  is  easier  to  feel  high  aspirations  on  such  sub- 
jects, in  a  provincial  town,  than  to  succeed  ;  for  merely 
calling  a  place  an  emporium,  is  very  far  from  giving  it  the 
independence,  high  tone,  condensed  intelligence,  and  tastes 
of  a  capital.  Poor  Mrs.  Legend,  desirous  of  having  all 
the  tongues  duly  represented,  was  obliged  to  invite  certain 
dealers  in  gin  from  Holland,  a  German  linen  merchant  from 
Saxony,  an  Italian  Cavaliero,  who  amused  himself  in  selling 
beads,  and  a  Spanish  master,  who  was  born  in  Portugal, 
all  of  whom  had  just  one  requisite  for  conversation  in  their 
respective  languages,  and  no  more.  But  such  assemblies 
were  convened  in  Paris,  and  why  not  in  New  York  ? 

We  shall  not  stop  to  dwell  on  the  awful  sensations  with 
which  Mrs.  Legend  heard  the  first  ring  at  her  door  on  the 
eventful  night  in  question.  It  was  the  precursor  of  the 
entrance  of  Miss  Annual,  as  regular  a  devotee  of  letters  as 
ever  conned  a  primer.  The  meeting  was  sentimental  and 
affectionate.  Before  either  had  time,  however,  to  disbur- 
den her  mind  of  one-half  of  its  prepared  phrases,  ring  upon 
ring  proclaimed  more  company,  and  the  rooms  were  soon 
as  much  sprinkled  with  talent,  as  a  modern  novel  with 
jests.  Among  those  who  came  first,  appeared  all  the  for- 
eign corps,  for  the  refreshments  entered  as  something  into 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  81 

the  account  with  them  ;  every  blue  of  the  place,  whose 
social  position  in  the  least  entitled  her  to  be  seen  in  such 
a  house,  Mrs.  Legend  belonging  quite  positively  to  good 
society. 

The  scene  that  succeeded  was  very  characteristic.  A 
professed  genius  does  nothing  like  other  people,  except  in 
cases  that  require  a  display  of  talents.  In  all  minor  mat- 
ters, he  or  she  is  sui  generis  j  for  sentiment  is  in  constant 
ebullition  in  their  souls ;  this  being  what  is  meant  by  the 
flow  of  that  part  of  the  human  system. 

We  might  here  very  well  adopt  the  Homeric  method, 
and  call  the  roll  of  heroes  and  heroines,  in  what  the  French 
would  term  a  catalogue  raisonnee  ;  but  our  limits  compel  us 
to  be  less  ambitious,  and  to  adopt  a  simpler  mode  of  com- 
municating facts.  Among  the  ladies  who  now  figured  in 
the  drawing-room  of  Mrs.  Legend,  besides  Miss  Annual, 
were  Miss  Monthly,  Mrs.  Economy,  S.R.P.,  Marion,  Lon- 
ginus,  Julietta,  Herodotus,  D.O.V.E.,  and  Mrs.  Demonstra- 
tion ;  besides  many  others  of  less  note  ;  together  with  at 
least  a  dozen  female  Hajjis,  whose  claims  to  appear  in  such 
society  were  pretty  much  dependent  on  the  fact  that,  hav- 
ing seen  pictures  and  statues  abroad,  they  necessarily 
must  have  the  means  of  talking  of  them  at  home.  The 
list  of  men  was  still  more  formidable  in  numbers,  if  not  in 
talents.  At  its  head  stood  Steadfast  Dodge,  Esquire,  whose 
fame  as  a  male  Hajji  had  so  far  swollen  since  Mrs.  Jarvis' 
reunion,  that,  for  the  first  time  in  his  life,  he  now  entered 
one  of  the  better  houses  of  his  own  country.  Then  there 
were  the  authors  of  "  Lapis  Lazuli,"  "  The  Aunts,"  "  The 
Reformed,"  "The  Conformed,"  "  The  Transformed,"  and 
"The  Deformed;"  with  the  editors  of  The  Hebdomad, 
The  Night-Cap,  The  Chrysalis,  The  Real  Maggot,  and  The 
Seek  no  Further ;  as  also,  "  Junius,"  "Junius  Brutus," 
"Lucius  Junius  Brutus,"  "Captain  Kant,"  "  Florio,"  the 
"  Author  of  the  History  of  Billy  Linkum  Tweedle,"  the 
celebrated  Pottawattamie  Prophet,  "  Single  Rhyme,"  a 
genius  who  had  prudently  rested  his  fame  in  verse  on  a 
couplet  composed  of  one  line  ;  besides  divers  amateurs  and 
connoisseurs,  Hajjis,  who  must  be  men  of  talents,  as  they 
had  acquired  all  they  knew  very  much  as  American 
Eclipse  gained  his  laurels  on  the  turf ;  that  is  to  say,  by  a 
free  use  of  the  whip  and  spur. 
6 


82  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

As  Mrs.  Legend  sailed  about  her  rooms  amid  such  a 
circle,  her  mind  expanded,  her  thoughts  diffused  them- 
selves among  her  guests  on  the  principle  of  animal  mag- 
netism, and  her  heart  was  melting  with  the  tender  sympa- 
thies of  congenial  tastes.  She  felt  herself  to  be  at  the  head 
of  American  talents,  and,  in  the  secret  recesses  of  her  rea- 
son, she  determined  that,  did  even  the  fate  of  Sodom  and 
Gomorrah  menace  her  native  town,  as  some  evil-disposed 
persons  had  dared  to  insinuate  might  one  day  be  the  case, 
here  was  enough  to  save  it  from  destruction. 

It  was  just  as  the  mistress  of  the  mansion  had  come  to 
this  consoling  conclusion,  that  the  party  from  Hudson 
Square  rang.  As  few  of  her  guests  came  in  carriages 
Mrs.  Legend,  who  heard  the  rolling  of  wheels,  felt  per- 
suaded that  the  lion  of  the  night  was  now  indeed  at  hand, 
and  with  a  view  to  a  proper  reception,  she  requested  the 
company  to  divide  itself  into  two  lines,  in  order  that  he 
might  enter,  as  it  were,  between  lanes  of  genius. 

It  may  be  necessary  to  explain  at  this  point  of  our  narra- 
tive, that  John  Effingham  was  perfectly  aware  of  the  error 
which  existed  in  relation  to  the  real  character  of  Captain 
Truck,  wherein  he  thought  great  injustice  had  been  done 
the  honest  seaman  ;  and  the  old  man  intending  to  sail  for 
London  next  morning,  had  persuaded  him  to  accept  this 
invitation,  in  order  that  the  public  mind  might  be  disabused 
in  a  matter  of  so  much  importance.  With  a  view  that 
this  might  be  done  naturally  and  without  fuss,  however,  he 
did  not  explain  the  mistake  to  his  nautical  friend,  believ- 
ing it  most  probable  that  this  could  be  better  done  inci- 
dentally as  it  were  in  the  course  of  the  evening,  and  feel- 
ing certain  of  the  force  of  that  wholesome  apophthegm 
which  says  that  "truth  is  powerful  and  must  prevail." 
"  If  this  be  so,"  added  John  Effingham,  in  his  explanations 
to  Eve,  "there  can  be  no  place  where  the  sacred  quality 
will  be  so  likely  to  assert  itself  as  in  a  galaxy  of  geniuses, 
whose  distinctive  characteristic  is  '  an  intuitive  perception 
of  things  in  their  real  colors.' " 

When  the  door  of  Mrs.  Legend's  drawing-room  opened, 
in  the  usual  noiseless  manner,  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  who 
led  the  way,  was  startled  at  rinding  herself  in  the  precise 
situation  of  one  who  is  condemned  to  run  the  gauntlet. 
Fortunately- she  caught  a  glimpse  of  Mrs.  Legend,  posted 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  83 

at  the  other  end  of  the  proud  array,  inviting  her  with 
smiles  to  approach.  The  invitation  had  been  to  a  "  literary 
fete"  and  Mademoiselle  Viefville  was  too  much  of  a  French- 
woman to  be  totally  disconcerted  at  a  little  scenic  effect  on 
the  occasion  of  &fete  of  any  sort.  Supposing  she  was  now 
a  witness  of  an  American  ceremony  for  the  first  tine,  for 
the  want  of  representation  in  the  country  had  been  rather 
a  subject  of  animadversion  with  her,  she  advanced  steadily 
toward  the  mistress  of  the  house,  bestowing  smile  for 
smile,  this  being  a  part  of  the  programme  at  which  a 
Parisienne  was  not  easily  outdone.  Eve  followed,  as  usual, 
sola;  Grace  came  next ;  then  Sir  George  ;  then  John 
Effingham  ;  the  captain  bringing  up  the  rear.  There  had 
been  a  friendly  contest  for  the  precedency  between  the 
two  last,  each  desiring  to  yield  it  to  the  other  on  the  score 
of  merit  ;  but  the  captain  prevailed,  by  declaring  "  that  he 
was  navigating  an  unknown  sea,  and  that  he  could  do 
nothing  wiser  than  to  sail  in  the  wake  of  so  good  a  pilot 
as  Mr.  John  Effingham," 

As  Hajjis  of  approved  experience,  the  persons  who  led 
the  advance  in  this  little  procession  were  subjects  of  a 
proper  attention  and  respect  ;  but  as  the  admiration  of 
mere  vulgar  travelling  would  in  itself  be  vulgar,  care  was 
taken  to  reserve  the  condensed  feeling  of  the  company  for 
the  celebrated  English  writer  and  wit,  who  was  known  to 
bring  up  the  rear.  This  was  not  a  common  house  in  which 
dollars  had  place,  or  belles  rioted,  but  the  temple  of  genius  ; 
and  every  one  felt  an  ardent  desire  to  manifest  a  proper 
homage  to  the  abilities  of  the  established  foreign  writer, 
that  should  be  in  exact  proportion  to  their  indifference  to 
the  twenty  thousand  a  year  of  John  Effingham,  and  to  the 
nearly  equal  amount  of  Eve's  expectations. 

The  personal  appearance  of  the  honest  tar  was  well 
adapted  to  the  character  he  was  thus  called  on  so  unex- 
pectedly to  support.  His  hair  had  long  been  getting 
gray  ;  but  the  intense  anxiety  of  the  chase,  of  the  wreck, 
and  of  his  other  recent  adventures,  had  rapidly  but  effect- 
ually increased  this  mark  of  time,  and  his  head  was  now 
nearly  as  white  as  snow.  The  hale,  fresh  red  of  his  feat- 
ures, which  was  in  truth  the  result  of  exposure,  might 
very  well  pass  for  the  tint  of  port  ;  and  his  tread,  which 
had  always  a  little  of  the  quarter-deck  swing  about  it. 


84  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

might  quite  easily  be  mistaken  by  a  tyro  for  the  human 
frame  staggering  under  a  load  of  learning.  Unfortu- 
nately for  those  who  dislike  mystification,  the  captain 
had  consulted  John  Effingham  on  the  subject  of  the  toi- 
lette, and  that  kind  and  indulgent  friend  had  suggested 
the  propriety  of  appearing  in  black  small-clothes  for  the 
occasion,  a  costume  that  he  often  wore  himself  of  an 
evening.  Reality,  in  this  instance,  then,  did  not  disap- 
point expectation,  and  the  burst  of  applause  with  which 
the  captain  was  received,  was  accompanied  by  a  general 
murmur  in  commendation  of  the  admirable  manner  in 
which  he  "looked  the  character." 

"What  a  Byronic  head,"  whispered  the  author  of  "  The 
Transformed"  to  D.  O.  V.  E.  ;  "  and  was  there  ever  such 
a  curl  of  the  lip,  before,  to  mortal  man  ?" 

The  truth  is,  the  captain  had  thrust  his  tobacco  into  "  an 
aside,"  as  a  monkey  is  known  to  empocher  a  spare  nut  or  a 
lump  of  sugar. 

"  Do  you  think  him  Byronic  ?  To  my  eyes  the  cast  of 
his  head  is  Shakspearian,  rather.  Though  I  confess  there 
is  a  little  of  Milton  about  the  forehead  ! " 

"  Pray,"  said  Miss  Annual  to  Lucius  Junius  Brutus, 
"  which  is  commonly  thought  to  be  the  best  of  his  works  ? 
That  on  a — a — a —  or  that  on  e — e — e  ?" 

Now  it  so  happened  that  not  a  soul  in  the  room,  but 
the  lion  himself,  had  any  idea  what  books  he  had  written, 
and  he  knew  only  of  some  fifteen  or  twenty  log-books. 
It  was  generally  understood  that  he  was  a  great  English 
writer,  and  this  was  more  than  sufficient. 

"  I  believe  the  world  generally  prefers  the  a — a — a," 
said  Lucius  Junius  Brutus;  "but  the  few  give  a  decided 
preference  to  the  e — e — e." 

"  Oh  !  out  of  all  question  preferable  !  "  exclaimed  half  a 
dozen  in  hearing. 

"  With  what  a  classic  modesty  he  pays  his  compliments 
to  Mrs.  Legend,"  observed  "  S.  R.  P."  "One  can  always 
tell  a  man  of  real  genius  by  his  tenue  !  " 

"  He  is  so  English  !  "  cried  Florio.  "Ah  !  they  are  the 
only  people  after  all ! " 

This  Florio  was  one  of  those  geniuses  who  sigh  most 
for  the  things  that  they  least  possess. 

By  this  time  Captain  Truck  had  got  through  with  listen- 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  85 

ing  to  the  compliments  of  Mrs.  Legend,  when  he  was 
seized  upon  by  a  circle  of  rabid  literati,  who  badgered 
him  with  questions  concerning  his  opinions,  notions,  in- 
ferences, experiences,  associations,  sensations,  sentiments, 
and  intentions,  in  a  way  that  soon  threw  the  old  man  into 
a  profuse  perspiration.  Fifty  times  did  he  wish,  from  the 
bottom  of  his  soul — that  soul  which  the  crowd  around  him 
fancied  dwelt  so  high  in  the  clouds — that  he  was  seated 
quietly  by  the  side  of  Mrs.  Hawker,  who,  he  mentally 
swore,  .was  worth  all  the  literati  in  Christendom.  But 
fate  had  decreed  otherwise,  and  we  shall  leave  him  to  his 
fortune  for  a  time,  and  return  to  our  heroine  and  hei 
party. 

As  soon  as  Mrs.  Legend  had  got  through  with  her  intro- 
ductory compliments  to  the  captain,  she  sought  Eve  and 
Grace,  with  a  consciousness  that  a  few  civilities  were  now 
their  due. 

"  I  fear  Miss  Effingham,  after  the  elaborate  soirees  of  the 
literary  circles  in  Paris,  you  will  find  our  reunions  of  the 
same  sort  a  little  dull  ;  and  yet  I  flatter  myself  with  hav- 
ing assembled  most  of  the  talents  of  New  York  on  this 
memorable  occasion,  to  do  honor  to  your  friend.  Are  you 
acquainted  with  many  of  the  company  ? " 

Now,  Eve  had  never  seen  nor  heard  of  a  single  being  in 
the  room,  with  the  exception  of  Mr.  Dodge  and  her  own 
party,  before  this  night,  although  most  of  them  had  been 
so  laboriously  employed  in  puffing  each  other  into  celeb- 
rity, for  many  weary  years  ;  and,  as  for  elaborate  soirees 
she  thought  she  had  never  seen  one  half  as  elaborate  as 
this  of  Mrs.  Legend's.  As  it  would  not  very  well  do,  how- 
ever, to  express  all  this  in  words,  she  civilly  desired  the 
lady  to  point  out  to  her  some  of  the  most  distinguished  of 
company. 

"  With  the  greatest  pleasure,  Miss  Effingham,"  Mrs.  Le- 
gend taking  pride  in  dwelling  on  the  merits  of  her  guests. 
"  This  heavy,  grand-looking  personage,  in  whose  air  one 
sees  refinement  and  modesty  at  a  glance,  is  Captain  Kant, 
the  editor  of  one  of  our  most  decidedly  pious  newspapers. 
His  mind  is  distinguished  for  its  intuitive  perception  of  all 
that  is  delicate,  reserved,  and  finished  in  the  intellectual 
world,  while,  in  opposition  to  this  quality,  which  is  almost 
feminine,  his  character  is  just  as  remarkable  for  its  un- 


86  HOME  AS   FOUND. 

flinching  love  of  truth.  He  was  never  known  to  publish 
a  falsehood,  and  of  his  foreign  correspondence,  in  particu- 
lar, he  is  so  exceeding  careful,  that  he  assures  me  he  has 
every  word  of  it  written  under  his  own  eye." 

"  On  the  subject  of  his  religious  scruples,"  added  John 
Effingham,  "  he  is  so  fastidiously  exact,  that  I  hear  he  '  says 
grace  '  over  everything  that  goes  from  his  press,  and  '  re- 
turns thanks'  for  everything  that  comes  to  it." 

"  You  know  him,  Mr.  Effingham,  by  this  remark  ?  Is 
he  not,  truly,  a  man  of  a  vocation  ? " 

"  That,  indeed,  he  is,  ma'am.  He  may  be  succinctly 
Said  to  have  a  newspaper  mind,  as  he  reduces  everything 
in  nature  or  art  to  news,  and  commonly  imparts  to  it  so 
much  of  his  own  peculiar  character,  that  it  loses  all  inden- 
tity  with  the  subjects  to  which  it  originally  belonged. 
One  scarcely  knows  which  to  admire  most  about  this  man, 
the  atmospheric  transparency  of  his  motives,  for  he  is  so 
disinterested  as  seldom  even  to  think  of  paying  for  a  din- 
ner when  travelling,  and  yet  so  conscientious  as  always  to 
say  something  obliging  of  the  tavern  as  soon  as  he  gets 
home— his  rigid  regard  to  facts,  or  the  exquisite  refinement 
and  delicacy  that  he  imparts  to  everything  he  touches. 
Over  all  this,  too,  he  throws  a  beautiful  halo  of  morality 
and  religion,  never  even  prevaricating  in  the  hottest  dis- 
cussion, unless  with  the  unction  of  a  saint  !  " 

"Do  you  happen  to  know  Florio  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Legend, 
a  little  distrusting  John  Effingham's  account  of  Captain 
Kant. 

"  If  I  do,  it  must  indeed  be  by  accident.  What  are  his 
chief  characteristics,  ma'am  ?  " 

"  Sentiment,  pathos,  delicacy,  and  all  in  rhyme,  too. 
You,  no  doubt,  have  heard  of  his  triumph  over  Lord  Byron, 
Miss  Effingham  ?  " 

Eve  was  obliged  to  confess  that  it  was  new  to  her. 

'•  Why,  Byron  wrote  an  ode  to  Greece  commencing  with 
4  The  Isles  of  Greece  !  the  Isles  of  Greece  ! '  a  very  feeble 
line,  as  any  one  will  see,  for  it  contained  a  useless  and  an 
unmeaning  repetition." 

"And  you  might  add  vulgar,  too,  Mrs.  Legend,"  said 
John  Effingham,  "  since  it  made  a  palpable  allusion  to  all 
those  vulgar  incidents  that  associate  themselves  in  the 
mind  with  these  said  commonplace  isles.  The  arts,  phi- 


HOME   AS  FOUND.  87 

losophy,  poetry,  eloquence,  and  even  old  Homer,  are 
brought  unpleasantly  to  one's  recollection  by  such  an  in- 
discreet invocation." 

"  So  Florio  thought,  and,  by  way  of  letting  the  world 
perceive  the  essential  difference  between  the  base  and  the 
pure  coin,  he  wrote  an  ode  on  England,  which  commenced 
as  such  an  ode  should !  " 

"  Do  you  happen  to  recollect  any  of  it,  ma'am  ? " 

"  Only  the  first  line,  which  I  greatly  regret,  as  the  rhyme 
is  Florio's  chief  merit.  But  this  line  is  of  itself  sufficient  to 
immortalize  a  man." 

"  Do  not  keep  us  in  torment,  dear  Mrs.  Legend,  but  let 
us  have  it  for  heaven's  sake ! " 

"It  began  in  this  sublime  strain,  sir — 'Beyond  the 
wave!  Beyond  the  wave  ! '  Now,  Miss  Effingham,  that  is 
what  I  call  poetry  !  " 

"And  well  you  may,  ma'am,"  returned  the  gentleman, 
who  perceived  Eve  could  scarce  refrain  from  breaking  out 
in  a  very  unsentimental  manner — "  so  much  pathos." 

"  And  so  sententious  and  flowing  !  " 

"  Condensing  a  journey  of  three  thousand  miles,  as  it 
might  be,  into  three  words,  and  a  note  of  admiration.  I 
trust  it  was  printed  with  a  note  of  admiration,  Mrs. 
Legend  ? " 

"  Yes,  sir,  with  two — one  behind  each  wave — and  such 
waves,  Mr.  Effingham  !  " 

"  Indeed,  ma'am,  you  may  say  so.  One  really  gets  a 
grand  idea  of  them,  England  lying  beyond  each." 

"  So  much  expressed  in  so  few  syllables  !" 

"  I  think  I  see  every  shoal,  current,  ripple,  rock,  island, 
and  whale,  between  Sandy  Hook  and  the  Land's  End." 

"  He  hints  at  an  epic." 

"  Pray  God  he  may  execute  one.  Let  him  make  haste, 
too,  or  he  may  get  '  behind  the  age,'  *  behind  the  age.'  " 

Here  the  lady  was  called  away  to  receive  a  guest. 

"  Cousin  Jack  !  " 

"  Eve  Effingham  !  " 

"Do  you  not  sometimes  fear  offending?" 

"  Not  a  woman  who  begins  with  expressing  her  admira- 
tion of  such  a  sublime  thing  as  this.  You  are  safe  with 
such  a  person  anywhere  short  of  a  tweak  of  the  nose." 

"  Mais,  tout  ceci  est  bien  drdle  !  " 


88  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"You  never  were  more  mistaken  in  your  life,  mademoi- 
selle ;  everybody  here  looks  upon  it  as  a  matter  of  life  and 
death," 

The  new  guest  was  Mr.  Pindar,  one  of  those  careles^ 
unsentimental  fellows,  that  occasionally  throw  off  an  ode 
that  passes  through  Christendom  as  dollars  are  known  to 
pass  from  China  to  Norway,  and  yet  who  never  fancied 
spectacles  necessary  to  his  appearence,  solemnity  to  his 
face,  nor  soirees  to  his  renown.  After  quitting  Mrs.  Legend 
he  approached  Eve,  to  whom  he  was  slightly  known,  and 
accosted  her. 

"  This  is  the  region  of  taste,  Miss  Effingham,"  he  said, 
with  a  shrug  of  the  jaw,  if  such  a  member  can  shrug  ;  "  and 
I  do  not  wonder  at  finding  you  here." 

He  then  chatted  pleasantly  a  moment  with  the  party,  and 
passed  on,  giving  an  ominous  gape  as  he  drew  nearer  to 
the  oi polloi  of  literature.  A  moment  after  appeared  Mr. 
Gray,  a  man  who  needed  nothing  but  taste  in  the  public, 
and  the  encouragement  that  would  follow  such  a  taste,  to 
stand  at,  or  certainly  near,  the  head  of  the  poets  of  our 
own  time.  He,  too,  looked  shyly  at  the  galaxy,  and  took 
refuge  in  a  corner.  Mr.  Pith  followed  ;  a  man  whose  caus- 
tic wit  needs  only  a  sphere  for  its  exercise,  manners  to 
portray,  and  a  society  with  strong  points  about  it  to  illus- 
trate, in  order  to  enrol  his  name  high  on  the  catalogue  of 
satirists.  Another  ring  announced  Mr.  Fun,  a  writer  of 
exquisite  humor,  and  of  finished  periods,  but  who,  having 
perpetrated  a  little  too  much  sentiment,  was  instantly 
seized  upon  by  all  the  ultra  ladies  who  were  addicted  to 
the  same  taste  in  that  way  in  the  room. 

These  persons  came  too  late,  like  those  who  had  already 
been  too  often  dosed  in  the  same  way,  to  be  impatient  of 
repetitions.  The  three  first  soon  got  together  in  a  corner, 
and  Eve  fancied  they  were  laughing  at  the  rest  of  the  com- 
pany, whereas,  in  fact,  they  were  merely  laughing  at  a  bad 
joke  of  their  own  ;  their  quick  perception  of  the  ludicrous 
having  pointed  out  a  hundred  odd  combinations  and  ab- 
surdities, that  would  have  escaped  duller  minds. 

"  Who,  in  the  name  of  the  twelve  Caesars,  has  Mrs.  Le- 
gend got  to  lionize  yonder,  with  the  white  summit  and  the 
dark  base  ?"  asked  the  writer  of  odes. 

"Some  English  pamphleteer,  by  what  I  can  learn,"  an» 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  89 

svvered  he  of  satire  ;  "  some  fellow  who  has  achieved  a  pert 
review,  or  written  a  Minerva-Pressism,  and  who  now  flour- 
ishes like  a  bay  tree  among  us.  A  modern  Horace,  or  a 
Juvenal  on  his  travels." 

"Fun  is  well  badgered,"  observed  Mr.  Gray.  "  Do  you 
not  see  that  Miss  Annual,  Miss  Monthly,  and  that  young 
alphabet  D.  O.  V.  E.,  have  got  him  within  the  circles  of 
their  petticoats,  where  he  will  be  martyred  on  a  sigh  ? " 

"  He  casts  longing  looks  this  way  ;  he  wishes  you  to  go 
to  his  rescue,  Pith." 

"  I  ! — Let  him  take  his  fill  of  sentiment!  I  am  no  homce- 
opathist  in  such  matters.  Large  doses  in  quick  succession 
will  soonest  work  a  cure.  Here  comes  the  lion,  and  he 
breaks  loose  from  his  cage,  like  a  beast  that  has  been  poked 
up  with  sticks." 

"  Good  evening,  gentlemen,"  said  Captain  Truck,  wip- 
ing his  face  intensely,  and  who,  having  made  his  escape 
from  a  throng  of  admirers,  took  refuge  in  the  first  port 
that  offered. 

"  You  seem  to  be  enjoying  yourselves  here  in  a  rational 
and  agreeable  way.  Quite  cool  and  refreshing  in  this  cor- 
ner." 

"  And  yet  we  have  no  doubt  that  both  our  reason  and 
our  amusement  will  receive  a  large  increase  from  the 
addition  of  your  society,  sir,"  returned  Mr.  Pith.  "  Do 
us  the  favor  to  take  a  seat,  I  beg  of  you,  and  rest  your- 
self." 

"  With  all  my  heart,  gentlemen  ;  for,  to  own  the  truth, 
these  ladies  make  warm  work  about  a  stranger.  I  have 
just  got  out  of  what  I  call  a  category." 

"You  appear  to  have  escaped  with  life,  sir,"  observed 
Pindar,  taking  a  cool  survey  of  the  other's  person. 

"  Yes,  thank  God,  I  have  done  that,  and  it  is  pretty  much 
all,"  answered  the  captain,  wiping  his  face.  "  I  served  in 
the  French  war — Truxton's  war,  as  we  call  it — and  I  had  a 
touch  with  the  English  in  the  privateer  trade,  between 
twelve  and  fifteen  ;  and  here,  quite  lately,  I  was  in  an  en- 
counter with  the  savage  Arabs  down  on  the  coast  of  Africa  ; 
and  I  account  them  all  as  so  much  snow-balling  compared 
with  the  yard-arm  and  yard-arm  work  of  this  very  night. 
I  wonder  if  it  is  permitted  to  try.  a  cigar  at  these  conversa- 
tion-onies,  gentlemen  ?  " 


$6  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  I  believe  it  is,  sir,"  returned  Pindar,  coolly.  "  Shall  I 
help  you  to  a  light  ? " 

"  Oh !  Mr.  Truck!"  cried  Mrs.  Legend,  following  the 
chafed  animal  to  his  corner,  as  one  would  pursue  any  other 
runaway,  "  instinct  has  brought  you  into  this  good  com- 
pany. You  are  now  in  the  very  focus  of  American  talents.'* 

"  Having  just  escaped  from  the  focus  of  American  talons," 
whispered  Pith. 

11 1  must  be  permitted  to  introduce  you  myself.  Mr. 
Truck,  Mr.  Pindar— Mr.  Pith — Mr.  Gray  ;  gentlemen,  you 
must  be  so  happy  to  be  acquainted,  being,  as  it  were,  en- 
gaged in  the  same  pursuits  !  " 

The  captain  rose  and  shook  each  of  the  gentlemen  cor- 
dially by  the  hand,  for  he  had,  at  least,  the  consolation  of 
a  great  many  introductions  that  night.  Mrs.  Legend  dis- 
appeared to  say  something  to  some  other  prodigy. 

"  Happy  to  meet  you,  gentlemen,"  said  the  captain. 
"  In  what  trade  do  you  sail  ?  " 

"  By  whatever  name  we  may  call  it,"  answered  Mr.  Pin- 
dar, "we  can  scarcely  be  said  to  go  before  the  wind." 

"  Not  in  the  Injee  business,  then,  or  the  monsoons  would 
keep  the  stun'sails  set,  at  least." 

u  No,  sir.  But  yonder  is  Mr.  Moccasin,  who  has  lately 
set  up  secundum  artem  in  the  Indian  business,  having  writ- 
ten two  novels  in  that  way  already,  and  begun  a  third." 

"Are you  all  regularly  employed,  gentlemen  ?" 

"As  regularly  as  inspiration  points,"  said  Mr.  Pith. 
'-  Men  of  our  occupation  must  make  fair  weather  of  it,  or 
we  had  better  be  doing  nothing." 

"  So  I  often  tell  my  owners,  but  'go  ahead '  is  the  order. 
When  I  was  a  youngster,  a  ship  remained. in  port  for  a 
fair  wind  ;  but  now  she  goes  to  work  and  makes  one,  The 
world  seems  to  get  young,  as  I  get  old." 

" This  is  a  rum  litterateur"  Gray  whispered  to  Pindar. 

"  It  is  an  obvious  mystification,"  was  the  answer  ;  "  poor 
Mrs.  Legend  has  picked  np  some  straggling  porpoise,  and 
converted  him,  by  a  touch  of  her  magical  wand,  into  a 
Boanerges  of  literature.  The  thing  is  as  clear  as  day,  for 
the  worthy  fellow  smells  of  tar  and  cigar  smoke.  I  per- 
ceive that  Mr.  Effingham  is  laughing  out  of  the  corner  of 
his  eyes,  and  will  step  across  the  room  and  get  the  truth 
in  a  minute." 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  91 

The  rogue  was  as  good  as  his  word,  and  was  soon  back 
again,  and  contrived  to  let  his  friends  understand  the  real 
state  of  the  case.  A  knowledge  of  the  captain's  true  char- 
acter encouraged  this  trio  in  the  benevolent  purpose  of 
aiding  the  honest  old  seaman  in  his  wish  to  smoke,  and 
Pith  managed  to  give  him  a  lighted  paper,  without  becom- 
ing an  open  accessory  to  the  plot. 

"  Will  you  take  a  cigar  yourself,  sir?"  said  the  captain, 
offering  his  box  to  Mr.  Pindar. 

"  I  thank  you,  Mr.  Truck,  I  never  smoke,  but  am  a  pro- 
found admirer  of  the  flavor.  Let  me  entreat  you  to  begin 
as  soon  as  possible." 

Thus  encouraged,  Captain  Truck  drew  two  or  three 
whiffs,  when  the  rooms -we  re  immediately  filled  with  the 
fragrance  of  a  real  Havana.  At  the.  first  discovery,  the 
whole  literary  pack  went  off  on  the  scent?.  -As  for  Mr. 
Fun,  he  managed  to  profit  by  the  agitation  that  followed, 
in  order  to  escape  to  the  three  wags  in  the  corner,  who 
were  enjoying  the  scene  with  the  gravity  of  so  many 
dervishes. 

"  As  I  live,"  cried  Lucius  Junius  Brutus,  "there  is  the 
author  of  a — a — a —  actually  smoking  a  cigar  !  How  ex- 
cessively piquant !  " 

"Do  my  eyes  deceive  me,  or  is  not  that  the  writer  of 
e — e — e —  fumigating  us  all  !  "  whispered  Miss  Annual. 

"  Nay,  this  cannot  certainly  be  right,"  put  in  Florio. 
with  a  dogmatical  manner.  "  All  the  periodicals  agree 
that  smoking  is  ungenteel  in  England." 

"  You  never  were  more  mistaken,  dear  Florio,"  replied 
D.  O.  V.  E.  in  a  cooing  tone.  "  The  very  last  novel  of 
society  has  a  chapter  in  which  the  hero  and  heroine  smoke 
in  the  declaration  scene." 

"  Do  they,  indeed  !  That  alters  the  case.  Really  one 
would  not  wish  to  get  behind  so  great  a  nation,  nor  yet  go 
much  before  it.  Pray,  Captain  Kant,  what  do  your  friends 
in  Canada  say  ;  is,  or  is  not  smoking  permitted  in  good 
society  there  ?  the  Canadians  must,  at  least,  be  ahead  of 
us." 

"  Not  at  all,  sir,"  returned  the  editor,  in  his  softest  tones  ; 
"  it  is  revolutionary  and  Jacobinical." 

But  the  ladies  prevailed,  and  by  a  process  that  is  rather 
peculiar  to  what  may  be  called  a  "  credulous "  state  of 


92  HOME   AS  FOUND. 

society,  they  carried  the  day.  This  process  was  simply  to 
make  one  fiction  authority  for  another.  The  fact  that 
smoking  was  now  carried  so  far  in  England,  that  the  clergy 
actually  used  cigars  in  pulpits,  was  affirmed  on  the  author- 
ity of  Mr.  Truck  himself,  and  coupled  with  his  present  oc- 
cupation, the  point  was  deemed  to  be  settled.  Even  Florio 
yielded-,  and  his  plastic  mind  soon  saw  a  thousand  beauties 
in  the  usage,  that  had  hitherto  escaped  it.  All  the  litterati 
drew  round  the  captain  in  a  circle,  to  enjoy  the  spectacle, 
though  the  honest  old  mariner  contrived  to  throw  out 
such  volumes  of  vapor  as  to  keep  them  at  a  safe  distance. 
His  four  demure-looking  neighbors  got  behind  the  barrier 
of  smoke,  where  they  deemed  themselves  entrenched 
against  the  assaults  of  sentimental  petticoats,  for  a  time 
at  least. 

"  Pray,  Mr.  Truck,"  inquired  S.  R.  P.,  "  is  it  commonly 
thought  in  the  English  literary  circles,  that  Byron  was  a 
development  of  Shakespeare,  or  Shakespeare  a  shadowing 
forth  of  Byron  ? " 

"  Both,  marm,"  said  the  captain,  with  a  coolness  that 
would  have  done  credit  to  Aristabulus,  for  he  had  been 
fairly  badgered  into  impudence,  profiting  by  the  occasion 
to  knock  the  ashes  off  his  cigar  ;  "  all  incline  to  the  first 
opinion,  and  most  to  the  last." 

"What  finesse!"  murmured  one.  "How  delicate!" 
whispered  a  second.  "  A  dignified  reserve  !  "  ejaculated 
a  third.  "So  English  !"  exclaimed  Florio. 

"Do  you  think,  Mr.  Truck,"  asked  D.  O.  V.  E.,  "that 
the  profane  songs  of  Little  have  more  pathos  than  the 
sacred  songs  of  Moore  ;  or  that  the  sacred  songs  of  Moore 
have  more  sentiment  than  the  profane  songs  of  Little  ? " 

"  A  good  deal  of  both,  marm,  and  something  to  spare, 
I  think  there  is  little  in  one,  and  more  in  the  other." 

"  Pray,  sir,"  said  J.  R.  P.,  "do  you  pronounce  the  name 
of  Byron's  lady-love,  Guy-kee-oh-/r,  or  Gwy-ky-o-/^  ?  " 

"  That  depends  on  how  the  wind  is.  If  on  shore,  I  am 
apt  to  say  '  oh-lee  ; '  and  if  off  shore,  '  oh-lie.'  " 

"That's  capital  !  "  cried  Florio,  in  an  ecstasy  of  admira- 
tion. "  What  man  in  this  country  could  have  said  as  crack 
a  thing  as  that  ? " 

"  Indeed  it  is  very  witty,"  added  Miss  Monthly — "what 
does  it  mean  ? " 


HOME    AS  FOUND. 


93 


"  Mean  !  More  than  is  seen  or  felt  by  common  minds. 
Ah  J  the  English  are  truly  a  great  nation  !  How  delight- 
fully he  smokes ! " 

"  I  think  he  is  much  the  most  interesting  man  we  have 
had  out  here,"  observed  Miss  Annual,  " since  the  last  bust 
of  Scott ! " 

"Ask  him,  dear  D.  O.  V.  E.,"  whispered  Julietta,  who 
was  timid,  from  the  circumstance  of  never  having  pub- 
lished, "  which  he  thinks  the  most  ecstatic  feeling,  hope 
or  despair  ? "  The  question  was  put  by  the  more  ex- 
perienced lady,  according  to  request,  though  she  first  said, 
in  a  hurried  tone  to  her  youthful  sister — "  you  can  have 
felt  but  little,  child,  or  you  would  know  that  it  is  despair, 
as  a  matter  of  course." 

The  honest  captain,  however,  did  not  treat  the  matter  so 
lightly,  for  he  improved  the  opportunity  to  light  a  fresh 
cigar,  throwing  the  still  smoking  stump  into  Mrs.  Legend's 
grate,  through  a  lane  of  literati,  as  he  afterward  boasted,  as 
coolly  as  he  could  have  thrown  it  overboard,  under  other 
circumstances.  Luckily  for  his  reputation  for  sentiment, 
he  mistook  "ecstatic,"  a  word  he  had  never  heard  before, 
for  ''erratic;"  and  recollecting  sundry  roving  maniacs 
that  he  had  seen,  he  answered  promptly 

"  Despair,  out  and  out." 

"  I  knew  it,"  said  one. 

"  It's  in  nature,"  added  a  second. 

"  All  can  feel  its  truth,"  rejoined  a  third. 

"  This  point  may  now  be  set  down  as  established,"  cried 
Florio,  "  and  I  -hope  no  more  will  be  said  about  it." 

"  This  is  encouragement  to  the  searchers  after  truth,"  put 
in  Captain  Kant. 

"  Pray,  Hon.  and  Rev.  Mr.  Truck,"  asked  Lucius  Junius 
Brutus,  at  the  joint  suggestion  of  Junius  Brutus  and  Bru- 
tus, "  does  the  Princess  Victoria  smoke  ?  " 

"  If  she  did  not,  sir,  where  would  be  the  use  in  being  a 
princess  ?  I  suppose  you  know  that  all  the  tobacco  seized 
in  England,  after  a  deduction  to  informers,  goes  to  the 
crown." 

"  I  object  to  this  usage,"  remarked  Captain  Kant,  "  as 
irreligious,  French,  and  tending  to  sans-culotteism.  I  am 
willing  to  admit  of  this  distinguished  instance  as  an  excep- 
tion ;  but  on  all  other  grounds,  I  shall  maintain  that  it 


94  HOME   AS  FOUND. 

savors  of  infidelity  to  smoke.  The  Prussian  government 
much  the  best  of  our  times,  never  smokes." 

"  This  man  thinks  he  has  a  monopoly  of  the  puffing 
himself,"  Pindar  whispered  into  the  captain's  ear  ;  "whiff 
away,  my  dear  sir,  and  you'll  soon  throw  him  into  the 
shade." 

The  captain  winked,  drew  out  his  box,  lighted  another 
cigar,  and,  by  way  of  reply  to  the  envious  remark,  he  put 
one  in  each  corner  of  his  mouth,  and  soon  had  both  in  full 
blast,  a  state  in  which  he  kept  them  for  near  a  minute. 

"  This  is  the  very  picturesque  of  social  enjoyment,"  ex- 
claimed Florio,  holding  up  both  hands  in  a  glow  of  rapt- 
ure. 

"  It  is  absolutely  Homeric,  in  the  way  of  usages  !  Ah  ! 
the  English  are  a  great  nation  !  " 

"  I  should  like  to  know  excessively  if  there  was  really 
such  a  person  as  Baron  Mun-chaw-sen  ? "  said  Julietta, 
gathering  courage  from  the  success  of  her  last  question. 

"  There  was,  Miss,"  returned  the  captain,  through  his 
teeth,  and  nodding  his  head  in  the  affirmative.  "A  reg- 
ular traveller,  that  ;  and  one  who  knew  him  well,  swore  to 
me  that  he  hadn't  related  one  half  of  what  befell  him." 

"  How  very  delightful  to  learn  this  from  the  highest 
quarter  !  "  exclaimed  Miss  Monthly. 

"  Is  Gatty  (Goethe)  really  dead?"  inquired  Longinus, 
"  or  is  the  account  we  have  had  to  that  effect,  merely  a 
metaphysical  apotheosis  of  his  mighty  soul  ? " 

"  Dead,  inarm — stone  dead — dead  as  a  door-nail,"  re- 
turned the  captain,  who  saw  a  relief  in  killing  as  many  as 
possible. 

"•You  have  been  in  France,  Mr.  Truck,  beyond  ques- 
tion?" observed  Lucius  Junius  Brutus,  in  the  way  one 
puts  a  question. 

"  France  !  I  was  in  France  before  I  was  ten  years  old. 
I  know  every  foot  of  the  coast,  from  Havre  de  Grace  to 
Marseilles." 

"Will  you  then  have  the  goodness  to  explain  to  us 
whether  the  soul  of  Chat-ta-bri-0/z^  is  more  expanded  than 
his  reason,  or  his  reason  more  expanded  than  his  soul  ?" 

Captain  Truck  had  a  very  tolerable  notion  of  Baron 
Munchausen  and  of  his  particular  merits  ;  but  Chateau- 
briand was  a  writer  of  whom  he  knew  nothing.  After  pon- 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  95 

dering  a  moment,  and  feeling  persuaded  that  a  confession 
of  ignorance  might  undo  him  ;  for  the  old  man  had  got  to 
be  influenced  by  the  atmosphere  of  the  place  ;  he  an- 
swered coolly — 

"  Oh  !  Chat-^-bri-^^-,  is  it  you  mean  ?  As  whole-souled 
a  fellow  as  I  know.  All  soul,  sir,  and  lots  of  reason,  be- 
sides." 

"  How  simple  and  unaffected  !" 

"  Crack  !  "  exclaimed  Florio. 

"  A  thorough  Jacobin  !  "  growled  Captain  Kant,  who 
was  always  offended  when  any  one  but  himself  took  liber- 
ties with  the  truth. 

Here  the  four  wags  in  the  corrter  observed  that  head 
went  to  head  in  the  crowd,  and  that  the  rear  rank  of  the 
company  began  to  disappear,  while  Mrs.  Legend  was  in 
evident  distress.  In  a  few  minutes  all  the  Romans  were 
off  ;  Florio  soon  after  vanished,  grating  his  teeth  in  a  poet- 
ical frenzy  ;  and  even  Captain  Kant,  albeit  so  used  to  look 
truth  in  the  face,  beat  a  retreat.  The  alphabet  followed, 
and  even  the  Annual  and  the  Monthly  retired,  with  leave- 
takings  so  solemn  and  precise,  that  poor  Mrs.  Legend  was 
in  total  despair. 

Eve,  foreseeing  something  unpleasant,  had  gone  away 
first,  and  in  a  few  minutes  Mr.  Dodge,  who  had  been  very 
active  in  the  crowd,  whispering  and  gesticulating,  made 
his  bow  also.  The  envy  of  this  man  had  in  fact  become 
so  intolerable,  that  he  had  let  the  cat  out  of  the  bag. 
No  one  now  remained  but  the  party  entrenched  behind 
the  smoke,  and  the  mistress  of  the  house.  Pindar 
solemnly  proposed  to  the  captain  that  they  should  go 
and  enjoy  an  oyster  supper  in  company  ;  and  the  pro- 
posal being  cordially  accepted,  they  rose  in  a  body  to  take 
leave. 

"A  most  delightful  evening,  Mrs.  Legend,"  said  Pin- 
dar, with  perfect  truth,  "  much  the  pleasantest  I  ever 
passed  in  a  house  where  one  passes  so  many  that  are 
agreeable." 

"  I  cannot  properly  express  my  thanks  for  the  obliga- 
tion you  have  conferred  by  making  me  acquainted  with 
Mr.  Truck,"  added  Gray.  "  I  shall  cultivate  it  as  far  as 
ii«  my  power,  for  a  more  capital  fellow  never  breathed." 

"  Really,  Mrs.  Legend,  this  has  been  a  Byronic  night !  " 


96  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

observed  Pith,  as  he  made  his  bow.  "  I  shall  long  re- 
member it,  and  I  think  it  deserves  to  be  commemorated  in 
verse." 

Fun  endeavored  to  look  sympathetic  and  sentimental, 
though  the  spirit  within  could  scarcely  refrain  from  grin- 
ning in  Mrs.  Legend's  face.  He  stammered  out  a  few 
compliments,  however,  and  disappeared. 

"  Well,  good-night,  marm,"  said  Captain  Truck,  offer- 
ing his  hand  cordially.  "This  has  been  a  very  pleasant 
evening  altogether,  though  it  was  warm  work  at  first.  If 
you  like  ships,  I  should  be  glad  to  show  you  the  Mon- 
tauk's  cabins  when  we  get  back  ;  and  if  you  ever  think 
of  Europe,  let  me  recommend  the  London  line  as  none  of 
the  worst.  We'll  try  to  make  you  comfortable,  and  trust  to 
me  to  choose  a  stateroom — a  thing  I  am  experienced  in." 

Not  one  of  the  wags  laughed  until  they  were  fairly  con- 
fronted with  the  oysters.  Then,  indeed,  they  burst  out  into 
a  general  and  long  fit  of  exuberant  merriment,  returning 
to  it  between  the  courses  from  the  kitchen  like  the  refrain 
of  a  song.  Captain  Truck,  who  was  uncommonly  well 
satisfied  with  himself,  did  not  understand  the  meaning 
of  all  this  boyishness,  but  he  has  often  declared  since 
that  a  heartier  or  a  funnier  set  of  fellows  he  never  fell  in 
with,  than  his  four  companions  proved  to  be  that  night. 

As  for  the  literary  soiree,  the  most  profound  silence  has 
been  maintained  concerning  it,  neither  of  the  wits  there 
assembled  having  seen  fit  to  celebrate  it  in  rhyme, 
and  Florio  having  actually  torn  up  an  impromptu  for 
the  occasion,  that  he  had  been  all  the  previous  day 
writing. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

"  There  is  a  history  in  all  men's  lives, 
Figuring  the  nature  of  the  times  deceased, 
The  which  observed,  a  man  may  prophesy 
With  a  near  ami,  of  the  main  chance  of  things, 
As  yet  not  come  to  life." 

KING  HENRY  VI. 

THE  following  morning  the  baronet  breakfasted  in  Hud- 
son Square.  While  at  the  table,  little  was  said  concerning 
the  events  of  the  past  night,  though  sundry  smiles  were 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  97 

exchanged,  as  eye  met  eye,  and  the  recollection  of  the 
mystification  returned.  Grace  alone  looked  grave ;  for 
she  had  been  accustomed  to  consider  Mrs.  Legend  a  very 
discriminating  person,  and  she  had  even  hoped  that  most 
of  those  who  usually  figured  in  her  rooms  were  really  the 
clever  persons  they  laid  claim  to  be. 

The  morning  was  devoted  to  looking  ^at  the  quarter  of 
the  town  which  is  devoted  to  business,  a  party  having 
been  made  for  that  express  purpose  under  the  auspices  of 
John  Effingham.  As  the  weather  was  very  cold,  although 
the  distances  were  not  great,  the  carriages  were  ordered, 
and  they  all  set  off  about  noon. 

Grace  had  given  up  expecting  a  look  of  admiration  from 
Eve  in  behalf  of  any  of  the  lions  of  New  York,  her  cousin 
having  found  it  necessary  to  tell  her,  that,  in  a  compara- 
tive sense  at  least,  little  was  to  be  said  in  behalf  of  these 
provincial  wonders.  Even  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  now 
that  the  freshness  of  her  feelings  was  abated,  had  dropped 
quietly  down  into  a  natural  way  of  speaking  of  these 
things ;  and  Grace,  who  was  quick-witted,  soon  dis- 
covered that  when  she  did  make  any  allusions  to  similar 
objects  in  Europe,  it  was  always  to  those  that  existed  in 
some  country  town.  A  silent  convention  existed,  there- 
fore, to  speak  no  more  on  such  subjects ;  or  if  anything 
was  said,  it  arose  incidentally  and  as  inseparable  from  the 
regular  thread  of  the  discourse. 

When  in  Wall  Street,  the  carriages  stopped  and  the  gen- 
tlemen alighted.  The  severity  of  the  weather  kept  the 
ladies  in  the  chariot,  where  Grace  endeavored  to  explain 
things  as  well  as  she  could  to  her  companions. 

"  What  are  all  these  people  running  after  so  intently  ?" 
inquired  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  the  conversation  being 
in  French,  but  which  we  shall  render  freely  into  English, 
for  the  sake  of  the  general  reader. 

"  Dollars,  I  believe,  mademoiselle.    Am  I  right,  Grace  ?  " 

"  I  believe  you  are,"  returned  Grace,  laughing,  "  though 
I  know  little  more  of  this  part  of  the  town  than  yourself." 

"  Quellefoule  !  Is  that  building  filled  with  dollars,  into 
which  the  gentlemen  are  now  entering  ?  Its  steps  are 
crowded." 

"That  is  the  Bourse,  mademoiselle,  and  it  ought  to  be 
well  lined,  by  the  manner  in  which  some  who  frequent  it 


98  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

live.  Cousin  Jack  and  Sir  George  are  going  into  the 
crowd,  I  see." 

We  will  leave  the  ladies  in  their  seats  a  few  minutes, 
and  accompany  the  gentlemen  on  their  way  into  the  ex- 
change. 

"  I  shall  now  show  you,  Sir  George  Templemore," 
said  John  Effingham,  "what  is  peculiar  to  this  country, 
and  what,  if  properly  improved,  it  is  truly  worth  a  jour- 
ney across  the  ocean  to  see.  You  have  been  at  the  Royal 
Exchange  in  London,  and  at  the  Bourse  of  Paris,  but  you 
have  never  witnessed  a  scene  like  that  which  I  am  about 
to  introduce  you  to.  In  Paris,  you  have  beheld  the  un- 
pleasant spectacle  of  women  gambling  publicly  in  the 
funds  ;  but  it  was  in  driblets,  compared  to  what  you  will 
see  here." 

While  speaking,  John  Effingham  led  the  way  up  stairs 
into  the  office  of  one  of  the  most  considerable  auctioneers. 
The  walls  were  lined  with  maps,  some  representing  houses, 
some  lots,  some  streets,  some  entire  towns. 

"  This  is  the  focus  of  what  Aristabulus  Bragg  calls  the 
town  trade,"  said  John  Effingham,  when  fairly  confronted 
with  all  these  wonders.  "Here,  then,  you  may  suit  your- 
self with  any  species  of  real  estate  that  heart  can  desire. 
If  a  villa  is  wanted,  there  are  a  dozen.  Of  farms  a  hun- 
dred are  in  market  ;  that  is  merely  half  a  dozen  streets  ; 
and  here  are  towns,  of  dimensions  and  value  to  suit  pur- 
chasers." 

"  Explain  this.     It  exceeds  comprehension." 

"It  is  simply  what  it  professes  to  be.  Mr.  Hammer, 
do  us  the  favor  to  step  this  way.  Are  you  selling  to-day  ?  " 

"  Not  much,  sir.  Only  a  hundred  or  two  lots  on  this 
island,  and  some  six  of  eight  farms,  with  one  western 
village." 

"  Can  you  tell  us  the  history  of  this  particular  piece  of 
property,  Mr.  Hammer  ?  " 

"  With  great  pleasure,  Mr.  Effingham  ;  we  know  you  to 
have  means,  and  hope  you  may  be  induced  to  purchase. 
This  was  the  farm  of  old  Volkert  Van  Brunt,  five  years 
since,  off  of  which  he  and  his  family  had  made  a  livelihood 
for  more  than  a  century,  by  selling  milk.  Two  years 
since,  the  sons  sold  it  to  Peter  Feeler  for  a  hundred  an 
acre,  or,,  for  the  total  sum  of  five  thousand  dollars.  The 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  99 

spring  Mr.  Feeler  sold  it  to  John  Search,  as  keen  a 
one  as  we  have,  for  twenty-five  thousand.  Search -sold  it 
at  private  sale  to  Nathan  Rise  for  fifty  thousand  the  next 
week,  and  Rise  had  parted  with  it  to  a  company,  before 
the  purchase,  for  a  hundred  and  twelve  thousand,  cash. 
The  map  ought  to  be  taken  down — for  it  is  now  eight 
months  since  we  sold  it  out  in  lots,  at  auction,  for  the 
gross  sum  of  three  hundred  thousand  dollars.  As  we 
have  received  our  commission,  we  look  at  that  land  as  out 
of  the  market  for  a  time." 

"  Have  you  other  property,  sir,  that  affords  the  same 
wonderful  history  of  a  rapid  advance  in  value  ? "  asked  the 
baronet. 

"  These  walls  are  covered  with  maps  of  estates  in  the 
same  predicament.  Some  have  risen  two  or  three  thou- 
sand per  cent,  within  five  years,  and  some  only  a  few  hun- 
dred. There  is  no  calculating  in  the  matter — for  it  is  all 
fancy." 

"  And  on  what  is  this  enormous  increase  in  value 
founded  ?  "  Does  the  town  extend  to  these  fields  ?  " 

"  It  goes  much  further,  sir  ;  that  is  to  say,  on  paper.  In 
the  way  of  houses,  it  is  still  some  miles  short  of  them.  A 
good  deal  depends  on  what  you  call  a  thing,  in  this 
market.  Now,  if  old  Volkert  Van  Brunt's  property  had 
been  still  called  a  farm,  it  would  have  brought  a  farm 
price  ;  but,  as  soon  as  it  was  surveyed  into  lots,  and 
mapped " 

"  Mapped!" 

"  Yes,  sir ;  brought  into  visible  lines,  with  feet  and 
inches.  As  soon  as  it  was  properly  mapped,  it  rose  to  its 
just  value.  We  have  a  good  deal  of  the  bottom  of  the  sea 
that  brings  fair  prices  in  consequence  of  being  well 
mapped." 

Here  the  gentlemen  expressed  their  sense  of  the  auc- 
tioneer's politeness,  and  retired. 

"  We  will  now  go  into  the  salesroom,"  said  John  Efring- 
ham,  "where  you  shall  judge  of  the  spirit,  or  energy,  as  it 
is  termed,  which  at  this  moment  actuates  this  great 
nation." 

Descending,  they  entered  a  crowd,  where  scores  were 
eagerly  bidding  against  each  other,  in  the  fearful  delusion 
of  growing  rich  by  pushing  a  fancied  value  to  a  point  still 


too  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

higher.  One  was  purchasing  ragged  rocks,  another  the 
bottom  of  rivers,  a  third  a  bog,  and  all  on  the  credit  of 
maps.  Our  two  observers  remained  some  time  silent  spec- 
tators of  the  scene. 

"When  I  first  entered  that  room,"  said  John  Effingham, 
as  they  left  the  place,  "  it  appeared  to  me  to  be  filled  with 
maniacs.  Now,  that  I  have  been  in  it  several  times  the 
impression  is  not  much  altered." 

"And  all  those  persons  are  hazarding  their  means  of 
subsistence  on  the  imaginary  estimate  mentioned  by  the 
auctioneer  ?" 

"  They  are  gambling  as  recklessly  as  he  who  places  his 
substance  on  the  cast  of  the  die.  So  completely  has  the 
mania  seized  every  one,  that  the  obvious  truth — a  truth 
which  is  as  apparent  as  any  other  law  of  nature — that 
nothing  can  be  sustained  without  a  foundation,  is  com- 
pletely overlooked,  and  he  who  should  now  proclaim,  in 
this  building,  principles  that  bitter  experience  will  cause 
every  man  to  feel  within  the  next  few  years,  would  be 
happy  if  he  escaped  being  stoned.  I  have  witnessed 
many  similar  excesses  in  the  way  of  speculation  ;  but 
never  an  instance  as  gross,  as  widespread,  and  as  alarming 
as  this." 

"  You  apprehend  serious  consequences,  then,  from  the 
reaction  ? " 

"  In  that  particular  we  are  better  oif  than  older  nations, 
the  youth  and  real  stamina  of  the  country  averting  much 
of  the  danger  ;  but  I  anticipate  a  terrible  blow,  and  that 
the  day  is  not  remote  when  this  town  will  awake  to  a 
sense  of  its  illusion.  What  you  see  here,  is  but  a  small 
part  of  the  extravagance  that  exists  ;  for  it  pervades  the 
whole  community  in  one  shape  or  another.  Extravagant 
issues  of  paper  money,  inconsiderate  credits  that  com- 
mence in  Europe  and  extend  throughout  the  land,  and 
false  notions  as  to  the  value  of  their  possessions,  in  men 
who  five  years  since  had  nothing,  has  completely  destroyed 
the  usual  balance  of  things,  and  money  has  got  to  be  so 
completely  the  end  of  life,  that  few  think  of  it  as  a  means. 
The  history  of  the  world,  probably,  cannot  furnish  a 
parallel  instance  of  an  extensive  country  that  is  so  abso- 
lutely under  this  malign  influence,  as  is  the  fact  with  our 
own  at  this  present  instant.  All  principles  are  swallowed 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  101 

up  in  the  absorbing  desire  for  gain — national  honor,  per- 
manent security,  the  ordinary  rules  of  society,  law,  the 
constitution,  and  everything  that  is  usually  so  dear  to  men, 
are  forgotten,  or  are  perverted  in  order  to  sustain  this  un- 
natural condition  of  things." 

"  This  is  not  only  extraordinary,  but  it  is  fearful  ! " 

"  It  is  both.  The  entire  community'is  in  the  situation 
of  a  man  who  is  in  the  incipient  stages  of  an  exhilarating 
intoxication,  and  who  keeps  pouring  down  glass  after 
glass,  in  the  idle  notion  that  he  is  merely  sustaining  nature 
in  her  ordinary  functions.  This  widespread  infatuation 
extends  from  the  coast  to  the  extremest  frontiers  of  the 
West;  for  while  there  is  a  justifiable  foundation  for  a 
good  deal  of  this  fancied  prosperity,  the  true  is  so  inter- 
woven with  the  false,  that  none  but  the  most  observant 
can  draw  the  distinction,  and,  as  usual,  the  false  predomi- 
nates." 

"  By  your  account,  sir,  the  tulip  mania  of  Holland  was 
trifling  compared  to  this  !  " 

"  That  was  the  same  in  principle  as  our  own,  but  insig- 
nificant in  extent.  Could  I  lead  you  through  these 
streets,  and  let  you  into  the  secret  of  the  interests,  hopes, 
infatuations,  and  follies  that  prevail  in  the  human  breast, 
you,  as  a  calm  spectator,  would  be  astonished  at  the 
manner  in  which  your  own  species  can  be  deluded.  But 
let  us  move,  and  something  may  still  occur  to  offer  an 
example." 

"Mr.  Effingham — I  beg  pardon — Mr.  Effingham,"  said  a 
very  gentlemanly-looking  merchant,  who  was  walking 
about  the  hall  of  the  Exchange,  "what  do  you  think  now 
of  our  French  quarrel  ?  " 

"  I  have  told  you,  Mr.  Bale,  all  I  have  to  say  on  that 
subject.  When  in  France,  I  wrote  you  that  it  was  not  the 
intention  of  the  French  government  to  comply  with  the 
treaty.  You  have  seen  this  opinion  justified  in  the  result, 
you  have  the  declaration  of  the  French  minister  of  state, 
that  without  an  apology  from  this  government,  the  money 
will  not  be  paid  ;  and  I  have  given  it  as  my  opinion,  that 
the  vane  on  yonder  steeple  will  not  turn  more  readily  than 
all  this  policy  will  be  abandoned,  should  anything  occur  in 
Europe  to  render  it  necessary,  or  could  the  French  minis- 
try believe  it  possible  for  this  country  to  fight  for  a  prin- 


102  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

ciple.  These  are  my  opinions,  in  all  their  phases,  and 
you  may  compare  them  with  the  facts  and  judge  for  your- 
self. 

"  It  is  all  General  Jackson,  sir — all  that  monster's  do- 
ings. But  for  his  message,  Mr.  Effingham,  we  should 
have  had  the  money  long  ago." 

"  But  for  his  message,  or  some  equally  decided  step,  Mr. 
Bale,  you  would  never  have  it." 

"Ah,  my  dear  sir,  I  know  your  intentions,  but  I  fear 
you  are  prejudiced  against  that  excellent  man,  the  King 
of  France  !  Prejudice,  Mr.  Effingham,  is  a  sad  innovator 
on  justice." 

Here  Mr.  Bale  shook  his  head,  laughed,  and  disappeared 
in  the  crowd,  perfectly  satisfied  that  John  Effingham  was 
a  prejudiced  man,  and  that  he  himself  was  only  liberal  and 
just. 

"  Now,  that  is  a  man  who  wants  for  neither  abilities  nor 
honesty,  and  yet  he  permits  his  interests,  and  the  influence 
of  this  very  speculating  mania,  to  overshadow  all  his  sense 
of  right,  facts  plain  as  noonday,  and  the  only  principles 
that  can  rule  a  country  in  safety." 

"  He  apprehends  war,  and  has  no  desire  to  believe  even 
facts,  so  long  as  they  serve  to  increase  the  danger." 

"  Precisely,  so  ;  for  even  prudence  gets  to  be  a  perverted 
quality  when  men  are  living  under  an  infatuation  like  that 
which  now  exists.  These  men  live  like  the  fool  who  says 
there  is  no  death." 

Here  the  gentlemen  rejoined  the  ladies,  and  the  car- 
riages drove  through  a  succession  of  narrow  and  crooked 
streets  that  were  lined  with  warehouses  filled  with  the  pro- 
ducts of  the  civilized  world. 

"  Very  much  of  all  this  is  a  part  of  the  same  lamentable 
illusion,"  said  John  Effingham,  as  the  carriages  made  their 
way  slowly  through  the  encumbered  streets.  "The  man 
who  sells  his  inland  lots  at  a  profit,  secured  by  credit,  fan- 
cies himself  enriched,  and  he  extends  his  manner  of  living 
in  proportion.  The  boy  from  the  country  becomes  a  mer- 
chant— or  what  is  here  called  a  merchant — and  obtains  a 
credit  in  Europe  a  hundred  times  exceeding  his  means, 
and  caters  to  these  fancied  wants  ;  and  thus  is  every  ave- 
nue of  society  thronged  with  adventurers,  the  ephemera 
of  the  same  widespread  spirit  of  reckless  folly.  Millions 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  103 

in  value  pass  out  of  these  streets,  that  go  to  feed  the  vanity 
of  those  who  fancy  themselves  wealthy,  because  they  hold 
some  ideal  pledges  for  the  payment  of  advances  in  price 
like  those  mentioned  by  the  auctioneer,  and  which  have 
some  such  security  for  the  eventual  payment,  as  one  can 
find  in  calling  a  thing  that  is  really  worth  a  dollar,  worth 
a  hundred." 

"  Are  the  effects  of  this  state  of  things  apparent  in  your 
ordinary  associations  ? " 

"  In  everything.  The  desire  to  grow  suddenly  rich  has 
seized  on  all  classes.  Even  women  and  clergymen  are 
infected,  and  we  exist  under  the  active  control  of  the  most 
corrupting  of  all  influences,  '  the  love  of  money.'  I  should 
despair  of  the  country  altogether,  did  I  not  feel  certain 
that  the  disease  is  too  violent  to  last,  and  entertain  a  hope 
that  the  season  of  calm  reflection  and  of  repentance — that 
is  to  follow — will  be  in  proportion  to  its  causes." 

After  taking  this  view  of  the  town,  the  party  returned 
to  Hudson  Square,  where  the  baronet  dined,  it  being  his 
intention  to  go  to  Washington  on  the  following  day.  The 
leave-taking  in  the  evening  was  kind  and  friendly  ;  Mr. 
Effingham,  who  had  a  sincere  regard  for  his  late  fellow- 
traveller,  cordially  inviting  him  to  visit  him  in  the  moun- 
tains in  June. 

As  Sir  George  took  his  leave,  the  bells  began  to  ring  for 
a  fire.  In  New  York  one  gets  so  accustomed  to  these 
alarms,  that  near  an  hour  had  passed  before  any  of  the 
Effingham  family  began  to  reflect  on  the  long  continuance 
of  the  cries.  A  servant  was  then  sent  out  to  ascertain  the 
reason,  and  his  report  made  the  matter  more  serious  than 
usual. 

We  believe  that  in  the  frequency  of  these  calamities  the 
question  lies  between  Constantinople  and  New  York.  It 
is  a  common  occurrence  for  twenty  or  thirty  buildings  to 
be  burnt  down  in  the  latter  place,  and  for  the  residents  of 
the  same  ward  to  remain  in  ignorance  of  the  circumstance, 
until  enlightened  on  the  fact  by  the  daily  prints  ;  the  con- 
stant repetition  of  the  alarms  hardening  the  ear  and  the 
feelings  against  the  appeal.  A  fire  of  greater  extent  than 
common  had  occurred  only  a  night  or  two  previously  to 
this  ;  and  a  rumor  now  prevailed  that  the  severity  of  the 
weather,  and  the  condition  of  the  hose  and  engines,  ren- 


104  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

dered  the  present  danger  double.  On  hearing  this  intelli- 
gence, the  Messrs.  Effingham  wrapped  themselves  up  in 
their  overcoats,  and  went  together  into  the  streets. 

"  This  seems  something  more  than  usual,  Ned,"  said  John 
Effingham,  glancing  his  eye  upward  at  the  lurid  vault, 
athwart  which  gleams  of  fiery  light  began  to  shine  ;  "  the 
danger  is  not  distant,  and  it  seems  serious." 

Following  the  direction  of  the  current,  they  soon  found 
the  scene  of  the  conflagration,  which  was  in  the  very  heart 
of  those  masses  of  warehouses,  or  stores,  that  John  Effing- 
ham had  commented  on  so  lately.  A  short  street  of  high 
buildings  was  already  completely  in  flames,  and  the  danger 
of  approaching  the  enemy,  added  to  the  frozen  condition 
of  the  apparatus,  the  exhaustion  of  the  firemen  from  their 
previous  efforts,  and  the  intense  coldness  of  the  night,  con- 
spired to  make  the  aspect  of  things  in  the  highest  degree 
alarming. 

The  firemen  of  New  York  have  that  superiority  over 
those  of  other  places  that  the  veteran  soldier  obtains  over 
the  recruit.  But  the  best  troops  can  be  appalled,  and  on 
this  memorable  occasion  these  celebrated  firemen,  from  a 
variety  of  causes,  became  for  a  time  little  more  than  pas- 
sive spectators  of  the  terrible  scene. 

There  was  an  hour  or  two  when  all  attempts  at  checking 
the  conflagration  seemed  really  hopeless,  and  even  the 
boldest  and  the  most  persevering  scarcely  knew  which  way 
to  turn,  to  be  useful.  A  failure  of  water,  the  numerous 
points  that  required  resistance,  the  conflagration  extending 
in  all  directions  from  a  common  centre,  by  means  of  num- 
berless irregular  and  narrow  streets,  and  the  impossibility 
of  withstanding  the  intense  heat  in  the  choked  passages, 
soon  added  despair  to  the  other  horrors  of  the  scene. 

They  who  stood  near  the  fiery  masses  were  freezing  on 
one  side  with  the  Greenland  cold  of  the  night,  while  their 
bodies  were  almost  blistered  with  the  fierce  flames  on  the 
other.  There  was  something  frightful-  in  this  contest  of 
the  elements,  nature  appearing  to  condense  the  heat  within 
its  narrowest  possible  limits,  as  if  purposely  to  increase  its 
fierceness.  The  effects  were  awful ;  for  entire  buildings 
would  seem  to  dissolve  at  their  touch,  as  the  forked  flames 
enveloped  them  in  sheets  of  fire. 

Every  one  being  afoot,  within  sound  of  alarm,  though  all 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  105 

the  more  vulgar  cries  had  ceased,  as  men  would  deem  it 
mockery  to  cry  murder  in  a  battle,  Sir  George  Templemore 
met  his  friends  on  the  margin  of  this  sea  of  fire.  It  was 
now  drawing  toward  morning,  and  the  conflagration  was 
at  its  height,  having  already  laid  waste  a  nucleus  of  blocks, 
and  it  was  extending  by  many  lines  in  every  possible  di- 
rection. 

"  Here  is  a  fearful  admonition  for  those  who  set  their 
hearts  on  riches,"  observed  Sir  George  Templemore,  re- 
calling the  conversation  of  the  previous  day.  "  What,  in- 
deed, are  the  designs  of  man,  as  compared  with  the  will 
of  Providence  ! '' 

"  I  foresee  that  this  is  le  commencement  de  la  fin"  returned 
John  Effingham.  u  The  destruction  is  already  so  great  as 
to  threaten  to  bring  down  with  it  the  usual  safeguards 
against  such  losses,  and  one  pin  knocked  out  of  so  frail  and 
delicate  a  fabric,  the  whole  will  become  loose,  and  fall  to 
pieces." 

"  Will  nothing  be  done  to  arrest  the  flames  ? " 

"  As  men  recover  from  the  panic,  their  plans  will  im- 
prove and  their  energies  will  revive.  The  wider  streets  are 
already  reducing  the  fire  within  more  certain  limits,  and 
they  speak  of  a  favorable  change  of  wind.  It  is  thought 
five  hundred  buildings  have  already  been  consumed,  in 
scarcely  half  a  dozen  hours." 

That  Exchange,  which  had  so  lately  resembled  a  bustling 
temple  of  Mammon,  was  already  a  dark  and  sheeted  ruin, 
its  marble  walls  being  cracked,  defaced,  tottering,  or  fallen. 
It  lay  on  the  confines  of  the  ruin,  and  our  party  was  enabled 
to  take  their  position  near  it,  to  observe  the  scene.  All  in 
their  immediate  vicinity  was  assuming  the  stillness  of  deso- 
lation, while  the  flashes  of  fierce  light  in  the  distance 
marked  the  progress  of  the  conflagration.  Those  who  knew 
the  localities,  now  began  to  speak  of  the  natural  or  acci- 
dental barriers,  such  as  the  water,  the  slips,  and  the  broader 
streets,  as  the  only  probable  means  of  arresting  the  destruc- 
tion. The  crackling  of  the  flames  grew  distant  fast,  and 
the  cries  of  the  firemen  were  now  scarcely  audible. 

At  this  period  in  the  frightful  scene,  a  party  of  seamen 
arrived,  bearing  powder,  in  readiness  to  blow  up  various 
buildings,  in  the  streets  that  possessed  of  themselves  no 
sufficient  barriers  to  the  advance  of  the  flame.  Led  by 


io6  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

their  officers,  these  gallant  fellows,  carrying  in  their  arms 
the  means  of  destruction,  moved  up  steadily  to  the  verge 
of  the  torrents  of  fire,  and  planted  their  kegs  ;  laying  their 
trains  with  the  hardy  indifference  that  practice  can  alone 
create,  and  with  an  intelligence  that  did  infinite  credit  to 
their  coolness.  This  deliberate  courage  was  rewarded  with 
complete  success,  and  house  crumbled  to  pieces  after 
house,  under  the  dull  explosions,  happily  without  an  acci- 
dent. 

From  this  time  the  flames  became  less  ungovernable, 
though  the  day  dawned  and  advanced,  and  another  night 
succeeded,  before  they  could  be  said  to  be  got  fairly  under. 
Weeks,  and  even  months  passed,  however,  ere  the  smoulder- 
ing ruins  ceased  to  send  up  smoke,  the  fierce  element  con- 
tinuing to  burn,  like  a  slumbering  volcano,  as  it  might  be 
in  the  bowels  of  the  earth. 

The  day  that  succeeded  this  disaster  was  memorable  for 
the  rebuke  it  gave  the  rapacious  longing  for  wealth.  Men 
who  had  set  their  hearts  on  gold,  and  who  prided  them- 
selves on  their  possessions,  and  on  that  only,  were  made  to 
feel  its  inanity  ;  and  they  who  had  walked  abroad  as  gods 
so  lately,  began  to  experience  how  utterly  insignificant 
are  the  merely  rich,  when  stripped  of  their  possessions. 
Eight  hundred  buildings,  containing  fabrics  of  every  kind, 
and  the  raw  material  in  various  forms,  had  been  destroyed, 
as  it  were  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye. 

A  faint  voice  was  heard  from  the  pulpit,  and  there  was  a 
moment  when  those  who  remembered  a  better  state  of 
things  began  to  fancy  that  principles  would  once  more 
assert  their  ascendancy,  and  that  the  community  would,  in 
a  measure,  be  purified.  But  this  expectation  ended  in  dis- 
appointment, the  infatuation  being  too  widespread  and 
corrupting  to  be  stopped  by  even  this  check,  and  the  re- 
buke was  reserved  for  a  form  that  seems  to  depend  on  a 
law  of  nature,  that  of  causing  a  vice  to  bring  with  it  its 
own  infallible  punishment. 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  107 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


"  First,  tell  me,  have  you  been  at  Pisa  ?  " 

SHAKESPEARE. 

THE  conflagration  alluded  to  rather  than  described  in 
the  preceding  chapter,  threw  a  gloom  over  the  gayeties  of 
New  York — if  that  ever  could  be  properly  called  gay  which 
was  little  more  than  a  strife  in  prodigality  and  parade — and 
leaves  us  little  more  to  say  of  the  events  of  the  winter. 
Eve  regretted  very  little  the  interruption  to  scenes  in  which 
she  had  found  no  pleasure,  however  much  she  lamented 
the  cause  ;  and  she  and  Grace  passed  the  remainder  of  the 
season  quietly  cultivating  the  friendship  of  such  women  as 
Mrs.  Hawker  and  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  and  devoting  hours  to 
the  improvement  of  their  minds  and  tastes,  without  ever 
again  venturing,  however,  within  the  hallowed  precincts 
of  such  rooms  as  those  of  Mrs.  Legend. 

One  consequence  of  a  state  of  rapacious  infatuation  like 
that  we  have  just  related,  is  the  intensity  of  selfishness 
which  smothers  all  recollection  of  the  past,  and  all  just 
anticipations  of  the  future,  by  condensing  life,  with  its 
motives  and  enjoyments,  into  the  present  moment.  Cap- 
tain Truck,  therefore,  was  soon  forgotten,  and  the  literati, 
as  that  worthy  seaman  had  termed  the  associates  of  Mrs. 
Legend,  remained  just  as  vapid,  as  conceited,  as  ignorant, 
as  imitative,  as  dependent,  and  as  provincial  as  ever. 

As  the  season  advanced,  our  heroine  began  to  look  with 
longings  toward  the  country.  The  town  life  of  an  Amer- 
ican offers  little  to  one  accustomed  to  a  town  life  in  older 
and  more  permanently  regulated  communities  ;  and  Eve 
was  already  heartily  weary  of  crowded  and  noisy  balls  (for 
a  few  were  still  given),  belles,  the  struggles  of  an  un in- 
structed taste,  and  a  representation  in  which  extravagance 
was  so  seldom  relieved  by  the  elegance  and  convenience 
of  a  condition  of  society  in  which  more  attention  is  paid 
to  the  fitness  of  things. 

The  American  spring  is  the  least  pleasant  of  its  four 
seasons,  its  character  being  truly  that  of  "  winter  lingering 


io8  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

in  the  lap  of  May."  Mr.  Effingham,  who  the  reader  will 
probably  suspect  by  this  time  to  be  a  descendant  of  a  fam- 
ily of  the  same  name  that  we  have  had  occasion  to  intro- 
duce into  another  work,  had  sent  orders  to  have  his  coun- 
try residence  prepared  for  the  reception  of  our  party  ;  and 
it  was  with  a  feeling  of  delight  that  Eve  stepped  on  board 
a  steamboat  to  escape  from  a  town  that,  while  it  contained 
so  much  that  is  worthy  of  any  capital,  contains  so  much 
more  that  is  unfit  for  any  place,  in  order  to  breathe  the  pure 
air  and  enjoy  the  tranquil  pleasure  of  the  country.  Sir 
George  Templemore  had  returned  from  his  southern  jour- 
ney, and  made  one  of  the  party  by  express  arrangement. 

"  Now,  Eve,"  said  Grace  Van  Cortlandt,  as  the  boat 
glided  along  the  wharves,  "  if  it  were  any  person  but  you, 
I  should  feel  confident  of  having  something  to  show  that 
would  extort  admiration." 

"  You  are  safe  enough  in  that  respect,  for  a  more  impos- 
ing object,  in  its  way,  than  this  very  vessel,  eye  of  mine 
never  beheld.  It  is  positively  the  only  thing  that  deserves 
the  name  of  magnificent  I  have  yet  seen  since  our  return 
— unless,  indeed,  it  may  be  magnificent  projects." 

"  I  am  glad,  dear  coz,  there  is  this  one  magnificent  ob- 
ject, then,  to  satisfy  a  taste  so  fastidious." 

As  Grace's  little  foot  moved,  and  her  voice  betrayed 
vexation,  the  whole  party  smiled  ;  for  the  whole  party, 
while  it  felt  the  justice  of  Eve's  observation,  saw  the  real 
feeling  that  was  at  the  bottom  of  her  cousin's  remark.  Sir 
George,  however,  though  he  could  not  conceal  from  him- 
self the  truth  of  what  had  been  said  by  the  one  party,  and 
the  weakness  betrayed  by  the  other,  had  too  much  sym- 
pathy for  the  provincial  patriotism  of  one  so  young  and 
beautiful,  not  to  come  to  the  rescue. 

"  You  should  remember,  Miss  Van  Cortlandt,"  he  said, 
"  that  Miss  Effingham  has  not  had  the  advantage  yet  of 
seeing  the  Delaware,  Philadelphia,  the  noble  bays  of  the 
South,  nor  so  much  that  is  to  be  found  out  of  the  single 
town  of  New  York.  ' 

"  Very  true,  and  I  hope  yet  to  see  her  a  sincere  penitent 
for  all  her  unpatriotic  admissions  against  her  own  country. 
You  have  seen  the  Capitol,  Sir  George  Templemore  ;  is  it 
not  truly  one  of  the  finest  edifices  of  the  world  ? " 

"  You  will  except  St.  Peter's,  surely,  my  child,"  observed 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  109 

Mr.  Effingham,  smiling,  for  he  saw  that  the  baronet  was 
embarrassed  to  give  a  ready  answer. 

''  And  the  Cathedral  at  Milan,"  said  Eve  laughing. 

"  Et  le  Louvre  !  "  cried  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  who  had 
some  such  admiration  for  everything  Parisian,  as  Eve  had 
for  everything  American. 

"  And  most  especially  the  northeast  corner  of  the  south- 
west end  of  the  northwest  wing  of  Versailles,"  said  John 
Effingham,  in  his  usual  dry  manner. 

"  I  see  you  are  all  against  me,"  Grace  rejoined,  "  but  I 
hope  one  day  to  be  able  to  ascertain  for  myself  the  compar- 
ative merits  of  things.  As  Nature  makes  rivers,  I  hope 
the  Hudson,  at  least,  will  not  be  found  unworthy  of  your 
admiration,  gentlemen  and  ladies." 

"  You  are  safe  enough  there,  Grace,"  observed  Mr. 
Effingham  ;  "  for  few  rivers,  perhaps  no  river,  offer  so 
great  and  so  pleasing  a  variety  in  so  short  a  distance  as 
this." 

It  was  a  lovely,  bland  morning  in  the  last  week  of  May ; 
and  the  atmosphere  was  already  getting  the  soft  hues  of 
summer,  or  assuming  the  hazy  and  solemn  calm  that  ren- 
ders the  season  so  quiet  and  soothing  after  the  fiercer  strife 
of  the  elements.  Under  such  a  sky,  the  Palisadoes  in  par- 
ticular looked  well  ;  for  though  wanting  in  the  terrific 
grandeur  of  an  Alpine  nature,  and  perhaps  disproportioned 
to  the  scenery  they  adorned,  they  were  bold  and  peculiar. 

The  great  velocity  of  the  boat  added  to  the  charm  of  the 
passage,  the  scene  scarce  finding  time  to  pall  on  the  eye  ; 
for  no  sooner  was  one  object  examined  in  its  outlines,  than 
it  was  succeeded  by  another. 

"  An  extraordinary,  taste  is  afflicting  this  country  in  the 
way  of  architecture,"  said  Mr.  Effingham,  as  they  stood 
gazing  at  the  eastern  shore  ;  "  nothing  but  a  Grecian  tem- 
ple being  now  deemed  a  suitable  residence  for  a  man  in 
these  classical  times.  Yonder  is  a  structure,  for  instance, 
of  beautiful  proportions,  and  at  this  distance  apparently  of 
precious  material,  and  yet  it  seems  better  suited  to  heathen 
worship  than  to  domestic  comfort." 

"The  malady  has  affected  the  whole  nation,"  returned 
his  cousin,  "  like  the  spirit  of  speculation.  We  are  pass- 
ing from  one  extreme  to  the  other,  in  this  as  in  other 
things.  One  such  temple  well  placed  in  a  wood,  might  be 


no  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

a  pleasant  object  enough  ;  but  to  see  a  river  lined  with 
them,  with  children  trundling  hoops  before  their  doors, 
beef  carried  into  their  kitchens,  and  smoke  issuing,  more- 
over, from  those  unclassical  objects,  chimneys,  is  too  much 
even  for  a  high  taste  ;  one  might  as  well  live  in  a  fever. 
Mr.  Aristabulus  Bragg,  who  is  a  wag  in  his  way,  informs 
me  that  there  is  one  town  in  the  interior  that  has  actually 
a  market-house  on  the  plan  of  the  Parthenon  !  " 

"  //  Capo  di  Bovo  would  be  a  more  suitable  model  for 
such  a  structure,"  said  Eve,  smiling.  "  But  I  think  I  have 
heard  that  the  classical  taste  of  our  architects  is  anything 
but  rigid." 

"  This  was  the  case,  rather  than  is,"  returned  John 
Effingham,  "  as  witness  all  these  temples.  The  country 
has  made  a  quick  and  a  great  pas  en  avant,  in  the  way  of 
the  fine  arts,  and  the  fact  shows  what  might  be  done  with 
so  ready  a  people  under  a  suitable  direction.  The  stranger 
who  comes  among  us  is  apt  to  hold  the  art  of  the  nation 
cheap,  but  as  all  things  are  comparative,  let  him  inquire 
into  its  state  ten  years  since,  and  look  at  it  to-day.  The 
fault  just  now  is  perhaps  to  consult  the  books  too  rigidly, 
and  to  trust  too  little  to  invention  ;  for  no  architecture, 
and  especially  no  domestic  architecture,  can  ever  be  above 
serious  reproach,  until  climate,  the  uses  of  the  edifice,  and 
the  situation,  are  respected  as  leading  considerations. 
Nothing  can  be  uglier,  per  se,  than  a  Swiss  cottage,  or  any- 
thing more  beautiful  under  its  precise  circumstances.  As 
regards  these  mushroom  temples  which  are  the  offspring 
of  Mammon,  let  them  be  dedicated  to  whom  they  may,  I 
should  exactly  reverse  the  opinion  and  say,  that  while 
nothing  can  be  much  more  beautiful,  per  se,  nothing  can  be 
in  worse  taste  than  to  put  them  where  they  are." 

u  We  shall  have  an  opportunity  of  seeing  what  Mr.  John 
Effingham  can  do  in  the  way  of  architecture,"  said  Grace, 
who  loved  to  revenge  some  of  her  fancied  wrongs,  by  turn- 
ing the  tables  on  her  assailant,  "  for  I  understand  he  has 
been  improving  on  the  original  labors  of  that  notorious 
Palladio,  Master  Hiram  Doolittle  !  " 

The  whole  party  laughed,  and  every  eye  was  turned  on 
the  gentleman  alluded  to,  expecting  his  answer. 

"You  will  remember,  good  people,"  answered  the  ac- 
cused by  implication,  "  that  my  plans  were  handed  over  to 


HOME   AS  FOUND.  in 

me  from  my  great  predecessor,  and  that  they  were  origi- 
nally of  the  composite  order.  If,  therefore,  the  house 
should  turn  out  to  be  a  little  complex  and  mixed,  you  will 
do  me  the  justice  to  remember  this  important  fact.  At 
all  events,  I  have  consulted  comfort  ;  and  that,  I  would 
maintain,  in  the  face  of  Vitruvius  himself,  is  a  sine  qua  non 
in  domestic  architecture." 

"  1  took  a  run  into  Connecticut  the  other  day,"  said  Sir 
George  Templemore,  "  and,  at  a  place  called  New  Haven, 
I  saw  the  commencement  of  a  taste  that  bids  fair  to  make 
a  most  remarkable  town.  It  is  true,  you  cannot  expect 
structures  of  much  pretension  in  the  way  of  cost  and  mag- 
nitude in  this  country,  but,  so  far  as  fitness  and  forms  are 
concerned,  if  what  I  hear  be  true,  and  the  next  fifty  years 
do  as  much  in  proportion  for  that  little  city,  as  I  under- 
stand has  been  done  in  the  last  five,  it  will  be  altogether  a 
wonder  in  its  way.  There  are  some  abortions,  it  is  true, 
but  there  are  also  some  little  jewels." 

The  baronet  was  rewarded  for  this  opinion  by  a  smile 
from  Grace,  and  the  conversation  changed.  As  the  boat 
approached  the  mountains,  Eve  became  excited — a  very 
American  state  of  the  system,  by  the  way — and  Grace  still 
more  anxious. 

"  The  view  of  that  bluff  is  Italian,"  said  our  heroine, 
pointing  down  the  river  at  a  noble  headland  of  rock,  that 
loomed  grandly  in  the  soft  haze  of  the  tranquil  atmosphere. 
"  One  seldom  sees  a  finer  or  a  softer  outline  on  the 
shores  of  the  Mediterranean  itself." 

"  But  the  Highlands,  Eve !"  whispered  the  uneasy  Grace. 
"We  are  entering  the  mountains." 

The  river  narrowed  suddenly,  and  the  scenery  became 
bolder,  but  neither  Eve  nor  her  father  expressed  the  rapt- 
ure that  Grace  expected. 

"  I  must  confess,  Jack,"  said  the  mild,  thoughtful  Mr. 
Effingham,  "that  these  rocks  strike  my  eyes  as  much  less 
imposing  than  formerly.  The  passage  is  fine,  beyond 
question,  but  it  is  hardly  grand  scenery." 

"You  never  uttered  a  juster  opinion,  Ned,  though  after 
your  eye  loses  some  of  the  forms  of  the  Swiss  and  Italian 
lakes,  and  of  the  shores  of  Italy,  you  will  think  better  of 
these.  The  Highlands  are  remarkable  for  their  surprises, 
rather  than  for  their  grandeur,  as  we  shall  presently  see. 


H2  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

As  to  the  latter,  it  is  an  affair  of  feet  and  inches,  and  is 
capable  of  arithmetical  demonstration.  We  have  often 
been  on  lakes,  beneath  beetling  cliifs  of  from  three  to  six 
thousand  feet  in  height  ;  whereas,  here,  the  greatest  ele- 
vation is  materially  less  than  two.  But,  Sir  George  Tem- 
plemore,  and  you,  Miss  Effingham,  do  me  the  favor  to 
combine  your  cunning,  and  tell  me  whence  this  stream 
cometh,  and  whither  we  are  to  go  ?  " 

The  boat  had  now  approached  a  point  where  the  river 
was  narrowed  to  a  width  not  much  exceeding  a  quarter  of 
a  mile,  and  in  that  direction  in  which  it  was  steering,  the 
water  seemed  to  become  still  more  contracted  until  they 
were  lost  in  a  sort  of  bay,  that  appeared  to  be  closed  by 
high  hills,  through  which,  however,  there  were  traces  of 
something  like  a  passage. 

"  The  land  in  that  direction  looks  as  if  it  had  a  ravine- 
like  entrance."  said  the  baronet  ;  and  yet  it  is  scarcely 
possible  that  a  stream  like  this  can  flow  there  !  " 

"  If  the  Hudson  truly  passes  through  those  mountains," 
said  Eve,  "  I  will  concede  all  in  its  favor  that  you  can  ask, 
Grace." 

"  Where  else  can  it  pass  ? "  demanded  Grace  exult- 
ingly. 

"  Sure  enough — I  see  no  other  place,  and  that  seems  in- 
sufficient." 

The  two  strangers  to  the  river  now  looked  curiously 
around  them  in  every  direction.  Behind  them  was  a  broad 
and  lake-like  basin,  through  which  they  had  just  passed  ; 
on  the  left,  a  barrier  of  precipitous  hills,  the  elevation  of 
which  was  scarcely  less  than  a  thousand  feet  ;  on  their 
right,  a  high  but  broken  country,  studded  with  villas,  farm- 
houses, and  hamlets  ;  and  in  their  front  the  deep  but  equiv- 
ocal bay  mentioned. 

"  I  see  no  escape  ! "  cried  the  baronet  gayly,  "  unless  in- 
deed it  be  by  returning." 

A  sudden  and  broad  sheer  of  the  boat  caused  it  to  turn 
to  the  left,  and  then  they  whirled  round  an  angle  of  the 
precipice,  and  found  themselves  in  a  reach  of  the  river  be- 
tween steep  declivities,  running  at  right  angles  to  their 
former  course. 

"This  is  one  of  the  surprises  of  which  I  spoke,"  said 
John  Effingham,  "  and  which  render  the  Highlands  so 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  113 

unique;  for,  while  the  Rhine  is  very  sinuous,  it  has  nothing 
like  this." 

The  other  travellers  agreed  in  extolling  this  and  many 
similar  features  of  the  scenery,  and  Grace  was  delighted  ; 
for,  warm-hearted,  affectionate,  and  true,  Grace  loved  her 
country  like  a  relative  or  a  friend,  and  took  an  honest  pride 
in  hearing  its  praises.  The  patriotism  of  Eve,  if  a  word  of 
a  meaning  so  lofty  can  be  applied  to  feelings  of  this  nature, 
was  more  discriminating  from  necessity,  her  tastes  having 
been  formed  in  a  higher  school,  and  her  means  of  com- 
parison being  so  much  more  ample.  At  West  Point  they 
stopped  for  the  night,  and  here  everybody  was  in  honest 
raptures ;  Grace,  who  had  often  visited  'the  place  before, 
being  actually  the  least  so  of  the  whole  party. 

"  Now,  Eve,  I  know  that  you  do  love  your  country,"  she 
said,  as  she  slipped  an  arm  affectionately  through  that  of 
her  cousin.  "  This  is  feeling  and  speaking  like  an  Ameri- 
can girl,  and  as  Eve  Effingham  should  ! " 

Eve  laughed,  but  she  had  discovered  that  the  provincial 
feeling  was  so  strong  in  Grace,  that  its  discussion  would 
probably  do  no  good.  She  dwelt,  therefore,  with  sincere 
eloquence  on  the  beauties  of  the  place,  and  for  the  first 
time  since  they  had  met,  her  cousin  felt  as  if  there  was  no 
longer  any  point  of  dissension  between  them. 

The  following  morning  was  the  first  of  June,  and  it  was 
another  of  those  drowsy,  dreamy  days  that  so  much  aid  a 
landscape.  The  party  embarked  in  the  first  boat  that  came 
up,  and  as  they  entered  Newburg  Bay,  the  triumph  of  the 
river  was  established.  This  is  a  spot,  in  sooth,  that  has 
few  equals  in  any  region,  though  Eve  still  insisted  that  the 
excellence  of  the  view  was  in  its  softness  rather  than  in  its 
grandeur.  The  country-houses,  or  boxes,  for  few  could 
claim  to  be  much  more,  were  neat,  well  placed,  and  ex- 
ceedingly numerous.  The  heights  around  the  town  of 
Newburg,  in  particular,  were  fairly  dotted  with  them, 
though  Mr.  Effingham  shook  his  head  as  he  saw  one 
Grecian  temple  appear  after  another. 

"  As  we  recede  from  the  influence  of  the  vulgar  archi- 
tects," he  said,  "we  find  imitation  taking  the  place  of  in- 
struction. Many  of  these  buildings  are  obviously  dispro- 
portioned,  and  then,  like  vulgar  pretension  of  any  sort,  Gre- 
cian architecture  produces  less  pleasure  than  even  Dutch." 


ii4  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  I  am  surprised  at  discovering  how  little  of  a  Dutch 
character  remains  in  this  State,"  said  the  baronet  ;  "  I  can 
scarcely  trace  that  people  in  anything,  and  yet,  I  believe, 
they  had  the  moulding  of  your  society,  having  carried  the 
colony  through  its  infancy." 

"When  you  know  us  better  you  will  be  surprised  at  dis- 
covering how  little  of  anything  ^remains  a  dozen  years," 
returned  John  Effingham.  "  Our  towns  pass  away  in  gen- 
erations like  their  people,  and  even  the  names  of  a  place 
undergo  periodical  mutations,  as  well  as  everything  else. 
It  is  getting  to  be  a  predominant  feeling  in  the  American 
nature,  I  fear,  to  love  change." 

"  But,  cousin  Jack,  do  you  not  overlook  causes,  in  your 
censure  ?  That  a  nation  advancing  as  fast  as  this  in  wealth 
and  numbers,  should  desire  better  structures  than  its 
fathers  had  either  the  means  or  the  taste  to  build,  and  that 
names  should  change  with  persons,  are  both  quite  in 
rule." 

"  All  very  true,  though  it  does  not  account  for  the  pecu- 
liarity I  mean.  Take  Templeton,  for  instance  ;  this  little 
place  has  not  essentially  increased  in  numbers  within  my 
memory,  and  yet  fully  one  half  its  names  are  new.  When 
he  reaches  his  own  home,  your  father  will  not  know  even 
the  names  of  one-half  his  neighbors.  Not  only  will  he 
meet  with  new  faces,  but  he  will  find  new  feelings,  new 
opinions  in  the  place  of  traditions  that  he  may  love,  an 
indifference  to  everything  but  the  present  moment,  and 
even  those  who  may  have  better  feelings,  and  a  wish  to 
cherish  all  that  belongs  to  the  holier  sentiments  of  man, 
afraid  to  utter  them,  lest  they  meet  with  no  sympathy." 

"No  cats,  as  Mr.  Bragg  would  say." 

"  Jack  is  one  who  never  paints  en  beau"  said  Mr.  Effing- 
ham.  "  I  should  be  very  sorry  to  believe  that  a  dozen 
short  years  can  have  made  all  these  essential  changes  in 
my  neighborhood." 

"  A  dozen  years,  Ned  !  You  name  an  age.  Speak  of 
three  or  four,  if 'you  wish  to  find  anything  in  America 
where  you  left  it  !  The  whole  country  is  in  such  a  con- 
stant state  of  mutation,  that  I  can  only  liken  it  to  the  game 
of  children,  in  which,  as  one  quits  his  corner,  another  runs 
into  it,  and  he  that  finds  no  corner  to  get  into,  is  the  laugh- 
ingstock of  the  others.  Fancy  that  dwelling  the  residence 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  115 

of  one  man  from  childhood  to  old  age  ;  let  him  then  quit  it 
for  a  year  or  two,  and  on  his  return  he  would  find  another 
in  possession,  who  would  treat  him  as  an  impertinent  in- 
truder, because  he  had  been  absent  two  years.  An  Amer- 
ican *  always,'  in  the  way  of  usages,  extends  no  further 
back  than  eighteen  months.  In  short,  everything  is  con- 
densed into  the  present  moment ;  and  services,  character, 
for  evil  as  well  as  good  unhappily,  and  all  other  things  cease 
to  have  weight,  except  as  they  influence  the  interests  of 
the  day." 

"This  is  the  coloring  of  a  professed  cynic,"  observed 
Mr.  Effingham,  smiling. 

"  But  the  law,  Mr.  John  Effingham,"  eagerly  inquired 
the  baronet — "  surely  the  law  would  not  permit  a  stranger 
to  intrude  in  this  manner  on  the  rights  of  an  owner." 

"  The  law-books  would  do  him  that  friendly  office,  per- 
haps, but  what  is  a  precept  in  the  face  of  practices  so 
ruthless !  '  Les  absents  out  toujours  tortj  is  a  maxim  of  pecu- 
liar application  in  America." 

"  Property  is  as  secure  in  this  country  as  in  any  other, 
Sir  George  ;  and  you  will  make  allowances  for  the  humors 
of  the  present  annotator." 

"  Well,  well,  Ned  ;  I  hope  you  will  find  everything 
couleur  de  rose,  as  you  appear  to  expect.  You  will  get 
quiet  possession  of  your  house,  it  is  true  ;  for  I  have  put 
a  Cerberus  in  it  that  is  quite  equal  to  his  task,  difficult  as 
it  may  be,  and  who  has  quite  as  much  relish  for  a  bill  of 
costs  as  any  squatter  can  have  for  a  trespass  ;  but  without 
some  such  guardian  of  your  rights,  I  would  not  answer 
for  it  that  you  would  not  be  compelled  to  sleep  in  the 
highway." 

"  I  trust  Sir  George  Templemore  knows  how  to  make 
allowances  for  Mr.  John  Effingham's  pictures,"  cried 
Grace,  unable  to  refrain  from  expressing  her  discontent 
any  longer. 

A  laugh  succeeded,  and  the  beauties  of  the  river  again 
attracted  their  attention.  As  the  boat  continued  to  ascend, 
Mr.  Effingham  triumphantly  affirmed  that  the  appearance 
of  things  more  than  equalled  his  expectations,  while  both 
Eve  and  the  baronet  declared  that  a  succession  of  lovelier 
landscapes  could  hardly  be  presented  to  the  eye. 

"  Whited  sepulchres  !  "  muttered  John  Effingham.    "  All 


n6  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

outside.  Wait  until  you  get  a  view  of  the  deformity 
within." 

As  the  boat  approached  Albany,  Eve  expressed  her 
satisfaction  in  still  stronger  terms,  and  Grace  was  made 
perfectly  happy  by  hearing  her  and  Sir  George  declare 
that  the  place  entirely  exceeded  their  expectations. 

"  I  am  glad  to  find,  Eve,  that  you  are  so  fast  recovering 
your  American  feelings,"  said  her  beautiful  cousin,  after 
one  of  those  expressions  of  agreeable  disappointment,  as 
they  were  seated  at  a  late  dinner  in  an  inn.  "  You  have 
at  last  found  words  to  praise  the  exterior  of  Albany  ;  and 
I  hope,  by  the  time  we  return,  you  will  be  disposed  to  see 
New  York  with  different  eyes." 

"  I  expected  to  see  a  capital  in  New  York,  Grace,  and  in 
this  I  have  been  grievously  disappointed.  Instead  of  find- 
ing the  tastes,  tone,  conveniences,  architecture,  streets, 
churches,  shops,  and  society  of  a  capital,  I  found  a  huge 
expansion  of  common-place  things,  a  commercial  town, 
and  the  most  mixed  and  the  least  regulated  society  that  I 
had  ever  met  with.  Expecting  so  much,  where  so  little 
was  found,  disappointment  was  natural.  But  in  Albany, 
although  a  political  capital,  I  knew  the  nature  of  the 
government  too  well  to  expect  more  than  a  provincial 
town  ;  and  in  this  respect  I  have  found  one  much  above 
the  level  of  similar  places  in  other  parts  of  the  world.  I 
acknowledge  that  Albany  has  as  much  exceeded  my  ex- 
pectations in  one  sense,  as  New  York  has  fallen  short  of 
them  in  another." 

"  In  this  simple  fact,  Sir  George  Templemore,"  said 
Mr.  Effingham,  "  you  may  read  the  real  condition  of  the 
country.  In  all  that  requires  something  more  than  usual, 
a  deficiency  ;  in  all  that  is  deemed  an  average,  better  than 
common.  The  tendency  is  to  raise  everything  that  is  else- 
where degraded  to  a  respectable  height,  when  there  com- 
mences an  attraction  of  gravitation  that  draws  all  toward 
the  centre — a  little  closer  too,  than  could  be  wished,  per- 
haps." 

"Aye,  aye,  Ned  !  This  is  very  pretty,  with  your  attrac- 
tions and  gravitations  ;  but  wait  and  judge  for  yourself 
of  this  average,  of  which  you  now  speak  so  complacently." 

"Nay,  John,  I  borrowed  the  image  from  you.  If  it  be 
not  accurate,  I  shall  hold  you  responsible  for  its  defects." 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  n7 

"They  tell  me,"  said  Eve,  "that  all  American  villages 
are  the  towns  in  miniature  ;  children  dressed  in  hoops  and 
wigs.  Is  this  so  Grace  ?  " 

"  A  little.  There  is  too  much  desire  to  imitate  the 
towns,  perhaps,  and  possibly  too  little  feeling  for  country 
life." 

"  This  is  a  very  natural  consequence,  after  all,  of  people's 
living  entirely  in  such  places,"  observed  Sir  George  Tem- 
plemore.  "  One  sees  much  of  this  on  the  continent  of 
Europe,  because  the  country  population  is  purely  a  coun- 
try population  ;  and  less  of  it  in  England  perhaps,  because 
those  who  are  at  the  head  of  society  consider  town  and 
country  as  very  distinct  things." 

"La  campagne  est  vraiment  delideuse  en  A merique"  ex- 
claimed Mademoiselle  Viefville,  in  whose  eyes  the  whole 
country  was  little  more  than  campagne. 

The  next  morning  our  travellers  proceeded  by  the  way 
of  Schenectady,  whence  they  ascended  the  beautiful  valley 
of  the  Mohawk,  by  means  of  a  canal  boat,  the  cars  that 
now  rattle  along  its  length  not  having  commenced  their 
active  flights  at  that  time.  With  the  scenery  every  one 
was  delighted  ;  for  while  it  differed  essentially  from  that 
the  party  had  passed  through  the  previous  day,  it  was 
scarcely  less  beautiful. 

At  a  point  where  the  necessary  route  diverged  from  the 
direction  of  the  canal,  carriages  of  Mr.  Effingham's  were 
in  readiness  to  receive  the  travellers,  and  here  they  were 
also  favored  by  the  presence  of  Mr.  Bragg,  who  fancied 
such  an  attention  might  be  agreeable  to  the  young  ladies, 
as  well  as  to  his  employer. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

"  Tell  me,  where  is  fancy  bred — 
Or  in  the  heart,  or  in  the  head  ? 
How  begot,  how  nourished  ?  " 

SONG  IN  SHAKESPEARE. 

THE  travellers  were  several  hours  ascending  into  the 
mountains,  by  a  country  road  that  could  scarcely  be  sur- 
passed by  a  French  wheel-track  of  the  same  sort ;  for 


n8  'HOME  AS  FOUND. 

Mademoiselle  Viefville  protested  twenty  times  in  the 
course  of  the  morning,  that  it  was  a  thousand  pities  Mr. 
Effingham  had  not  the  privilege  of  the  corvee,  that  he 
might  cause  the  approach  of  his  terres  to  be  kept  in  better 
condition.  At  length  they  reached  the  summit — a  point 
where  the  waters  began  to  flow  south — when  the  road  be- 
came tolerably  level.  From  this  time  their  progress  be- 
came more  rapid,  and  they  continued  to  advance  two  or 
three  hours  longer  at  a  steady  pace. 

Aristabulus  now  informed  his  companions  that,  in 
obedience  to  instructions  from  John  Effingham,  he  had 
ordered  the  coachman  to  take  a  road  that  led  a  little  from 
the  direct  line  of  their  journey,  and  that  they  had  now 
been  travelling  for  some  time  on  the  more  ancient  route 
to  Templeton. 

"I  was  aware  of  this,"  said  Mr.  Effingham,  " though 
ignorant  of  the  reason.  We  are  on  the  great  western 
turnpike." 

"  Certainly,  sir,  and  all  according  to  Mr.  John's  request. 
There  would  have  been  a  great  saving  in  distance,  and, 
agreeably  to  my  notion,  in  horse-flesh,  had  we  quietly  gone 
down  the  banks  of  the  lake." 

"  Jack  will  explain  his  own  meaning,"  returned  Mr.  Ef- 
fingham, "and  he  has  stopped  the  other  carriage,  and 
alighted  with  Sir  George — a  hint,  I  fancy,  that  we  are  to 
follow  their  example." 

Sure  enough  the  second  carriage  was  now  stopped,  and 
Sir  George  hastened  to  open  its  door. 

"  Mr.  John  Effingham,  who  acts  as  cicerone,"  cried  the 
baronet,  "insists  that  everyone  shall  put  pied  a  terrezk  this 
precise  spot,  keeping  the  important  reason  still  a  secret  in 
the  recesses  of  his  own  bosom." 

The  ladies  complied,  and  the  carriages  were  ordered 
to  proceed  with  the  domestics,  leaving  the  rest  of  the 
travellers  by  themselves,  apparently  in  the  heart  of  the 
forest. 

"  It  is  to  be  hoped,  mademoiselle,  there  are  no  banditti 
in  America,"  said  Eve,  as  they  looked  around  them  at  the 
novel  situation  in  which  they  were  placed,  apparently  by  a. 
pure  caprice  of  her  cousin. 

"  On  des  sauvages"  returned  the  governess,  who,  in  spite 
of  her  ordinary  intelligence  and  great  good  sense,  had 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  119 

several  times  that  day  cast  uneasy  and  stolen  glances 
into  the  bits  of  dark  wood  they  had  occasionally  passed. 

"  I  will  insure  your  purses  and  scalps,  mesdames"  cried 
John  Effingham,  gaily,  "on  condition  that  you  will  follow 
me  implicitly  ;  and  by  way  of  pledge  for  my  faith,  I  solicit 
the  honor  of  supporting  Mademoiselle  Viefville  on  this 
unworthy  arm." 

The  governess  laughingly  accepted  the  conditions,  Eve 
took  the  arm  of  her  father,  and  Sir  George  offered  his  to 
Grace  ;  Aristabulus,  to  his  surprise,  being  left  to  walk  en- 
tirely alone.  It  struck  him,  however,  as  so  singularly  im- 
proper that  a  young  lady  should  be  supported  on  such  an 
occasion  by  her  own  father,  that  he  frankly  and  gallantly 
proposed  to  Mr.  Effingham  to  relieve  him  of  his  burden, 
an  offer  that  was  declined  with  quite  as  much  distinctness 
as  it  was  made. 

"  I  suppose  Cousin  Jack  has  a  meaning  to  his  melo- 
drama," said  Eve,  as  they  entered  the  forest,  "  and  I  dare 
say,  dearest  father,  that  you  are  behind  the  scenes,  though 
I  perceive  determined  secrecy  in  your  face." 

"  John  may  have  a  cave  to  show  us,  or  some  tree  of  ex- 
traordinary height  ;  such  things  existing  in  the  country." 

"We  are  very  confiding,  mademoiselle,  for  I  detect 
treachery  in  every  face  around  us.  Even  Miss  Van  Cort- 
landt  has  the  air  of  a  conspirator,  and  seems  to  be  in 
league  with  something  or  somebody.  Pray  heaven  it  be 
not  with  wolves." 

"  Des  loups!"  exclaimed  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  stop- 
ping short,  with  a  mien  so  alarmed  as  to  excite  a  general 
laugh — "  est-ce  qitil  y  a  des  loups  et  des  sangliers  dans  cette 
fortt?" 

"  No,  mademoiselle,"  returned  her  companion — "this  is 
only  barbarous  America,  and  not  civilized  France.  Were 
we  in  le  departement  de  la  Seine,  we  might  apprehend  some 
such  dangers,  but  being  merely  in  the  mountains  of  Ot- 
sego,  we  are  reasonably  safe." 

"  ye  respire"  murmured  the  governess,  as  she  reluct- 
antly and  distrustfully  proceeded,  glancing  her  eyes  in- 
cessantly to  the  right  and  left.  The  path  now  became 
steep  and  rather  difficult  ;  so  much  so,  indeed,  as  to  in- 
dispose them  all  to  conversation.  It  led  beneath  the 
branches  of  lofty  pines,  though  there  existed  on  every  side 


120  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

of  them  proofs  of  the  ravages  man  had  committed  in  that 
noble  forest.  At  length  they  were  compelled  to  stop  for 
breath,  after  having  ascended  considerably  above  the  road 
they  had  left. 

"  I  ought  to  have  said  that  the  spot  where  we  entered  on 
this  path  is  memorable  in  the  family  history,"  observed 
John  Effingham  to  Eve — "  for  it  was  the  precise  spot  where 
one  of  our  predecessors  lodged  a  shot  in  the  shoulder  of 
another." 

"  Then  I  know  precisely  where  we  are  ! "  cried  our 
heroine,  "  though  I  cannot  yet  imagine  why  we  are  led 
into  this  forest,  unless  it  be  to  visit  some  spot  hallowed  by 
a  deed  of  Natty  Bumpo's  !  " 

"  Time  will  solve  this  mystery,  as  well  as  all  others.  Let 
us  proceed." 

Again  they  ascended,  and  after  a  few  more  minutes  of 
trial  they  reached  a  sort  of  table-land,  and  drew  near  an 
opening  in  the  trees,  where  a  small  circle  had  evidently 
been  cleared  of  its  wood,  though  it  was  quite  small  and 
untilled.  Eve  looked  curiously  about  her,  as  did  all  the 
others  to  whom  the  place  was  novel,  and  she  was  lost  in 
doubt. 

"There  seems  to  be  a  void  beyond  us,"  said  the  baronet. 
"  I  rather  think  Mr.  John  Effingham  has  led  us  to  the  verge 
of  a  view." 

At  this  suggestion  the  party  moved  on  in  a  body,  and 
were  well  rewarded  for  the  toil  of  the  ascent,  by  a  coup 
d'azil  that  was  almost  Swiss  in  character  and  beauty. 

"  Now  do  I  know  where  we  are,"  exclaimed  Eve,  clasp- 
ing her  hands  in  rapture.  "  This  is  the  '  Vision,'  and  yon- 
der, indeed,  is  our  blessed  home." 

The  whole  artifice  of  the  surprise  was  exposed,  and  after 
the  first  burst  of  pleasure  had  subsided,  all  to  whom  the 
scene  was  novel  felt  that  they  would  not  have  missed  this 
piquante  introduction  to  the  Valley  of  the  Susquehanna  on 
any  account.  That  the  reader  may  understand  the  cause 
of  so  much  delight,  and  why  John  Effingham  had  prepared 
this  scene  for  his  friends,  we  shall  stop  to  give  a  short  de- 
scription of  the  objects  that  met  the  eyes  of  the  travellers. 

It  is  known  that  they  were  in  a  small  open  spot  in  a 
forest,  and  on  the  verge  of  a  precipitous  mountain.  The 
trees  encircled  them  on  every  side  but  one,  and  on  that  lay 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  12 1 

the  panorama,  although  the  tops  of  tall  pines,  that  grew  in 
lines  almost  parallel  to  the  declivity,  rose  nearly  to  a  level 
with  the  eye.  Hundreds  of  feet  beneath  them,  directly  in 
front,  and  stretching  leagues  to  the  right,  was  a  lake  em- 
bedded in  woods  and  hills.  On  the  side  next  the  travellers 
a  fringe  of  forest  broke  the  line  of  water  ;  tree  tops  that  in- 
tercepted the  view  of  the  shores  ;  and  on  the  other,  high 
broken  hills,  or  low  mountains  rather,  that  were  covered 
with  farms,  beautifully  relieved  by  patches  of  wood,  in  a 
way  to  resemble  the  scenery  of  a  vast  park  or  a  royal 
pleasure-ground,  limited  the  landscape.  High  valleys  lay 
among  these  uplands,  and  in  every  direction  comfortable 
dwellings  dotted  the  fields.  The  dark  hues  of  the  ever- 
greens, with  which  all  the  heights  near  the  water  were 
shaded,  were  in  soft  contrast  to  the  livelier  green  of  the 
other  foliage,  while  the  meadows  and  pastures  were  luxuri- 
ant with  a  verdure  unsurpassed  by  that  of  England.  Bays 
and  points  added  to  the  exquisite  outline  of  the  glassy  lake 
on  this  shore,  while  one  of  the  former  withdrew  toward  the 
northwest,  in  a  way  to  leave  the  eye  doubtful  whether  it 
was  the  termination  of  the  transparent  sheet  or  not.  To- 
ward the  south,  bold,  varied,  but  cultivated  hills,  also 
bounded  the  view,  all  teeming  with  the  fruits  of  human 
labor,  and  yet  all  relieved  by  pieces  of  wood  in  the  way 
already  mentioned,  so  as  to  give  the  entire  region  the  char- 
acter of  park  scenery.  A  wide,  deep,  even  valley  com- 
menced at  the  southern  end  of  the  lake,  or  nearly  opposite 
to  the  stand  of  our  travellers,  and  stretched  away  south, 
until  concealed  by  a  curvature  in  the  ranges  of  the  moun- 
tains. Like  all  the  mountain  tops,  this  valley  was  verdant, 
peopled,  wooded  in  places,  though  less  abundant  than  the 
hills,  and  teeming  with  the  signs  of  life.  Roads  wound 
through  its  peaceful  retreats,  and  might  be  traced  working 
their  way  along  the  glens,  and  up  the  weary  ascents  of  the 
mountains,  for  miles  in  every  direction. 

At  the  northern  termination  of  this  lovely  valley,  and 
immediately  on  the  margin  of  the  lake,  lay  the  village  of 
Templeton,  immediately  under  the  eyes  of  the  party.  The 
distance,  in  an  air  line,  from  their  stand  to  the  centre  of 
the  dwellings,  could  not  be  much  less  than  a  mile,  but  the 
air  was  so  pure,  and  the  day  so  calm,  that  it  did  not  seeop 
so  far.  The  children  and  even  the  dogs  were  seen  running, 


122  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

about  the  streets,  while  the  shrill  cries  of  boys  at  their 
gambols  ascended  distinctly  to  the  ear. 

As  this  was  the  Templeton  of  the  Pioneers,  and  the  pro- 
gress of  society  during  half  a  century  is  connected  with 
the  circumstances,  we  shall  give  the  reader  a  more  accu- 
rate notion  of  its  present  state  than  can  be  obtained  from 
incidental  allusions.  We  undertake  the  office  more  readily, 
because  this  is  not  one  of  those  places  that  shoot  up  in  a 
day,  under  the  unnatural  efforts  of  speculation,  or  which, 
favored  by  peculiar  advantages  in  the  way  of  trade,  be- 
comes a  precocious  city  while  the  stumps  still  stand  in  its 
streets ;  but  a  sober  country  town,  that  has  advanced 
steadily  part  passu  with  the  surrounding  country,  and 
offers  a  fair  specimen  of  the  more  regular  advancement  of 
the  whole  nation  in  its  progress  toward  civilization. 

The  appearance  of  Templeton,  as  seen  from  the  height 
where  it  is  now  exhibited  to  the  reader,  was  generally  beau- 
tiful and  map-like.  There  might  be  a  dozen  streets,  prin- 
cipally crossing  each  other  at  right  angles,  though  suffic- 
iently relieved  from  this  precise  delineation  to  prevent  a 
starched  formality.  Perhaps  the  greater  part  of  the  build- 
ings were  painted  white,  as  is  usual  in  the  smaller  Ameri- 
can towns  ;  though  a  better  taste  was  growing  in  the  place, 
and  many  of  the  dwellings  had  the  graver  and  chaster  hues 
of  the  gray  stones  of  which  they  were  built.  A  general 
air  of  neatness  and  comfort  pervaded  the  place,  it  being  as 
unlike  a  continental  European  town,  south  of  the  Rhine, 
in  this  respect,  as  possible,  if  indeed  we  except  the  pictu- 
resque bourgs  of  Switzerland.  In  England,  Templeton 
would  be  termed  a  small  market-town,  so  far  as  size  was 
concerned  ;  in  France,  a  large  bourg ;  while  in  America  it 
was,  in  common  parlance  and  legal  appellation,  styled  a 
village. 

Of  the  dwellings  of  the  place,  fully  twenty  were  of  a 
quality  that  denoted  ease  in  the  condition  of  their  occu- 
pants, and  bespoke  the  habits  of  those  accustomed  to  live 
in  a  manner  superior  to  the  oi  polloi  of  the  human  race. 
Of  these,  some  six  or  eight  had  small  lawns,  carriage 
sweeps,  and  the  other  similar  appliances  of  houses  that 
were  not  deemed  unworthy  of  the  honor  of  bearing  names 
of  their  own.  No  less  than  five  little  steeples,  towers,  or 
belfries,  for  neither  word  is  exactly  suitably  to  the  archi- 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  123 

tectural  prodigies  we  wish  to  describe,  rose  above  the  roofs, 
denoting  the  sites  of  the  same  number  of  places  of  wor- 
ship ;  an  American  village  usually  exhibiting  as  many  of 
these  proofs  of  liberty  of  conscience — caprices  &i  con- 
science would  perhaps  be  a  better  term — as  dollars  and 
cents  will  by  any  process  render  attainable.  Several  light 
carriages,  "such  as  were  suitable  to  a  mountainous  country, 
were  passing  to  and  fro  in  the  streets, ;  and  here  and 
there  a  single  horse  vehicle  was  fastened  before  the  door 
of  a  shop  or  a  lawyer's  office,  denoting  the  presence  of 
some  customer  or  client  from  among  the  adjacent  hills. 

Templeton  was  not  sufficiently  a  thoroughfare  to  possess 
one  of  those  monstrosities,  a  modern  American  tavern,  or 
a  structure  whose  roof  should  overtop  that  of  all  its  neigh- 
bors. Still  its  inns  were  of  respectable  size,  well  piazzaed, 
to  use  a  word  of  our  own  invention,  and  quite  enough 
frequented. 

Near  the  centre  of  the  place,  in  grounds  of  rather  limited 
extent,  still  stood  that  model  of  the  composite  order,  which 
owed  its  existence  to  the  combined  knowledge  and  taste, 
in  the  remoter  ages  of  the  region,  of  Mr.  Richard  Jones 
and  Mr.  Hiram  Doolittle.  We  will  not  say  that  it  had 
been  modernized,  for  the  very  reverse  was  the  effect,  in 
appearance  at  least  ;  but  it  had  since  undergone  material 
changes  under  the  more  instructed  intelligence  of  John 
Effingham. 

This  building  was  so  conspicuous  by  position  and  size, 
that  as  soon  as  they  had  taken  in  glimpses  of  the  entire 
landscape,  which  was  not  done  without  constant  murmurs 
of  pleasure,  every  eye  became  fastened  on  it,  as  the  focus 
of  interest.  A  long  and  common  silence  denoted  how 
general  was  this  feeling,  and  the  whole  party  took  seats 
on  stumps  and  fallen  trees  before  a  syllable  was  uttered 
after  the  building  had  attracted  their  gaze.  Aristabulus 
alone  permitted  his  look  to  wander,  and  he  was  curiously 
examining  the  countenance  of  Mr.  Effingham,  near  whom 
he  sat,  with  a  longing  to  discover  whether  the  expression 
was  that  of  approbation  or  of  disapprobation  of  the  fruits 
of  his  cousin's  genius. 

"  Mr.  John  Effingham  has  considerably  regenerated  and 
revivified,  not  to  say  transmogrified,  the  old  dwelling,"  he 
said,  cautiously  using  terms  that  might  leave  his  own 


124  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

opinion  of  the  changes  doubtful.  "The  work  of  his  hand 
has  excited  some  speculation,  a  good  deal  of  inquiry,  and 
a  little  conversation  throughout  the  country.  It  has  al- 
most produced  an  excitement !" 

"  As  my  house  came  to  me  from  my  father,"  said  Mr. 
Effingham,  across  whose  mild  and  handsome  face  a  smile 
was  gradually  stealing,  "  I  knew  its  history,  and  when 
called  on  for  an  explanation  of  its  singularities,  could  re- 
fer all  to  the  composite  order.  But  you,  Jack,  have  sup- 
planted all  this  by  a  style  of  your  own,  for  which  I  shall 
be  compelled  to  consult  the  authorities  for  explanations." 

"  Do  you  dislike  my  taste,  Ned  ?  To  my  eye,  now,  the 
structure  has  no  bad  appearance  from  this  spot  ? " 

"  Fitness  and  comfort  are  indispensable  requisites  for 
domestic  architecture,  to  use  your  own  argument.  Are 
you  quite  sure  that  yonder  castellated  roof,  for  instance, 
is  quite  suited  to  the  deep  snows  of  these  mountains?" 

John  Effingham  whistled,  and  endeavored  to  look  un- 
concerned ;  for  he  well  knew  that  the  very  first  winter 
had  demonstrated  the  unsuitableness  of  his  plans  for  such 
a  climate.  He  had  actually  felt  disposed  to  cause  the 
whole  to  be  altered  privately  at  his  own  expense  ;  but,  be- 
sides feeling  certain  his  cousin  would  resent  a  liberty  that 
inferred  his  indisposition  to  pay  for  his  own  buildings,  he 
had  a  reluctance  to  admit,  in  the  face  of  the  whole  coun- 
try, that  he  had  made  so  capital  a  mistake,  in  a  branch  of 
art  in  which  he  prided  himself  rather  more  than  common  ; 
almost  as  much  as  his  predecessor  in  the  occupation,  Mr. 
Richard  Jones. 

"  If  you  are  not  pleased  with  your  own  dwelling,  Ned," 
he  answered,  "  you  can  have  at  least  the  consolation  of 
looking  at  some  of  your  neighbors'  houses,  and  of  perceiv- 
ing that  they  are  a  great  deal  worse  off.  Of  all  abortions 
of  this  sort,  to  my  taste,  a  Grecian  abortion  is  the  worst. 
Mine  is  only  Gothic,  and  that,  too,  in  a  style  so  modest, 
that  I  should  think  it  might  pass  unmolested." 

It  was  so  unusual  to  see  John  Effingham  on  the  defen- 
sive, that  the  whole  party  smiled,  while  Aristabulus,  who 
stood  in  salutary  fear  of  his  caustic  tongue,  both  smiled 
and  wondered. 

"Nay,  do  not  mistake  me,  John,"  returned  the  proprie- 
tor of  the  edifice  under  discussion,  "  It  is  not  your  taste 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  125 

that  I  call  in  question,  but  your  provision  against  the 
seasons.  In  the  way  of  mere  outward  show,  I  really  think 
you  deserve  high  praise  ;  for  you  have  transformed  a  very 
ugly  dwelling  into  one  that  is  almost  handsome,  in  despite 
of  proportions  and  the  necessity  of  regulating  the  altera- 
tions by  prescribed  limits.  Still,  I  think  there  is  a  little 
of  the  composite  left  about  even  the  exterior." 

"  I  hope,  Cousin  Jack,  you  have  not  innovated  on  the 
interior,"  cried  Eve  ;  "  for  I  think  I  shall  remember  that, 
and  nothing  is  more  pleasant  than  the  cattism  of  seeing 
objects  that  you  remember  in  childhood.  Pleasant,  I  mean, 
to  those  whom  the  mania  of  mutations  has  not  affected." 

"  Do  not  be  alarmed,  Miss  Effingham,"  replied  her  kins- 
man, with  a  pettishness  of  manner  that  was  altogether  ex- 
traordinary in  a  man  whose  mien,  in  common,  was  so  sin- 
gularly composed  and  masculine  ;  "you  will  find  all  that 
you  knew  when  a  kitten,  in  its  proper  place.  I  could  not 
rake  together  again  the  ashes  of  Queen  Dido,  which  were 
scattered  to  the  four  winds  of  heaven,  I  fear  ;  nor  could  I 
discover  a  reasonably  good  bust  of  Homer  ;  but  respectable 
substitutes  are  provided,  and  some  of  them  have  the  great 
merit  of  puzzling  all  beholders  to  tell  to  whom  they  belong, 
which  I  believe  was  the  great  characteristic  of  most  of  Mr. 
Jones's  inventions." 

"  I  am  glad  to  see,  Cousin  Jack,  thfrt  you  have  at  least 
managed  to  give  a  very  respectable  *  cloud  color '  to  the 
whole  house." 

"Aye,  it  lay  between  that  and  an  invisible  green,"  the 
gentleman  answered,  losing  his  momentary  spleen  in  his 
natural  love  of  the  ludicrous  ;  "  but  finding  that  the  latter 
would  be  only  too  conspicuous  in  the  droughts  that  some- 
times prevail  in  this  climate,  I  settled  down  into  the  yellow- 
ish drab.  That  is,  indeed,  not  unlike  some  of  the  richer 
volumes  of  the  clouds." 

"  On  the  whole,  I  think  you  are  fairly  entitled,  as  Stead- 
fast Dodge,  Esquire,  would  say,  to  '  the  meed  of  our 
thanks.' " 

"  What  a  lovely  spot !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Effingham,  who 
had  already  ceased  to  think  of  his  own  dwelling,  and  whose 
eye  was  roaming  over  the  soft  landscape,  athwart  which 
the  lustre  of  a  June  noontide  was  throwing  its  richest  glo- 
ries. "  This  is  truly  a  place  where  grie  might  fancy  repose 


126  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

and  content  were  to  be  found  for  the  evening  of  a  troubled 
life." 

"  Indeed,  I  have  seldom  looked  upon  a  more  bewitching 
scene,"  answered  the  baronet.  "  The  lakes  of  Cumberland 
will  scarce  compete  with  this  !  " 

"Or  that  of  Brienz,  or  Lungeren,  or  Nemi,"  said  Eve, 
smiling  in  a  way  that  the  other  understood  to  be  a  hit  at 
his  nationality. 

"  Cest  charmant!"  murmured  Mademoiselle  Viefville. 
"  On  pens e  a  I*  Semite  dans  un  tel  calme  !  " 

"  The  farm  you  can  see  lying  near  yonder  wood,  Mr. 
Effingham,"  coolly  observed  Aristabulus,  "  sold  last  spring 
for  thirty  dollars  to  the  acre,  and  was  bought  for  twenty 
the  summer  before!" 

"  Chacun  a  son  go  fit!  "  said  Eve. 

"  And  yet  I  fear  this  glorious  scene  is  marred  by  the  envy, 
rapacity,  uncharitableness,  and  all  the  other  evil  passions 
of  man  !"  continued  the  more  philosophical  Mr.  Effingham. 
4 'Perhaps  it  were  better  as  it  was  so  lately,  when  it  lay  in 
the  solitude  and  peace  of  the  wilderness,  the  resort  of 
birds  and  beasts." 

"Who  prey  on  each  other,  dearest  father,  just  as  the 
worst  of  our  own  species  prey  on  their  fellows." 

"True,  child — true.  And  yet  I  never  gaze  on  one  of 
these  scenes  of  hol^calm,  without  wishing  that  the  great 
tabernacle  of  nature  might  be  tenanted  only  by  those  who 
have  a  feeling  for  its  perfection." 

"Do  you  see  the  lady,"  said  Aristabulus,  "that  is  just 
coming  out  on  the  lawn,  in  front  of  the  *  Wigwam  ?'  "  for 
that  was  the  name  John  Effingham  had  seen  fit  to  give  the 
altered  and  amended  abode.  "  Here,  Miss  Effingham, 
more  in  a  line  with  the  top  of  the  pine  beneath  us." 

"  I  see  the  person  you  mean  ;  she  seems  to  be  looking  in 
this  direction." 

"You  are  quite  right,  miss.  She  knows  that  we  are  to 
stop  on  the  *  Vision/  and  no  doubt  sees  us.  That  lady  is 
your  father's  cook,  Miss  Effingham,  and  is  thinking  of  the 
late  breakfast  that  has  been  ordered  to  be  in  readiness 
against  our  arrival." 

Eve  concealed  her  amusement — for,  by  this  time,  she 
had  discovered  that  Mr.  Bragg  had  a  way  peculiar  to  him- 
self, or  at  least  to  his  class,  of  using  many  of  the  com- 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  127 

moner  words  of  the  English  language.  It  would  perhaps 
be  expecting  too  much  of  Sir  George  Templemore  not  to 
expect  him  to  smile  on  such  an  occasion. 

"Ah!"  exclaimed  Aristabulus,  pointing  toward  the 
lake,  across  which  several  skiffs  were  stealing,  some  in  one 
direction,  and  some  in  another — "  there  is  a  boat  out  that 
I  think  must  contain  the  poet." 

"  Poet !  "  repeated  John  Effingham.  "  Have  we  reached 
that  pass  at  Templeton  ? " 

"  Lord,  Mr.  John  Effingham,  you  must  have  very  con- 
tracted notions  of  the  place,  if  you  think  a  poet  a  great 
novelty  in  it.  Why,  sir,  we  have  caravans  of  wild  beasts 
nearly  every  summer  !  " 

"This  is,  indeed,  a  step  in  advance,  of  which  I  was  igno- 
rant. -  Here  then,  in  a  region  that  so  lately  was  tenanted 
by  beasts  of  prey,  beasts  are  already  brought  as  curiosities. 
You  perceive  the  state  of  the  country  in  this  fact,  Sir 
George  Templemore." 

''I  do,  indeed  ;  but  I  should  like  to  hear  from  Mr.  Bragg 
what  sort  of  animals  are  in  these  caravans  ? " 

"All  sorts,  from  monkeys  to  elephants.  The  last  had  a 
rhinoceros." 

"  Rhinoceros !  Why,  there  was  but  one,  lately,  in  all 
Europe.  Neither  the  Zoological  Gardens  nor  the  Jardin 
des  Plantes  had  a  rhinoceros  !  I  never  saw  but  one,  and 
that  was  in  a  caravan  at  Rome,  that  travelled  between  St. 
Petersburg  and  Naples." 

"  Well,  sir,  we  have  rhinoceroses  here  ;  and  monkeys, 
and  zebras,  and  poets,  and  painters,  and  congressmen,  and 
bishops,  and  governors,  and  all  other  sorts  of  creatures." 

"And  who  may  the  particular  poet  be,  Mr.  Bragg,"  Eve 
asked,  "who  honors  Templeton  with  his  presence  just  at 
this  moment  ? " 

"  That  is  more  than  I  can  tell  you,  miss  ;  for  though 
some  eight  or  ten  of  us  have  done  little  else  than  try  to 
discover  his  name  for  the  last  week,  we  have  not  got  even 
as  far  as  that  one  fact.  He  and  the  gentleman  who  travels 
with  him  are  both  uncommonly  close  on  such  matters, 
though  I  think  we  have  some  as  good  catechizers  in  Tem- 
pleton as  can  be  found  anywhere  within  fifty  miles  of  us." 

"  There  is  another  gentleman  with  him  ;  do  you  suspect 
them  both  of  being  poets  ?" 


128  HOME   AS  FOUND. 

"  Oh,  no,  miss,  the  other  is  the  waiter  of  the  poet  ;  that 
we  know,  as  he  serves  him  at  dinner,  and  otherwise  super- 
intends his  concerns,  such  as  brushing  his  clothes,  and 
keeping  his  room  in  order." 

"  This  is  being  in  luck  for  a  poet,  for  they  are  of  a  class 
that  are  a  little  apt  to  neglect  the  decencies.  May  I  ask 
why  you  suspect  the  master  of  being  a  poet,  if  the  man  be 
so  assiduous  ?" 

"  Why,  what  else  can  he  be?  In  the  first  place,  Miss 
Effingham,  he  has  no  name." 

"  That  is  a  reason  in  point,"  said  John  Effmgham  ;  "  very 
few  poets  having  names." 

"  Then  he  is  out  on  the  lake  half  his  time,  gazing  up  at 
the  *  Silent  Pine,' or  conversing  with  the  'Speaking  Rocks,' 
or  drinking  at  the  '  Fairy  Spring.' " 

"  All  suspicious,  certainly  ;  especially  the  dialogue  with 
the  rocks  ;  though  not  absolutely  conclusive." 

"  But,  Mr.  John  Effingham,  the  man  does  not  take  his 
food  like  other  people.  He  rises  early,  and  is  out  on  the 
water  or  up  in  the  forest  all  the  morning,  and  then  returns 
to  eat  his  breakfast  in  the  middle  of  the  forenoon  ;  he  goes 
into  the  woods  again,  or  on  the  lake,  and  comes  back  to 
dinner,  just  as  I  take  my  tea." 

"  This  settles  the  matter.  Any  man  who  presumes  to  do 
all  this,  Mr.  Bragg,  deserves  to  be  called  by  some  harder 
name  even  than  that  of  a  poet.  Pray,  sir,  how  long  has 
this  eccentric  person  been  a  resident  of  Templeton  ? " 

"  Hist — there  he  is,  as  I  am  a  sinner  ;  and  it  was  not  he 
and  the  other  gentleman  that  wrere  in  the  boat." 

The  rebuked  manner  of  Aristabulus  and  the  dropping  of 
his  voice  induced  the  whole  party  to  look  in  the  direction 
of  his  eye,  and  sure  enough  a  gentleman  approached  them, 
in  the  dress  a  man  of  the  world  is  apt  to  assume  in  the 
country,  an  attire  of  itself  that  was  sufficient  to  attract 
comment  in  a  place  where  the  general  desire  was  to  be  as 
much  like  town  as  possible,  though  it  was  sufficiently  neat 
and  simple.  He  came  from  the  forest,  along  the  table-land 
that  crowned  the  mountain  for  some  distance,  following 
one  of  the  footpaths  that  the  admirers  of  the  beautiful  land- 
scape have  made  all  over  that  pleasant  wood.  As  he  came 
out  into  the  cleared  spot,  seeing  it  already  in  possession  of 
a  party,  he  bowed,  and  was  passing  on  with  a  delicacy  that 


HOME   AS  FOUND.  129 

Mr.  Bragg  would  be  apt  to  deem  eccentric,  when  suddenly 
stopping,  he  gave  a  look  of  intense  and  eager  interest  at 
the  whole  party,  smiled,  advanced  rapidly  nearer,  and  dis- 
covered his  entire  person. 

"  I  ought  not  to  be  surprised,"  he  said,  as  he  advanced 
so  near  as  to  render  doubt  any  longer  impossible,  "  for  I 
knew  you  were  expected,  and  indeed  waited  for  your  ar- 
rival, and  yet  this  meeting  has  been  so  unexpected  as  to 
leave  me  scarcely  in  possession  of  my  faculties." 

It  is  needless  to  dwell  upon  the  warmth  and  number  of 
the  greetings.  To  the  surprise  of  Mr.  Bragg,  his  poet  was 
not  only  known  but  evidently  much  esteemed  by  all  the 
party,  with  the  exception  of  Miss  Van  Cortlandt,  to  whom 
he  was  cordially  presented  by  the  name  of  Mr.  Powis.  Eve 
managed,  by  an  effort^of  womanly  pride,  to  suppress  the 
violence  of  her  emotions,  and  the  meeting  passed  off  as  one 
of  mutual  surprise  and  pleasure,  without  any  exhibition 
of  unusual  feeling  to  attract  comment. 

"  We  ought  to  express  our  wonder  at  finding  you  here 
before  us,  my  dear  young  friend,"  said  Mr.  Effingham,  still 
holding  Paul's  hand  affectionately  between  his  own  ;  "and 
even  now  that  my  own  eyes  assure  me  of  the  fact,  I  can 
hardly  believe  you  would  arrive  at  New  York,  and  quit  it 
without  giving  us  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  you." 

"  In  that,  sir,  you  are  not  wrong  ;  certainly  nothing 
could  have  deprived  me  of  that  pleasure,  but  the  knowledge 
that  it  would  not  have  been  agreeable  to  yourselves.  My 
sudden  appearance  here,  however,  will  be  without  mystery, 
when  I  tell  you  that  I  returned  from  England  by  the  way 
of  Quebec,  the  Great  Lakes,  and  the  Falls,  having  been 
induced  by  my  friend  Ducie  to  take  that  route,  in  conse- 
quence of  his  ship's  being  sent  to  the  St.  Lawrence.  A 
desire  for  novelty,  and  particularly  a  desire  to  see  the  cele- 
brated cataract,  which  is  almost  the  lion  of  America,  did 
the  rest." 

u  We  are  glad  to  have  you  with  us  on  any  terms,  and  I 
take  it  as  particularly  kind  that  you  did  not  pass  my  door. 
You  have  been  here  some  days  ? '" 

"  Quite  a  week.  On  reaching  Utica  I  diverged  from  the 
great  route  to  see  this  place,  not  anticipating  the  pleasure 
of  meeting  you  here  so  early  ;  but  hearing  you  were  ex- 
pected, I  determined  to  remain,  with  a  hope,  which  I  re- 


130  HOME   AS  FOUND. 

joice  to  find  was  not  vain,  that  you  would  not  be  sorry  to 
see  an  old  fellow-traveller  again." 

Mr.  Effingham  pressed  his  hands  warmly  again  before 
he  relinquished  them  ;  an  assurance  of  welcome  that  Paul 
received  with  thrilling  satisfaction. 

"  I  have  been  in  Templeton  almost  long  enough,"  the 
young  man  resumed,  laughing,  "to  set  up  as  a  candidate 
for  the  public  favor,  if  I  rightly  understand  the  claims  of  a 
denizen.  By  what  I  can  gather  from  casual  remarks,  the 
old  proverb  that  *  the  new  broom  sweeps  clean,'  applies 
with  singular  fidelity  throughout  all  this  region." 

"  Have  you  a  copy  of  your  last  ode,  or  a  spare  epigram, 
in  your  pocket  ?  "  inquired  John  Effingham. 

Paul  looked  surprised,  and  Aristabulus,  for  a  novelty, 
was  a  little  dashed.  Paul  looked  $urprised,  as  a  matter  of 
course,  for,  although  he  had  been  a  little  annoyed  by  the 
curiosity  that  is  apt  to  haunt  a  village  imagination,  since 
his  arrival  in  Templeton,  he  did  not  in  the  least  suspect 
that  his  love  of  a  beautiful  nature  had  been  imputed  to  de- 
votion to  the  muses.  Perceiving,  however,  by  the  smiles 
of  those  around  him,  that  there  was  more  meant  than  was 
expressed,  he  had  the  tact  to  permit  the  explanation  to 
come  from  the  person  who  had  put  the  'question,  if  it 
were  proper  it  should  come  at  all. 

"  We  will  defer  the  great  pleasure  that  is  in  reserve," 
continued  John  Effingham,  "to  another  time.  At  present, 
it  strikes  me  that  the  lady  of  the  lawn  is  getting  to  be  im- 
patient, and  the  dejeuner  a  la  fourchette,  that  I  have  had  the 
precaution  to  order,  is  probably  waiting  our  appearance. 
It  must  be  eaten,  though  under  the  penalty  of  being 
thought  moonstruck  rhymers  by  the  whole  State.  Come, 
Ned  ;  if  you  are  sufficiently  satisfied  with  looking  at  the 
Wigwam  in  a  bird's-eye  view,  we  will  descend  and  put  its 
beauties  to  the  severer  test  of  a  close  examination." 

This  proposal  was  readily  accepted,  though  all  tore 
themselves  from  that  lovely  spot  with  reluctance,  and  not 
until  they  had  paused  to  take  another  look. 

"  Fancy  the  shores  of  this  lake  lined  with  villas,"  said 
Eve,  "church-towers  raising  their  dark  heads  among  these 
hills  ;  each  mountain  crowned  with  a  castle  or  a  crumbling 
ruin,  and  all  the  other  accessories  of  an  old  state  of  society, 
and  what  would  then  be  the  charms  of  the  view  ? " 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  13 1 

•*  Less  than  they  are  to-day,  Miss  Effingham,"  said  Paul 
Powis  ;  "  for  though  poetry  requires — you  all  smile,  is  it 
forOidden  to  touch  on  such  subjects?" 

"Not  at  all,  so  it  be  done  in  wholesome  rhymes,"  re- 
turned the  baronet.  "  You  ought  to  know  that  you  are 
expected  even  to  speak  in  doggerel." 

Paul  ceased,  and  the  whole  party  walked  away  from  the 
place  laughing  and  light-hearted. 


CHAPTER  X. 

"  It  is  the  spot,  I  came  to  seek 
My  father's  ancient  burial  p] 


ace—- 


It is  the  spot — I  know  it  well, 
Of  which  our  old  traditions  tell." 

BRYANT. 

FROM  the  day  after  their  arrival  in  New  York,  or  that 
on  which  the  account  of  the  arrests  by  the  English  cruiser 
had  appeared  in  the  journals,  little  had  been  said  by  any 
of  our  party  concerning  Paul  Powis,  or  of  the  extraordi- 
nary manner  in  which  he  had  left  the  packet,  at  the  very 
moment  she  was  about  to  enter  her  haven.  It  is  true  that 
Mr.  Dodge,  arrived  at  Dodgeopolis,  had  dilated  on  the 
subject  in  his  hebdomadal,  with  divers  additions  and  con- 
jectures of  his  own,  and  this,  too,  in  a  way  to  attract  a 
good  deal  of  attention  in  the  interior  ;  but,  it  being  a  rule 
with  those  who  are  supposed  to  dwell  at  the  fountain  of 
foreign  intelligence  not  to  receive  anything  from  those 
who  ought  not  to  be  better  informed  than  themselves,  the 
Effinghams  and  their  friends  had  never  heard  of  his  ac- 
count of  the  matter. 

While  all  thought  the  incident  of  the  sudden  return  ex- 
traordinary, no  one  felt  disposed  to  judge  the  young  man 
harshly.  The  gentlemen  knew  that  military  censure,  how- 
ever unpleasant,  did  not  always  imply  moral  unworthiness  ; 
and  as  for  the  ladies,  they  retained  too  lively  a  sense  of  his 
skill  and  gallantry  to  wish  to  imagine  evil  on  grounds  so 
slight  and  vague.  Still,  it  had  been  impossible  altogether 
to  prevent  the  obtrusion  of  disagreeable  surmises,  and  all 


132  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

now  sincerely  rejoiced  at  seeing  their  late  companion  once 
more  among  them,  seemingly  in  a  state  of  mind  that  an- 
nounced neither  guilt  nor  degradation. 

On  quitting  the  mountain,  Mr.  Effingham,  who  had  a 
tender  regard  for  Grace,  offered  her  his  arm  as  he  would 
have  given  it  to  a  second  daughter,  leaving  Eve  to  the  care 
of  John  Effingham.  Sir  George  attended  to  Mademoiselle 
Viefville,  and  Paul  walked  by  the  side  of  our  heroine  and 
her  cousin,  leaving  Aristabulus  to  be  what  he  himself 
called  a  "miscellaneous  companion;"  or,  in  other  words, 
to  thrust  himself  into  either  set,  as  inclination  or  accident 
might  induce.  Of  course  the  parties  conversed  as  they 
walked,  though  those  in  advance  would  occasionally  pause 
to  say  a  word  to  'those  in  the  rear  ;  and,  as  they  descended, 
one  or  two  changes  occurred  to  which  we  may  have  oc- 
casion to  allude. 

"  I  trust  you  have  had"  pleasant  passages,"  said  John 
Effingham  to  Paul,  as  soon  as  they  were  separated  in  the 
manner  just  mentioned.  "  Three  trips  across  the  Atlantic 
in  so  short  a  time  would  be  hard  duty  to  a  landsman, 
though  "you,  as  a  sailor,  will  probably  think  less  of  it." 

"  In  this  respect  I  have  been  fortunate  ;  the  Foam,  as 
we  know  from  experience,  being  a  good  traveller,  and 
Ducie  is  altogether  a  fine  fellow  and  an  agreeable  mess- 
mate. You  know  I  had  him  for  a  companion  both  going 
and  coming." 

This  was  said  naturally  *  and,  while  it  explained  so  little 
directly,  it  removed  all  unpleasant  uncertainty,  by  assuring 
his  listeners  that  he  had  been  on  good  terms  at  least  with 
the  person  who  had  seemed  to  be  his  pursuer.  John  Ef- 
fingham, too,  well  understood  that  no  one  messed  with  the 
commander  of  a  vessel  of  war,  in  his  own  ship,  who  was  in 
any  way  thought  to  be  an  unfit  associate. 

"You  have  made  a  material  circuit  to  reach  us,  the  dis- 
tance by  Quebec  being  nearly  a  fourth  more  than  the  di- 
rect  road." 

"  Ducie  desired  it  so  strongly,  that  I  did  not  like  to  deny 
him.  Indeed,  he  made  it  a  point  at  first  to  obtain  per- 
mission  to  land  me  at  New  York,  where  he  had  found  me, 
as  he  said  ;  but  to  this  I  would  not  listen,  as  I  feared  it 
might  interfere  with  his  promotion,  of  which  he  stood  so 
good  a  chance,  in  consequence  of  his  success  in  the  affair 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  133 

of  the  money.  By  keeping  constantly  before  the  eyes  of 
his  superiors,  on  duty  of  interest,  I  thought  his  success 
would  be  more  certain." 

"  And  has  his  government  thought  his  perseverance  in 
the  chase  worthy  of  such  a  reward  ?  " 

"  Indeed  it  has.  He  is  now  a  post,  and  all  owing  to  his 
good  luck  and  judgment  in  that  affair  ;  though  in  his 
country,  rank  in  private  life  does  no  harm  to  one  in  public 
life." 

Eve  liked  the  emphasis  that  Paul  laid  on  "  his  country," 
and  she  thought  the  whole  remark  was  made  in  a  spirit 
that  an  Englishman  would  not  be  apt  to  betray. 

"  Has  it  ever  occurred  to  you,"  continued  John  Effing- 
ham,  "that  our  sudden  and  unexpected  separation  has 
caused  a  grave  neglect  of  duty  in  me,  if  not  in  both  of  us  ?" 

Paul  looked^surprised,  and  by  his  manner  he  demanded 
an  explanation. 

"You  may  remember  the  sealed  package  of  poor  Mr. 
Monday,  that  we  were  to  open  together  on  our  arrival  in 
New  York,  and  on  the  contents  of  which  we  were  taught 
to  believe  depended  the  settling  of  some  important  private 
rights.  I  gave  that  package  to  you  at  the  moment  it  was 
received,  and  in  the  hurry  of  leaving  us,  you  overlooked 
the  circumstance." 

"All  very  true,  and  to  my  shame  I  confess  that,  until 
this  instant,  the  affair  has  been  quite  forgotten  by  me.  I 
had  so  much  to  occupy  my  mind  while  in  England,  that  it 
was  not  likely  to  be  remembered,  and  then  the  packet  it- 
self has  scarce  been  in  my  possession  since  the  day  I  left 
you." 

"  It  is  not  lost,  I  trust ! "  said  John  Effingham  quickly. 

"  Surely  not !  It  is  safe  beyond  a  question,  in  the  writ- 
ing-desk in  which  I  deposited  it.  But  the  moment  we  got 
to  Portsmouth,  Ducie  and  myself  proceeded  to  London  to- 
gether, and  as  soon  as  he  had  got  through  at  the  Admiral- 
ty, we  went  into  Yorkshire,  where  we  remained,  much  oc- 
cupied with  private  matters  of  great  importance  to  us  both, 
while  his  ship  was  docked,  and  then  it  became  necessary 
to  make  sundry  visits  to  our  relations — 

"Relations!"  repeated  Eve  involuntarily,  though  she 
did  not  cease  to  reproach  herself  for  the  indiscretion  dur- 
ing the  rest  of  the  walk. 


1 34  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  Relations,"  returned  Paul,  smiling.  "  Captain  Ducie 
and  myself  are  cousins-german,  and  we  made  pilgrimages 
together  to  sundry  family  shrines.  This  duty  occupied 
us  until  a  few  days  before  we  sailed  for  Quebec.  On 
reaching  our  haven,  I  left  the  ship  to  visit  the  great  lakes 
and  Niagara,  leaving  most  of  my  effects  with  Ducie,  who 
has  promised  to  bring  them  on  with  himself,  when  he  fol- 
lowed on  my  track,  as  he  expected  soon  to  do,  on  his  way 
to  the  West  Indies,  where  he  is  to  find  a  frigate.  He  owed 
me  this  attention,  as  he  insisted,  on  account  of  having  in- 
duced me  to  go  so  far  out  of  my  way,  with  so  much  lug- 
gage, to  oblige  him.  The  packet  is,  unluckily,  left  behind 
with  the  other  things." 

"And  do  you  expect  Captain  Ducie  to  arrive  in  this 
country  soon  ?  The  affair  of  the  packet  ought  not  to  be 
neglected  much  longer  ;  for  a  promise  to  a  dying  man  is 
doubly  binding,  as  it  appeals  to  all  our  generosity.  Rather 
than  neglect  the  matter  much  longer,  I  would  prefer  send- 
ing a  special  messenger  to  Quebec." 

"  That  will  be  quite  unnecessary,  as  indeed  it  would  be 
useless.  Ducie  left  Quebec  yesterday,  and  has  sent  his 
and  my  effects  direct  to  New  York,  under  the  care  of  his 
own  steward.  The  writing-case,  containing  other  papers 
that  are  of  interest  to  us  both,  he  has  promised  not  to  lose 
sight  of,  but  it  will  accompany  him  on  the  same  tour  as 
that  I  have  just  made  ;  for  he  wishes  to  avail  himself  of 
this  opportunity  to  see  Niagara  and  the  lakes  also.  He  is 
now  on  my  track,  and  will  notify  me  by  letter  of  the  day 
he  will  be  in  Utica,  in  order  that  we  may  meet  on  the  line 
of  the  canal,  near  this  place,  and  proceed  to  New  York  in 
company." 

His  companions  listened  to  this  brief  statement  with 
an  intense  interest,  with  which  the  packet  of  poor  Mr. 
Monday,  however,  had  very  little  connection.  John  Ef- 
fmgham  called  to  his  cousin,  and,  in  a  few  words,  stated 
the  circumstances  as  they  had  just  been  related  to  him- 
self, without  adverting  to  the  papers  of  Mr.  Monday, 
which  was  an  affair  that  he  had  hitherto  kept  to  himself. 

"  It  will  be  no  more  than  a  return  of  civility,  if  we  in- 
vite Captain  Ducie  to  diverge  from  his  road,  and  pass  a 
few  days  with  us  in  the  mountains,"  he  added.  "At  what 
precise  time  do  you  expect  him  to  pass,  Powis  ? " 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  135 

"Within  the  fortnight  I  feel  certain  he  would  be  glad 
to  pay  his  respects  to  this  party  ;  for  he  often  expressed 
his  sincere  regrets  at  having  been  employed  on  a  service 
that  exposed  the  ladies  to  so  much  peril  and  delay." 

"Captain  Ducie  is  a  nea\L  kinsman  of  Mr.  Powis,  dear 
father,"  added  Eve,  in  a  way  to  show  her  parent  that  the 
invitation  would  be  agreeable  to  herself  ;  for  Mr.  Effing- 
ham  was  so  attentive  to  the  wishes  of  his  daughter,  as 
never  to  ask  a  guest  to  his  house  that  he  thought  would 
prove  disagreeable  to  its  mistress. 

"  I  shall  do  myself  the  pleasure  to  write  to  Captain 
Ducie  this  evening,  urging  him  to  honor  us  with  his  com- 
pany," returned  Mr.  Effingham.  "  We  expect  other  friends 
in  a  few  days,  and  I  hope  he  will  not  find  his  time  heavy 
on  his  hands  while  in  exile  among  us.  Mr.  Powis  will  in- 
close my  note  in  one  of  his  letters,  and  will,  I  trust,  se- 
cond the  request  by  his  own  solicitations." 

Paul  made  his  acknowledgments,  and  the  whole  party 
proceeded,  though  the  interruption  caused  such  a  change 
in  the  figure  of  the  promenade,  as  to  leave  the  young  man 
the  immediate  escort  of  Eve.  The  party  by  this  time  had 
not  only  reached  the  highway,  but  it  had  again  diverged 
from  it,  to  follow  the  line  of  an  old  and  abandoned  wheel- 
track  that  descended  the  mountain,  along  the  side  of  the 
declivity,  by  a  wilder  and  more  perilous  direction  than 
suited  a  modern  enterprise — it  having  been  one  of  those 
little  calculated  and  rude  roads  that  the  first  settlers  of  a 
country  are  apt  to  make,  before  there  are  time  and  means 
to  investigate  and  finish  to  advantage.  Although  much 
more  difficult  and  dangerous  than  its  successor,  as  a  high- 
way, this  relic  of  the  infant  condition  of  the  country  was 
by  far  the  most  retired  and  beautiful,  and  pedestrians  con- 
tinued to  use  it  as  a  common  footpath  to  the  Vision.  The 
seasons  had  narrowed  its  surface,  and  the  second  growth 
had  nearly  covered  it  with  their  branches,  shading  it  like 
an  arbor  ;  and  Eve  expressed  her  delight  with  its  wildness 
and  boldness,  mingled,  as  both  were,  with  so  pleasant  a 
seclusion,  as  they  descended  along  a  path  as  safe  and 
convenient  as  a  French  allee.  Glimpses  were  constantly 
obtained  of  the  lake  and  the  village  while  they  proceeded, 
and  altogether,  they  who  were  strangers  to  the  scenery 
were  loud  in  its  praises. 


136  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

\ 

"  Most  persons  who  see  this  valley  for  the  first  time," 
observed  Aristabulus,  "  find  something  to  say  in  its  favor  ; 
for  my  part,  I  consider  it  as  rather  curious  myself." 

"  Curious  !  "  exclaimed  Paul ;  "  that  gentleman  is  at 
least  singular  in  the  choice  of  his  expressions." 

"  You  have  met  him  before  to-day,"  said  Eve,  laughing, 
for  Eve  was  now  in  a  humor  to  laugh  at  trifles.  "  This 
we  know,  since  he  prepared  us  to  meet  a  poet,  where  we 
only  find  an  old  friend." 

.  "  Only,    Miss    Effingham  !     Do    you   estimate  poets  so 
high,  and  old  friends  so  low  ?" 

"  This  extraordinary  person,  Mr.  Aristabulus  Braggs, 
really  deranges  all  one's  notions  and  opinions  in  such  a 
manner,  as  to  destroy  even  the  usual  signification  of 
words,  I  believe.  He  seems  so  much  in,  and  yet  so  much 
out  of  his  place  ;  is  both  so  ruse  and  so  unpractised  ;  so 
unfit  for  what  he  is,  and  so  ready  at  everything,  that  I 
scarcely  know  how  to  apply  terms  in  any  matter  with 
which  he  has  the  smallest  connection.  I  fear  he  has  per- 
secuted you  since  your  arrival  in  Templeton  ?" 

"  Not  at  all  ;  I  am  so  much  acquainted  with  men  of  his 
caste,  that  I  have  acquired  a  tact  in  managing  them.  Per- 
ceiving that  he  was  disposed  to  suspect  me  of  a  disposi- 
tion to  '  poetize  the  lake,'  to  use  his  own  term,  I  took  care 
to  drop  a  couple  of  lines,  roughly  written  off,  like  a  hasty 
and  imperfect  effusion,  where  I  felt  sure  he  would  find 
them,  and  have  been  living  for  a  whole  week  on  the  fame 
thereof." 

"  You  do  indulge  in  such  tastes,  then  ? "  said  Eve,  smil- 
ing a  little  saucily. 

"  I  am  as  innocent  of  such  an  ambition  as  of  wishing  to 
marry  the  heiress  of  the  British  throne,  which,  I  believe, 
just  now,  is  the  goal  of  all  the  Icaruses  of  our  own  time. 
I  am  merely  a  rank  plagiarist — for  the  rhyme,  on  the  fame 
of  which  I  have  rioted  for  a  glorious  week,  was  two  lines 
of  Pope's,  an  author  so  effectually  forgotten  in  these 
palmy  days  of  literature,  in  which  all  knowledge  seems  so 
condensed  into  the  productions  of  the  last  few  years,  that 
a  man  might  almost  pass  off  an  entire  classic  for  his  own, 
without  the  fear  of  detection.  It  was  merely  the  first 
couplet  of  the  Essay  on  Man,  which,  fortunately,  having 
an  allusion  to  the  'pride  of  kings,'  would  pass  for  original. 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  137 

*s  well  as  excellent,  in  nineteen  villages  in  twenty  in 
America,  in  these  piping  times  of  ultra-republicanism.  No 
doubt  Mr.  Bragg  thought  a  eulogy  on  the  '  people '  was 
to  come  next,  to  be  succeeded  by  a  glorious  picture  of 
Templeton  and  its  environs." 

"  I  do  not  know  that  I  ought  to  admit  these  hits  at  lib- 
erty from  a  foreigner,"  said  Eve,  pretending  to  look  graver 
than  she  felt ;  for  never  before,  in  her  life,  had  our  heroine 
so  strong  a  consciousness  of  happiness  as  she  had  ex- 
perienced that  very  morning. 

"  Foreigner,  Miss  Effingham  ! — And  why  a  foreigner?  ' 

"  Nay,  you  know  your  own  pretended  cosmopolitism ; 
and  ought  not  the  cousin  of  Captain  Ducie  to  be  an  Eng- 
lishman ? " 

"  I  shall  not  answer  for  the  ought,  the  simple  fact  being 
a  sufficient  reply  to  the  question.  The  cousin  of  Captain 
Ducie  is  not  an  Englishman  ;  nor,  as  I  see  you  suspect, 
has  he  ever  served  a  day  in  the  British  navy,  or  in  any 
other  navy  than  that  of  his  native  land." 

"  This  is  indeed  taking  us  by  surprise,  and  that  most 
agreeably,"  returned  Eve,  looking  up  at  him  with  undis- 
guised pleasure,  while  a  bright  glow  crimsoned  her  face. 
"  We  could  not  but  feel  an  interest  in  one  who  had  so 
effectually  served  us  ;  and  both  my  father  and  Mr.  John 
Effingham " 

"  Cousin  Jack — "  interrupted  the  smiling  Paul. 

"  Cousin  Jack,  then,  if  you  dislike  the  formality  I  used  ; 
both  my  father  and  cousin  Jack  examined  the  American 
navy  registers  for  your  name  without  success,  as  I  un- 
derstood, and  the  inference  that  followed  was  fair  enough, 
I  believe  you  will  admit." 

"  Had  they  looked  at  the  register  of  a  few  years'  date, 
they  would  have  met  with  better  luck.  I  have  quitted 
the  service,  and  am  a  sailor  only  in  recollections.  For  the 
last  few  years,  like  yourselves,  1  have  been  a  traveller  by 
land  as  well  as  by  water." 

Eve  said  no  more,  though  every  syllable  that  the  young 
man  uttered  was  received  by  attentive  ears,  and  retained 
with  a  scrupulous  fidelity  of  memory.  They  walked  some 
distance  in  silence,  until  they  reached  the  grounds  of  a 
house  that  was  beautifully  placed  on  the  side  of  the  moun- 
tain, near  a  lovely  wood  of  pines.  Crossing  these  grounds 


138  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

until  they  reached  a  terrace  in  front  of  the  dwelling,  the 
village  of  Templeton  lay  directly  in  their  front,  perhaps  a 
hundred  feet  beneath  them,  and  yet  so  near,  as  to  render 
the  minutest  object  distinct.  Here  they  all  stopped  to 
take  a  more  distinct  view  of  a  place  that  had  so  much  in- 
terest with  most  of  the  party. 

"  I  hope  you  are  sufficiently  acquainted  with  the  locali- 
ties to  act  as  cicerone,"  said  Mr.  Effingham  to  Paul.  "  In 
a  visit  of  a  week  to  this  village,  you  have  scarcely  over- 
looked the  Wigwam." 

"  Perhaps  I  ought  to  hesitate,  or  rather  ought  to  blush, 
to  own  it,"  answered  the  young  man,  discharging  the 
latter  obligation  by  coloring  to  his  temples  ;  "  but  curi- 
osity has  proved  so  much  stronger  than  manners,  that  I 
have  been  induced  to  trespass  so  far  on  the  politeness 
of  this  gentleman,  as  to  gain  an  admission  to  your  dwell- 
ing, in  and  about  which  more  of  my  time  has  been  passed 
than  has  probably  proved  agreeable  to  its  inmates." 

"  I  hope  the  gentleman  will  not  speak  of  it,"  said  Arista- 
bulus.  "  In  this  country,  we  live  pretty  much  in  common, 
and  with  me  it  is  a  rule,  when  a  gentleman  drops  in, 
whether  stranger  or  neighbor,  to  show  him  the  civility  to 
ask  him  to  take  off  his  hat." 

"  It  appears  to  me,"  said  Eve,  willing  to  change  the 
conversation,  "  that  Templeton  has  an  unusual  number  of 
steeples  ;  for  what  purpose  can  so  small  a  place  possibly 
require  so  many  buildings  of  that  nature  ? " 

"  All  in  behalf  of  orthodoxy,  Miss  Eve,"  returned  Aris- 
tabulus,  who  conceived  himself  to  be  the  proper  person  to 
answer  such  interrogatories.  "  There  is  a  shade  of  opin- 
ion beneath  every  one  of  those  steeples." 

"  Do  you  mean,  sir,  that  there  are  as  many  shades  of 
faith  in  Templeton,  as  I  now  see  buildings  that  have  the 
appearance  of  being  devoted  to  religious  purposes  ? " 

"Double  the  number,  miss,  and  some  to  spare,  in  the 
bargain  ;  for  you  see  but  five  meeting-houses,  and  the 
county  buildings,  and  we  reckon  seven  hostile  denomina- 
tions in  the  village,  besides  the  diversities  of  sentiment  on 
trifles.  This  edifice  that  you  perceive  here,  in  a  line  with 
the  chimneys  of  the  first  house,  is  New  St.  Paul's,  Mr. 
Grant's  old  church,  as  orthodox  a  house,  in  its  way,  as 
there  is  in  the  diocese,  as  you  may  see  by  the  windows. 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  139 

This  is  a  gaining  concern,  though  there  has  been  some 
falling  off  of  late,  in  consequence  of  the  clergyman's  hav- 
ing caught  a  bad  cold,  which  has  made  him  a  little  hoarse  ; 
but  I  dare  say  he  will  get  over  it,  and  the  church  ought  not 
to  be  abandoned  on  that  account,  serious  as  the  matter 
undoubtedly  is  for  the  moment.  A  few  of  us  have  deter- 
mined to  back  up  New  St.  Paul's  in  this  crisis,  and  I  make 
it  a  point  to  go  there  myself  quite  half  the  time." 

"  I  am  glad  we  have  so  much  of  your  company,"  said 
Mr.  Effingham,  "  for  that  is  our  own  church,  and  in  it  my 
daughter  was  baptized.  But,  do  you  divide  your  religious 
opinions  in  halves,  Mr.  Bragg  ? " 

' *  In  as  many  parts,  Mr.  Effingham,  as  there  are  denomi- 
nations in  the  neighborhood,  giving  a  decided  preference 
to  New  St.  Paul's  notwithstanding  under  the  peculiar 
circumstances,  particularly  to  the  windows.  The  dark, 
gloomy-looking  building,  miss,  off  in  the  distance  yonder, 
is  the  Methodist  affair,  of  which  not  much  need  be  said  ; 
Methodism  flourishing  but  little  among  us  since  the  intro- 
duction of  the  New  Lights,  who  have  fairly  managed  to 
out-excite  them  on  every  plan  they  can  invent.  I  believe, 
however,  they  stick  pretty  much  to  the  old  doctrine,  which 
no  doubt  is  one  great  reason  of  their  present  apathetic 
state  ;  for  the  people  do  love  novelties." 

"  Pray,  sir,  what  building  is  this  nearly  in  a  line  with 
New  St.  Paul's,  and  which  resembles  it  a  little  in  color 
and  form  ? " 

"Windows  excepted  ;  it  has  two  rows  of  regular  square- 
topped  windows,  miss,  as  you  may  observe.  That  is  the 
First  Presbyterian,  or  the  old  standard  ;  a  very  good  house 
and  a  pretty  good  faith,  too,  as  times  go.  I  make  it  a  point 
to  attend  there  at  least  once  every  fortnight  ;  for  change 
is  agreeable  to  the  nature  of  man.  I  will  say,  miss,  that 
my  preference,  so  far  as  I  have  any,  however,  is  for  New 
St.  Paul's,  and  I  have  experienced  considerable  regrets 
that  these  Presbyterians  have  gained  a  material  advantage 
over  us,  in  a  very  essential  point,  lately." 

"  I  am  sorry  to  hear  this,  Mr.  Bragg  ;  for,  being  an  Epis- 
copalian myself,  and  having  great  reliance  on  the  antiquity 
and  purity  of  my  church,  I  should  be  sorry  to  find  it  put 
in  the  wrong  by  any  other." 

"  I  fear  we  must  give  that  point  up,  notwithstanding  ; 


i4o  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

for  these  Presbyterians  have  entirely  outwitted  the  church 
people  in  that  matter." 

"  And  what  is  the  point  in  which  we  have  been  so  sig- 
nally worsted  ? " 

"  Why  miss,  their  new  bell  weighs  quite  a  hundred  more 
than  that  of  New  St.  Paul's,  and  has  altogether  the  best 
sound.  I  know  very  well  that  this  advantage  will  not  avail 
them  anything  to  boast  of,  in  the  last  great  account  ;  but 
it  makes  a  surprising  difference  in  the  state  of  probation. 
You  see  the  yellowish-looking  building  across  the  valley, 
with  a  heavy  wall  around  it,  and  a  belfry  ?  That,  in  its 
regular  character,  is  the  county  court-house  and  jail  ;  but 
in  the  way  of  religion,  it  is  used  pretty  much  miscellan- 
eously." 

"  Do  you  mean  really,  sir,  that  divine  service  is  ever 
actually  performed  in  it,  or  that  persons  of  all  denomina- 
tions are  occasionally  tried  there  ?  " 

"  It  would  be  truer  to  say  that  all  denominations  occa- 
sionally try  the  court-house,"  said  Aristabulus,  simpering  ; 
"  for  I  believe  it  has  been  used  in  this  way  by  every  shade 
of  religion  short  of  the  Jews.  The  Gothic  tower  in  wood 
is  the  building  of  the  Universalists  ;  and  the  Grecian  edi- 
fice, that  is  not  yet  painted,  of  the  Baptists.  The  Quakers, 
I  believe,  worship  chiefly  at  home,  and  the  different  shades 
of  the  Presbyterians  meet  in  different  rooms  in  private 
houses  about  the  place." 

"Are  there  then  shades  of  difference  in  the  denomina- 
tions, as  well  as  all  these  denominations  ?  "  asked  Eve,  in 
unfeigned  surprise;  "and  this,  too,  in  a  population  so 
small  ? " 

"  This  is  a  free  country,  Miss  Eve,  and  freedom  loves 
variety.  'Many  men,  many  minds.'  " 

"  Quite  true,  sir,"  said  Paul  ;  "but  here  are  many  minds 
among  few  men.  Nor  is  this  all  ;  agreeably  to  your  own 
account,  some  of  these  men  do  not  exactly  know  their  own 
minds.  But  can  you  explain  to  us  what  essential  points 
are  involved  in  all  these  shades  of  opinion  ?  " 

"  It  would  require  a  life,  sir,  to  understand  the  half  of 
them.  Some  say  that  excitement  is  religion,  and  others, 
that  it  is  contentment.  One  set  cries  up  practice,  and 
another  cries  out  against  it.  This  man  maintains  that  he 
will  be  saved  if  he  does  good,  and  that  man  affirms  that  if 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  141 

he  only  does  good,  he  will  be  damned  ;  a  little  evil  is  nec- 
essary to  salvation,  with  one  shade  of  opinion,  while  an- 
other thinks  a  man  is  never  so  near  conversion  as  when  he 
is  deepest  in  sin." 

"  Subdivision  is  the  order  of  the  day,"  added  John  Effing- 
ham.  "  Every  county  is  to  be  subdivided,  that  there  may 
be  more  county  towns  and  county  offices  ;  every  religion 
decimated,  that  there  may  be  a  greater  variety  and  a  better 
quality  of  saints." 

Aristabulus  nodded  his  head,  and  he  would  have  winked, 
could  he  have  presumed  to  take  such  a  liberty  with  a  man 
he  held  as  much  in  habitual  awe  as  John  Effingham. 

"Monsieur"  inquired  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  "is  there 
no  Jglise,  no  veritable  e'glise  in  Templeton  ?" 

"  Oh,  yes,  madame,  several,"  returned  Aristabulus,  who 
would  as  soon  think  of  admitting  that  he  did  not  under- 
stand the  meaning  of  veritable  egtise,  as  one  of  the  sects  he 
had  been  describing  would  think  of  admitting  that  it  was 
not  infallible  in  its  interpretation  of  Christianity — "  sev- 
eral ;  but  they  are  not  to  be  seen  from  this  particular  spot." 

"  How  much  more  picturesque  would  it  be,  and  even 
Christian-like  in  appearance,  at  least,"  said  Paul,  "could 
these  good  people  consent  to  unite  in  worshipping  God  ! 
and  how  much  does  it  bring  into  strong  relief  the  feeble- 
ness and  ignorance  of  man,  when  you  see  him  splitting 
hairs  about  doctrines,  under  which  he  has  been  told,  in 
terms  as  plain  as  language  can  make  it,  that  he  is  simply 
required  to  believe  in  the  goodness  and  power  of  a  Being 
whose  nature  and  agencies  exceed  his  comprehension." 

"All  very  true,"  cried  John  Effingham,  "but  what 
would  become  of  liberty  of  conscience  in  such  a  case  ? 
Most  men,  nowadays,  understand  by  faith,  a  firm  reliance 
on  their  own  opinions  !  " 

"In  that  case,  too,"  put  in  Aristabulus,  "we  should 
want  this  handsome  display  of  churches  to  adorn  otir  vil- 
lage. There  is  good  comes  of  it  ;  for  any  man  would  be 
more  likely  to  invest  in  a  place  that  has  five  churches  than 
in  a  place  with  but  one.  As  it  is,  Templeton  has  as 
beautiful  a  set  of  churches  as  any  village  I  know." 

"  Say  rather,  sir,  a  set  of  castors  ;  for  a  stronger  resem- 
blance to  vinegar-cruets  and  mustard-pots  than  is  borne 
by  these  architectural  prodigies,  eye  never  beheld." 


142  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  It  is,  nevertheless,  a  beautiful  thing,  to  see  the  high- 
pointed  roof  of  the  house  of  God,  crowning  an  assemblage 
of  houses,  as  one  finds  it  in  other  countries,"  said  Eve, 
"  instead  of  a  pile  of  tavern,  as  is  too  much  the  case  in  this 
dear  home  of  ours." 

When  this  remark  was  uttered,  they  descended  the  step 
that  led  from  the  terrace,  and  proceeded  toward  the  vil- 
lage. On  reaching  the  gate  of  the  Wigwam,  the  whole 
party  stood  confronted  with  that  offspring  of  John  Effing- 
ham's  taste  ;  for  so  great  had  been  his  improvements  on 
the  original  production  of  Hiram  Doolittle,  that  exter- 
nally, at  least,  that  distinguished  architect  could  no  longer 
have  recognized  the  fruits  of  his  own  talents. 

"  This  is  carrying  out  to  the  full,  John,  the  conceits  of 
the  composite  order,"  observed  Mr.  Effingham,  drily. 

"  I  shall  be  sorry,  Ned,  if  you  dislike  your  house  as  it  is 
amended  and  corrected." 

"  Dear  Cousin  Jack,"  cried  Eve,  "it  is  an  odd  jumble  of 
the  Grecian  and  Gothic.  One  would  like  to  know  your 
authorities  for  such  a  liberty." 

"What  do  you  think  of  the  facade  of  the  cathedral  of 
Milan,  miss?"  laying  emphasis  on  the  last  words,  in  imita- 
tion of  the  manner  of  Mr.  Bragg.  "  Is  it  such  a  novelty 
to  see  the  two  styles  blended  ;  or  is  architecture  so  pure  in 
America,  that  you  think  I  have  committed  the  unpardon- 
able sin  ? " 

"  Nay,  nothing  that  is  out  of  rule  ought  to  strike  one  in 
a  country  where  imitation  governs  in  all  things  immate- 
rial, and  originality  unsettles  all  things  sacred  and  dear.'* 

"  By  way  of  punishment  for  that  bold  speech,  I  wish  I 
had  left  the  old  rookery  in  the  state  I  found  it,  that  its 
beauties  might  have  greeted  your  eyes,  instead  of  this  un- 
couth pile,  which  seems  so  much  to  offend  them.  Made- 
moiselle Viefville,  permit  me  to  ask  how  you  like  that 
house  ? " 

"  Mais  c'est  un petit  chateau." 

"  Un  chateau,  Effing  hamtse"  said  Eve,  laughing. 

"  Effing  hamise  si  vous  voulez,  ma  chere  ;  pourtant  c"est  un 
chateau" 

"  The  general  opinion  in  this  part  of  the  country  is," 
said  Aristabulus,  "  that  Mr.  John  Effingham  has  altered 
the  building  on  the  plan  of  some  edifice  of  Europe,  though 


HOME   AS  FOUND,  14$ 

I  forget  the  name  of  the  particular  temple  ;  it  is  not,  how- 
ever, the  Parthenon,  nor  the  temple  of  Minerva." 

"  I  hope,  at  least,"  said  Mr.  Effingham,  leading  the  way 
up  a  little  lawn,  "it  will  not  turn  out  to  be  the  Temple  of 
the  Winds." 


CHAPTER   XI. 

"Nay,  I'll  come ;  if  I  lose  a  scruple  of  this  sport,  let  me  be  boiled  to 
death  with  melancholy." — SHAKESPEARE. 

THE  progress  of  society  in  America  has  been  distin- 
guished by  several  peculiarities  that  do  not  so  properly 
belong  to  the  more  regular  and  methodical  advances  of 
civilization  in  other  parts  of  the  world.  On  the  one  hand 
the  arts  of  life,  like  Minerva,  who  was  struck  out  of  the 
intellectual  being  of  her  father  at  a  blow,  have  started  full- 
grown  into  existence,  as  the  legitimate  inheritance  of  the 
colonists,  while  on  the  other,  everything  tends  toward 
settling  down  into  a  medium,  as  regards  quality,  a  conse- 
quence of  the  community-character  of  the  institutions. 
Everything  she  had  seen  that  day  had  struck  Eve  as  par- 
taking of  this  mixed  nature,  in  which,  while  nothing  was 
vulgar,  little  even  approached  to  that  high  standard  that 
her  European  education  had  taught  her  to  esteem  perfect. 
In  the  Wigwam,  however,  as  her  father's  cousin  had 
seen  fit  to  name  the  family  dwelling,  there  was  more 
of  keeping,  and  a  closer  attention  to  the  many  little  things 
she  had  been  accustomed  to  consider  essential  to  comfort 
and  elegance,  and  she  was  better  satisfied  with  her  future 
home  than  with  most  she  had  seen  since  her  return  to 
America. 

As  we  have  described  the  interior  of  this  house  in 
another  work,  little  remains  to  be  said  on  the  subject  at 
present ;  for,  while  John  Effingham  had  completely  altered 
its  external  appearance,  its  internal  was  not  much  changed. 
It  is  true,  the  cloud-colored  covering  had  disappeared,  as 
had  that  stoop  also,  the  columns  of  which  were  so  nobly 
upheld  by  their  superstructure  ;  the  former  having  given 
place  to  a  less  obtrusive  roof,  that  was  regularly  embattled, 


144  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

and  the  latter  having  been  swallowed  by  a  small  entrance 
tower  that  the  new  architect  had  contrived  to  attach  to 
the  bu.lding  with  quite  as  much  advantage  to  it  in  the  way 
of  comfort  as  in  the  way  of  appearance.  In  truth,  the 
Wigwam  had  none  of  the  more  familiar  features  of  a 
modern  American  dwelling  of  its  class.  There  was  not  a 
column  about  it,  whether  Grecian,  Roman,  or  Egyptian  ; 
no  Venetian  blinds  ;  no  veranda  or  piazza. ;  no  outside 
paint,  nor  gay  blending  of  colors.  On  the  contrary,  it 
was  a  plain  old  structure,  built  with  great  solidity  and  of 
excellent  materials,  and  in  that  style  of  respectable  dignity 
and  propriety  that  was  perhaps  a  little  more  peculiar  to 
our  fathers  than  it  is  to  their  successors,  our  worthy  selves. 
In  addition  to  the  entrance  tower,  or  porch,  on  its  northern 
front,  John  Effingham  had  also  placed  a  prettily  devised 
conceit  on  the  southern,  by  means  of  which  the  abrupt 
transition  from  an  inner  room  to  the  open  air  was  adroitly 
avoided.  He  had,  moreover,  removed  the  "firstly"  of  the 
edifice,  and  supplied  its  place  with  a  more  suitable  addi- 
tion that  contained  some  of  the  offices,  while  it  did  not 
disfigure  the  building,  a  rare  circumstance  in  an  architect- 
ural after-thought. 

Internally  the  Wigwam  had  gradually  been  undergoing 
improvements  ever  since  that  period,  which,  in  the  way  of 
the  arts,  if  not  in  the  way  of  chronology,  might  be  termed 
the  dark  ages  of  Otsego.  The  great  hall  had  long  before 
lost  its  characteristic  decoration  of  the  severed  arm  of 
Wolf,  a  Gothic  paper  that  was  better  adapted  to  the  really 
respectable  architecture  of  the  room  being  its  substitute  : 
and  even  the  urn  that  was  thought  to  contain  the  ashes  of 

eueen  Dido,  like  the  pitcher  that  goes  often  to  the  well, 
id  been  broken  in  a  war  of  extermination  that  had  been 
carried  on  against  the  cobwebs,  by  a  particularly  notable 
housekeeper.  Old  Homer,  too,  had  gone  the  way  of  all 
baked  clay  ;  Shakespeare  himself  had  dissolved  into  dust, 
"leaving  not  a  wrack  behind;"  and  of  Washington  and 
Franklin,  even,  indigenous  as  they  were,  there  remained 
no  vestiges.  Instead  of  these  venerable  memorials  of  the 
past,  John  Effingham,  who  retained  a  pleasing  recollection 
of  their  beauties  as  they  had  presented  themselves  to  his 
boyish  eyes,  had  bought  a  few  substitutes  in  a  New  York 
shop,  and  a  Shakespeare,  and  a  Milton,  and  a  Caesar,  and 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  145 

a  Dryden,  and  a  Locke,  as  the  writers  of  heroic  so  beauti- 
fully express  it,  were  now  seated  in  tranquil  dignity  on 
the  old  medallions  that  had  held  their  illustrious  prede- 
cessors. Although  time  had,  as  yet,  done  little  for  this 
new  collection  in  the  way  of  color,  dust  and  neglect  were 
already  throwing  around  them  the  tint  of  antiquity. 

"The  lady,"  to  use  the  language  of  Mr.  Bragg,  who  did 
the  cooking  of  the  Wigwam,  having  everything  in  readi- 
ness, our  party  took  their  seats  at  the  breakfast-table, 
which  was  spread  in  the  great  hall,  as  soon  as  each  had 
paid  a  little  attention  to  the  toilette.  As  the  service  was 
neither  very  scientific  nor  sufficiently  peculiar,  either  in 
the  way  of  elegance  or  of  its  opposite  quality,  to  be  worthy 
of  notice,  we  shall  pass  it  over  in  silence. 

"One  will  not  quite  so  much  miss  European  architect- 
ure in  this  house,"  said  Eve,  as  she  took  her  seat  at  table, 
glancing  an  eye  at  the  spacious  and  lofty  room  in  which 
they  were  assembled  ;  "  here  is  at  least  size  and  its 
comforts,  if  not  elegance." 

"Had  you  lost  all  recollection  of  this  building,  my 
child,"  inquired  her  father,  kindly,  "  I  was  in  hopes  you 
would  feel  some  of  the  happiness  of  returning  home,  when 
you  again  found  yourself  beneath  its  roof  !" 

"  I  should  greatly  dislike  to  have  all  the  antics  I  have 
been  playing  in  my  own  dressing-room  exposed,"  returned 
Eve,  rewarding  the  parental  solicitude  of  her  father  by  a 
look  of  love,  "  though  Grace,  between  her  laughing  and 
her  tears,  has  threatened  me  with  such  a  disgrace.  Ann 
Sidley  has  also  been  weeping  ;  and  as  even  Annette,  always 
courteous  and  considerate,  has  shed  a  few  tears  in  the  way 
of  sympathy,  you  ought  not  to  imagine  that  I  have  been 
altogether  so  stoical  as  not  to  betray  some  feeling,  dear 
father.  But  the  paroxysm  is  past,  and  I  am  beginning  to 
philosophize.  I  hope,  cousin  Jack,  you  have  not  forgotten 
that  the  drawing-room  is  a  lady's  empire  !  " 

"  I  have  respected  your  rights,  Miss  Effingham,  though, 
with  a  wish  to  prevent  any  violence  to  your  tastes,  I  have 
caused  sundry  antediluvian  paintings  and  engravings  to  be 
consigned  to  the " 

"  Garret  ?"  inquired  Eve,  so  quickly  as  to  interrupt  the 
speaker. 

"  Fire,"  coolly  returned  her  cousin.  "  The  garret  is  now 
10 


146  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

much  too  good  for  them  ;  that  part  of  the  house  being  con- 
verted into  sleeping-rooms  for  the  maids.  Mademoiselle 
Annette  would  go  into  hysterics,  were  she  to  see  the  works 
of  art  that  satisfied  the  past  generation  of  masters  in  this 
country,  in  too  close  familiarity  with  her  Louvre-ized  eyes." 

"  Point  du  tout  monsieur"  said  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  in- 
nocently ;  "  Annette  a  du  gout  dans  son  metier  sans  doute,  but 
she  is  too  well  bred  to  expect  impossibility.  No  doubt  she 
would  have  conducted  herself  with  decorum." 

Everybody  laughed,  for  much  light-heartedness  prevailed 
at  that  board,  and  the  conversation  continued. 

"  I  shall  be  satisfied  if  Annette  escape  convulsions,"  Eve 
added,  "a  refined  taste  being  her  weakness;  and  to  be 
frank,  what  I  recollect  of  the  works  you  mention,  is  not  of 
the  most  flattering  nature." 

''And  yet,"  observed  Sir  George,  "  nothing  has  surprised 
me  more  than  the  respectable  state  of  the  arts  of  engraving 
and  painting  in  this  country.  It  was  unlocked  for,  and 
the  pleasure  has  probably  been  in  proportion  to  the  sur- 
prise." 

"In  that  you  are  very  right,  Sir  George  Templemore," 
John  Effingham  answered  ;  "  but  the  improvement  is  of 
very  recent  date.  He  who  remembers  an  American  town 
half  a  century  ago,  will  see  a  very  different  thing  in  an 
American  town  of  to-day  ;  and  this  is  equally  true  of  the 
arts  you  mention,  with  the  essential  difference  that  the  lat- 
ter are  taking  a  right  direction  under  aproper^instruction, 
while  the  former  are  taking  a  wrong  direction  under  the 
influence  of  money,  that  has  no  instruction.  Had  I  left 
much  of  the  old  furniture  or  any  of  the  old  pictures  in  the 
Wigwam,  we  should  have  had  the  bland  features  of  Miss 
Effingham  in  frowns  instead  of  bewitching  smiles,  at  this 
very  moment." 

"  And  yet  I  have  seen  fine  old  furniture  in  this  country, 
cousin  Jack." 

"  Very  true  ;  though  not  in  this  part  of  it  The  means 
of  conveyance  were  wanting  half  a  century  since,  and  few 
people  risk  finery  of  any  sort  on  corduroys.  This  very 
house  had  some  respectable  old  things,  that  were  brought 
here  by  dint  of  money,  and  they  still  remain  ;  but  the 
eighteenth  century  in  general  may  be  set  down  as  a  very 
dark  antiquity  in  all  this  region." 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  147 

When  the  repast  was  over,  Mr.  Effingham  led  his  guests 
and  daughter  through  the  principal  apartments,  sometimes 
commending  and  sometimes  laughing  at  the  conceits  of  his 
kinsman.  The  library  was  a  good-sized  room  ;  good-sized 
at  least  for  a  country  in  which  domestic  architecture,  as 
well  as  public  architecture,  is  still  in  the  chrysalis  state. 
Its  walls  were  hung  with  an  exceedingly  pretty  gothic 
paper,  in  green,  but  over  each  window  was  a  chasm  in  the 
upper  border  ;  and  as  this  border  supplied  the  arches,  the 
unity  of  the  entire  design  was  broken  in  no  less  than  four 
places,  that  being  the  precise  number  of  the  windows.  The 
defect  soon  attracted  the  eye  of  Eve,  and  she  was  not  slow 
in  demanding  an  explanation. 

"  The  deficency  is  owing  to  an  American  accident,"  re- 
turned her  cousin  ;  "  one  of  those  calamities  of  which  you 
are  fated  to  experience  many,  as  the  mistress  of  an  Ameri- 
can household.  No  more  of  the  border  was  to  be  bought 
in  the  country,  and  this  is  a  land  of  shops  and  not  of  fabri- 
cants.  At  Paris,  mademoiselle,  one  would  send  to  the 
paper-maker  for  a  supply ;  but,  alas  !  he  that  has  not 
enough  of  a  thing  with  us,  is  as  badly  off  as  if  he  had  none. 
We  are  consumers  and  not  producers  of  works  of  art.  It 
is  a  long  way  to  send  to  France  for  ten  or  fifteen  feet  of 
paper-hangings,  and  yet  this  must  be  done,  or  my  beauti- 
ful gothic  arches  will  remain  forever  without  their  key- 
stones !  " 

"One   sees  the   inconvenience   of   this,"  observed    Sir 
George  ;  "we  feel  it,  even  in  England,  in  all  that  relates 
to  imported  things." 
.     V  And  we,  in  nearly  all  things,  but  food." 

"  And  does  not  this  show  that  America  can  never  be- 
come a  manufacturing  country  ?  "  asked  the  baronet,  with 
the  interest  an  intelligent  Englishman  ever  feels  in  that 
all-absorbing  question.  "  If  you  cannot  manufacture  an 
article  as  simple  as  that  of  paper-hangings,  would  it  not 
be  well  to  turn  your  attention  altogether  to  agriculture  ? " 

As  the  feeling  of  this  interrogatory  was  much  more  ap- 
parent than  its  logic,  smiles  passed  from  one  to  the  other, 
though  John  Effingham,  who  really  had  a  regard  for  Sir 
George,  was  content  to  make  an  evasive  reply,  a  singulaf 
proof  of  amity  in  a  man  of  his  caustic  temperament. 

The   survey  of  the  house,  on  the  whole,  proved  satis* 


148  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

factory  to  its  future  mistress,  who  complained,  howevei, 
that  it  was  furnished  too  much  like  a  town  residence. 

"For,"  she  added,  "you  will  remember,  cousin  Jack, 
that  our  visits  here  will  be  something  like  a  villeggiatura" 

"Yes,  yes,  my  fair  lady;  it  will  riot  be  long  before  your 
Parisian  and  Roman  tastes  will  be  ready  to  pronounce  the 
whole  country  a  villeggiatura  !  " 

"This  is  the  penalty,  Eve,  one  pays  for  being  a  Hajji," 
observed  Grace,  who  had  been  closely  watching  the  ex- 
pression of  the  others'  countenances  ;  for,  agreeably  to 
her  view  of  things,  the  Wigwam  wanted  nothing  to  ren- 
der it  a  perfect  abode.  "  The  things  that  we  enjoy,  you 
despise." 

"  That  is  an  argument,  my  dear  coz,  that  would  apply 
equally  well  as  a  reason  for  preferring  brown  sugar  to 
white." 

"  In  coffee,  certainly,  Miss  Eve,"  put  in  the  attentive 
Aristabulus,  who  having  acquired  this  taste,  in  virtue  of 
an  economical  mother,  really  fancied  it  a  pure  one.  "  Every- 
body, in  these  regions,  prefers  brown  in  coffee." 

"  Oh,  mon  pcre  et  ma  mere,  comme  je  vous  en  veux"  said 
Eve,  without  attending  to  the  nice  distinctions  of  Mr.  Bragg, 
which  savored  a  little  too  much  of  the  neophyte  in  cookery 
to  find  favor  in  the  present  company,  "  comme  je  vous  en 
veux  for  having  neglected  so  many  beautiful  sites,  to  place 
.  this  building  in  the  very  spot  it  occupies." 

"  In  that  respect,  my  child,  we  may  rather  be  grateful  at 
finding  so  comfortable  a  house  at  all.  Compared  with  the 
civilization  that  then  surrounded  it,  this  dwelling  was  a 
palace  at  the  time  of  its  erection  ;  bearing  some  such  rela- 
tion to  the  humbler  structures  around  it,  as  the  chateau 
bears  to  the  cottage.  Remember  that  brick  had  never 
before  been  piled  on  brick,  in  the  walls  of  a  house,  in  all 
this  region,  when  the  wigwam  was  constructed.  It  is  the 
Temple  of  Neptune  of  Otsego,  if  not  of  all  the  surrounding 
counties." 

Eve  pressed  to  her  lips  the  hand  she  was  holding  in  both 
her  own,  and  they  all  passed  out  of  the  library  into  another 
room.  As  they  came  in  front  of  the  hall  windows,  a  party 
of  apprentice-boys  were  seen  coolly  making  their  arrange- 
ments to  amuse  themselves  with  a  game  of  ball,  on  the  lawn 
directly  in  front  of  the  house. 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  149 

"  Surely,  Mr.  Bragg,"  said  the  owner  of  the  Wigwam, 
with  more  displeasure  in  his  voice  than  was  usual  for  one 
of  his  regulated  mind,  "  you  do  not  countenance  this  lib- 
erty ? " 

"  Liberty,  sir  ! — I  am  an  advocate  for  liberty  wherever  I 
can  find  it.  Do  you  refer  to  the  young  men  on  the  lawn, 
Mr.  Effingham  ? " 

"  Certainly  to  them,  sir  ;  and  permit  me  to  say,  I  think 
they  might  have  chosen  a  more  suitable  spot  for  their 
sports.  They  are  mistaking  liberties  for  liberty,  I  fear." 

"Why,  sir,  I  believe  they  have  always  played  ball  in 
that  precise  locality." 

"  Always !  I  can  assure  you  this  is  a  great  mistake. 
What  private  family,  placed  as  we  are  in  the  centre  of  a 
village,  would  allow  of  any  invasion  of  its  privacy  in  this 
rude  manner  ?  Well  may  the  house  be  termed  a  Wigwam, 
if  this  whooping  is  to  be  tolerated  before  its  door." 

''You  forget,  Ned,"  said  John  Effingham,  with  a  sneer, 
"  that  an  American  always  means  just  eighteen  months. 
Antiquity  is  reached  in  five  lustra,  and  the  dark  ages  at 
the  end  of  a  human  life.  I  dare  say  these  amiable  young 
gentlemen,  who  enliven  their  sports  with  so  many  agree- 
able oaths,  would  think  you  very  unreasonable  and  en- 
croaching to  presume  to  tell  them  they  are  unwelcome." 

"To  own  the  truth,  Mr.  John,  it  would  be  downright  un- 
popular." 

"  As  I  cannot  permit  the  ears  of  the  ladies  to  be  offended 
with  these  rude  brawls,  and  shall  never  consent  to  have 
grounds  that  are  so  limited,  and  which  so  properly  belong 
to  the  very  privacy  of  my  dwelling,  invaded  in  this  coarse 
manner,  I  beg,  Mr.  Bragg,  that  you  will  at  once  desire 
these  young  men  to  pursue  their  sports  somewhere  else." 

Aristabulus  received  this  commission  with  a  very  ill 
grace  ;  for,  while  his  native  sagacity  told  him  that  Mr. 
Effingham  was  right,  he  too  well  knew  the  loose  habits 
that  had  been  rapidly  increasing  in  the  country  during  the 
last  ten  years,  not  to  foresee  that  the  order  would  do  vio- 
lence to  all  the  apprentices'  preconceived  notions  of  their 
immunities  ;  for,  as  he  had  truly  stated,  things  move  on  at 
so  quick  a  pace  in  America,  and  popular  feeling  is  so  ar- 
bitrary, that  a  custom  of  a  twelvemonth's  existence  is 
deemed  sacred,  until  the  public  itself  sees  fit  to  alter  it 


iSo  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

He  was  reluctantly  quitting  the  party  on  his  unpleasant 
duty,  when  Mr.  Effingham  turned  to  a  servant  who  be- 
longed to  the  place,  and  bade  him  go  to  the  village  barber, 
and  desire  him  to  come  to  the  Wigwam  to  cut  his  hair, 
Pierre,  who  usually  performed  that  office  for  him,  being 
busied  in  unpacking  trunks. 

"  Never  mind,  Tom,"  said  Aristabulus  obligingly,  as  he 
took  up  his  hat ;  "  I  am  going  into  the  street,  and  will  give 
the  message  to  Mr.  Lather." 

"  I  cannot  think,  sir,  of  employing  you  on  such  a  duty/' 
hastily  interposed  Mr.  Effingham,  who  felt  a  gentleman's 
reluctance  to  impose  an  unsuitable  office  on  any  of  his  de^ 
pendants — "  Tom,  I  am  sure,  will  do  me  the  favor." 

"  Do  not  name  it,  my  dear  sir ;  nothing  makes  me  hap- 
pier than  to  do  these  little  errands,  and,  another  time,  you 
can  do  as  much  for  me." 

Aristabulus  now  went  on  his  way  more  cheerfully,  for 
he  determined  to  go  first  to  the  barber,  hoping  that  some 
expedient  might  suggest  itself,  by  means  of  which  he  could 
coax  the  apprentices  from  the  lawn,  and  thus  escape  the 
injury  to  his  popularity  that  he  so  much  dreaded.  It  is 
true,  these  apprentices  were  not  voters,  but  then  some  of 
them  speedily  would  be,  and  all  of  them,  moreover,  had 
tongues,  an  instrument  Mr.  Bragg  held  in  quite  as  much 
awe  as  some  men  dread  saltpetre.  In  passing  the  ball- 
players, he  called  out  in  a  wheedling  tone  to  their  ring 
leader,  a  notorious  street  brawler  : 

"  A  fine  time  for  sport,  Dickey  ;  don't  you  think  there 
would  be  more  room  in  the  broad  street  than  on  this 
crowded  lawn,  where  you  lose  your  ball  so  often  in  the 
shrubbery  ? " 

"  This  place  will  do,  on  a  pinch,"  bawled  Dickey — • 
"though  it  might  be  better.  If  it  warn't  for  that  plagued 
house,  we  couldn't  ask  for  a  better  ball-ground." 

"  I  don't  see,"  put  in  another,  "what  folks  built  a  house 
just  in  that  spot  for  ;  for  it  has  spoilt  the  very  best  play- 
ground in  the  village." 

"  Some  people  have  their  notions  as  well  as  others,"  re~ 
turned  Aristabulus  ;  "  but,  gentlemen,  if  I  were  in  your 
place,  I  would  try  the  street  I  feel  satisfied  you  would 
find  it  much  the  most  agreeable  and  convenient." 

The  apprentices  thought  differently,  however,  or 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  151 

were  indisposed  to  the  change  ;  and  so  they  recommenced 
their  yells,  their  oaths,  and  their  game.  In  the  meanwhile 
the  party  in  the  house  continued  their  examination  of  John 
Effingham's  improvements,  and  when  this  was  completed, 
they  separated,  each  to  his  or  her  own  room. 

Aristabulus  soon  reappeared  on  the  lawn,  and  approach- 
ing the  ball-players,  he  began  to  execute  his  commission, 
as  he  conceived,  in  good  earnest.  Instead  of  simply  saying, 
however,  that  it  was  disagreeable  to  the  owner  of  the  prop- 
erty to  have  such  an  invasion  on  his  privacy,  and  thus  put- 
ting a  stop  to  the  intrusion  for  the  future  as  well  as  at  the 
present  moment,  he  believed  some  address  necessary  to  at- 
tain the  desired  end. 

"Well,  Dickey,"  he  said,  "there  is  no  accounting  for 
tastes  ;  but,  in  my  opinion,  the  street  would  be  a  much  bet- 
ter place  to  play  ball  in  than  this  lawn.  I  wonder  gentle- 
men of  your  observation  should  be  satisfied  with  so  cramped 
a  playground." 

"  I  tell  you,  Squire  Bragg,  this  will  do,"  roared  Dickey. 
"  We  are  in  a  hurry,  and  no  way  particular.  The  bosses 
will  be  after  us  in  half  an  hour.  Heave  away,  Sam  ! " 

"  There  are  so  many  fences  hereabouts,"  continued  Aris- 
tabulus, with  an  air  of  indifference  ;  "  it's  true  the  village 
trustees  say  there  shall  be  no  ball-playing  in  the  street,  but 
I  conclude  you  don't  much  mind  what  they  think  or 
threaten." 

"  Let  them  sue  for  that,  if  they  like,"  bawled  a  particu- 
larly amiable  blackguard,  called  Peter,  who  struck  his  ball 
as  he  spoke,  quite  into  the  principal  street  of  the  village. 

"  Who's  a  trustee,  that  he  should  tell  gentlemen  where 
they  are  to  play  ball ! " 

"  Sure  enough,"  said  Aristabulus,  "  and  now,  by  follow- 
ing up  that  blow,  you  can  bring  matters  to  an  issue.  I 
think  the  law  very  oppressive,  and  you  can  never  have  so 
good  an  opportunity  to  bring  things  to  a  crisis.  Besides, 
it  is  very  aristocratic  to  play  ball  among  roses  and  dah- 
lias." 

The  bait  took  ;  for  what  apprentice — American  appren- 
tice in  pa/ticular — can  resist  an  opportunity  of  showing 
how  much  he  considers  himself  superior  to  the  law  ?  Then 
it  had  never  struck  any  of  the  party  before,  that  it  was 
vulgar  and  aristocratic  to  pursue  the  sport  among  roses,  and 


152  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

one  or  two  of  them  actually  complained  that  they  had 
pricked  their  fingers  in  searching  for  the  ball. 

"  I  know  Mr.  Effingham  will  be  very  sorry  to  have  you 
go,"  continued  Aristabulus,  following  up  his  advantage  ; 
"  but  gentlemen  cannot  always  forego  their  pleasures  for 
other  folks." 

"  Who's  Mr.  Effingham,  I  would  like  to  know  ? "  cried 
Joe  Wart.  "  If  he  wants  people  to  play  ball  on  his  prem- 
ises, let  him  cut  down  his  roses.  Come,  gentlemen,  I  con- 
form to  Squire  Bragg,  and  invite  you  all  to  follow  me  into 
the  street." 

As  the  lawn  was  now  evacuated  en  masse,  Aristabulus 
proceeded  with  alacrity  to  the  house,  and  went  into  the 
library,  where  Mr.  Effingham  was  patiently  waiting  his  re- 
turn. 

"  I  am  happy  to  inform  you,  sir,"  commenced  the  am- 
bassador, "  that  the  ball-players  have  adjourned,  and  as 
for  Mr.  Lather,  he  declines  your  proposition  ! " 

"  Declines  my  proposition  !  " 

"  Yes,  sir,  he  dislikes  to  come  ;  for  he  thinks  it  will  be 
altogether  a  poor  operation.  His  notion  is,  that  if  it  be 
worth  his  while  to  come  up  to  the  Wigwam  to  cut  your 
hair,  it  may  be  worth  your  while  to  go  down  to  the  shop, 
to  have  it  cut.  Considering  the  matter  in  all  its  bearings, 
therefore,  he  concludes  he  would  rather  not  engage  in  the 
transaction  at  all." 

*'  I  regret,  sir,  to  have  consented  to  your  taking  so  disa- 
greeable a  commission,  and  regret  it  the  more,  now  I  find 
that  the  barber  is  disposed  to  be  troublesome." 

"  Not  at  all,  sir.  Mr.  Lather  is  a  good  man,  in  his  way, 
and  particularly  neighborly.  By  the  way,  Mr.  Effingham, 
he  asked  me  to  propose  to  let  him  take  down  your  garden 
fence,  in  order  that  he  may  haul  some  manure  on  his  po- 
tato patch,  which  wants  it  dreadfully,  he  says." 

"  Certainly,  sir.  I  cannot  possibly  object  to  his  hauling 
his  manure  even  through  this  house,  should  he  wish  it. 
He  is  so  very  valuable  a  citizen,  and  one  who  knows  his 
own  business  so  well,  that  I  am  only  surprised  at  the 
moderation  of  his  request." 

Here  Mr.  Effingham  rose,  rang  the  bell  for  Pierre,  and 
went  to  his  own  room,  doubting,  in  his  own  mind,  from 
all  that  he  had  seen,  whether  this  was  really  the  Templetou 


HOME   AS  FOUND.  153 

he  had  known  in  his  youth,  and  whether  he  was  in  his 
own  house  or  not. 

As  for  Aristabulus,  who  saw  nothing  out  of  rule,  or  con- 
trary to  his  own  notions  of  propriety,  in  what  had  passed, 
he  hurried  off  to  tell  the  barber,  who  was  so  ignorant  of 
the  first  duty  of  his  trade,  that  he  was  at  liberty  to  pull 
down  Mr.  Effingham's  fence,  in  order  to  manure  his  own 
potato  patch. 

Lest  the  reader  should  suppose  we  are  drawing  carica- 
tures, instead  of  representing  an  actual  condition  of  so- 
ciety, it  may  be  necessary  to  explain  that  Mr.  Bragg 
was  a  standing  candidate  for  popular  favor  ;  that,  like  Mr. 
Dodge,  he  considered  everything  that  represented  itself 
in  the  name  of  the  public  as  sacred  and  paramount,  and  that 
so  general  and  positive  was  his  deference  for  majorities, 
that  it  was  the  bias  of  his  mind  to  think  half  a  dozen  al- 
ways in  the  right,  as  opposed  to  one,  although  that  one, 
agreeably  to  the  great  decision  of  the  real  majority  of  the 
entire  community,  had  not  only  the  law  on  his  side,  but 
all  the  abstract  merits  of  the  disputed  question.  In  short, 
to  such  a  pass  of  freedom  had  Mr.  Bragg,  in  common  with 
a  large  class  of  his  countrymen,  carried  his  notions,  that 
he  had  really  begun  to  imagine  liberty  was  all  means  and 
no  end. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

"  In  sooth,  thou  wast  in  very  gracious  fooling  last  night,  when  thou  spok- 
est  of  Pigrogromotus,  of  the  Vapians  passing  the  equinoctial  of  Queubus  ; 
'twas  very  good,  i'  faith." — SIR  ANDREW  AGUE-CHEEK. 

THE  progress  of  society,  it  has  just  been  said,  in  what  is 
termed  a  "  new  country,"  is  a  little  anomalous.  At  the 
commencement  of  a  settlement,  there  is  much  of  that  sort 
of  kind  feeling  and  mutual  interest  which  men  are  apt  to 
manifest  toward  each  other  when  they  are  embarked  in 
an  enterprise  of  common  hazards.  The  distance  that  is 
unavoidably  inseparable  from  education,  habits,  and  man- 
ners, is  lessened  by  mutual  wants  and  mutual  efforts  ;  and 
the  gentleman,  even  while  he  may  maintain  his  character 
and  station,  maintains  them  with  that  species  of  good-fel- 


154  HOME   AS  FOUND. 

lowship  and  familiarity,  that  marks  the  intercourse  between 
the  officer  and  the  soldier  in  an  arduous  campaign.  Men, 
and  even  women,  break  bread  together,  and  otherwise 
commingle,  that,  in  different  circumstances,  would  be 
strangers  ;  the  hardy  adventures  and  rough  living  of  the 
forest,  apparently  lowering  the  pretensions  of  the  man  of 
cultivation  and  mere  mental  resources,  to  something  very 
near  the  level  of  those  of  the  man  of  physical  energy  and 
manual  skill.  In  this  rude  intercourse,  the  parties  meet, 
as  it  might  be,  on  a  sort  of  neutral  ground,  one  yielding 
some  of  his  superiority,  and  the  other  laying  claims  to  an 
outward  show  of  equality,  that  he  secretly  knows,  however, 
is  the  result  of  the  peculiar  circumstances  in  which  he  is 
placed.  In  short,  the  state  of  society  is  favorable  to  the 
claims  of  mere  animal  force,  and  unfavorable  to  those  of 
the  higher  qualities. 

This  period  may  be  termed,  perhaps,  the  happiest  of  the 
first  century  of  a  settlement.  The  great  cares  of  life  are 
so  engrossing  and  serious  that  small  vexations  are  over- 
looked, and  the  petty  grievances  that  would  make  us  seri- 
ously uncomfortable  in  a  more  regular  state  of  society, 
are  taken  as  matters  of  course,  or  laughed  at  as  the  regu- 
lar and  expected  incidents  of  the  day.  Good-will  abounds  ; 
neighbor  comes  cheerfully  to  the  aid  of  neighbor  ;  and  life 
has  much  of  the  reckless  gaiety,  careless  association,  and 
buoyant  merriment  of  childhood.  It  is  found  that  they 
who  have  passed  through  this  probation,  usually  look  back 
to  it  with  regret,  and  are  fond  of  dwelling  on  the  rude 
scenes  and  ridiculous  events  that  distinguish  the  history 
of  a  new  settlement,  as  the  hunter  is  known  to  pine  for 
the  forest. 

To  this  period  of  fun,  toil,  neighborly  feeling  and  ad- 
venture, succeeds  another,  in  which  society  begins  to  mar- 
shal itself,  and  the  ordinary  passions  have  sway.  Now  it 
is  that  we  see  the  struggles  for  place,  the  heart-burnings 
and  jealousies  of  contending  families,  and  the  influence  of 
mere  money.  Circumstances  have  probably  established 
the  local  superiority  of  a  few  beyond  all  question,  and  the 
condition  of  these  serves  as  a  goal  for  the  rest  to  aim  at. 
The  learned  professions,  the  ministry  included,  or  what  by 
courtesy  are  so  called,  take  precedence,  as  a  matter  of 
course — next  to  wealth,  however,  when  wealth  is  at  all  sup- 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  155 

ported  by  appearances.  Then  commence  those  gradations 
of  social  station  that  set  institutions  at  defiance,  and  which 
as  necessarily  follow  civilization,  as  tastes  and  habits  are  a 
consequence  of  indulgence. 

This  is  perhaps  the  least  inviting  condition  of  society 
that  belongs  to  any  country  that  can  claim  to  be  free,  and 
removed  from  barbarism.  The  tastes  are  too  uncultivated 
to  exercise  any  essential  influence,  and  when  they  do  exist 
it  is  usually  with  the  pretension  and  effort  that  so  common- 
ly accompany  infant  knowledge.  The  struggle  is  only  so 
much  the  more  severe,  in  consequence  of  the  late/^  mele, 
while  men  lay  claim  to  a  consideration  that  would  seem  be- 
yond their  reach  in  an  older  and  more  regulated  commu- 
nity. It  is  during  this  period  that  manners  suffer  the  most, 
since  they  want  the  nature  and  feeling  of  the  first  condi- 
tion, while  they  are  exposed  to  the  rudest  assaults  of  the 
coarse-minded  and  vulgar  ;  for,  as  men  usually  defer  to  a 
superiority  that  is  long  established,  there  being  a  charm 
about  antiquity  that  is  sometimes  able  to  repress  the  pas- 
sions, in  older  communities  the  marshalling  of  time  quiet- 
ly regulates  what  is  here  the  subject  of  strife. 

What  has  just  been  said  depends  on  a  general  and  natu- 
ral principle,  perhaps  ;  but  the  state  of  society  we  are  de- 
scribing has  some  features  peculiar  to  itself.  The  civiliza- 
tion of  America,  even  in  its  older  districts,  which  supply 
the  emigrants  to  the  newer  regions,  is  unequal  ;  one  State 
possessing  a  higher  level  than  another.  Coming  as  it  does 
from  different  parts  of  this  vast  country,  the  population 
of  a  new  settlement,  while  it  is  singularly  homogeneous 
for  the  circumstances,  necessarily  brings  with  it  its  local 
peculiarities.  If  to  these  elements  be  added  a  sprinkling 
of  Europeans  of  various  nations  and  conditions,  the  effects 
of  the  commingling,  and  the  temporary  social  struggles 
that  follow,  will  occasion  no  surprise. 

The  third  and  last  condition  of  society,  in  a  "  new  coun- 
try," is  that  in  which  the  influence  of  the  particular  causes 
enumerated  ceases,  and  men  and  things  come  within  the 
control  of  more  general  and  regular  laws.  The  effect,  of 
course,  is  to  leave  the  community  in  possession  of  a  civiliza- 
tion that  conforms  to  that  of  the  whole  region,  be  it  higher 
or  be  it  lower,  and  with  the  division  into  castes  that  are 
more  or  less  rigidly  maintained,  according  to  circumstances. 


156  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

The  periods,  as  the  astronomers  call  the  time  taken  in  a 
celestial  revolution,  of  the  two  first  of  these  epochs  in  the 
history  of  a  settlement,  depend  very  much  on  its  advance- 
ment in  wealth  and  in  numbers..  In  some  places,  the  pas- 
toral age,  or  that  of  good  fellowship,  continues  for  a  whole 
life,  to  the  obvious  retrogression  of  the  people  in  most  of 
the  higher  qualities,  but  to  their  manifest  advantage,  how- 
ever, in  the  pleasures  of  the  time  being ;  while,  in  others, 
it  passes  away  rapidly,  like  the  buoyant  animal  joys  that 
live  their  time  between  fourteen  and  twenty. 

The  second  period  is  usually  of  longer  duration,  the 
migratory  habits  of  the  American  people  keeping  society 
more  unsettled  than  might  otherwise  prove  to  be  the  case. 
It  may  be  said  never  to  cease  entirely,  until  the  great  ma- 
jority of  the  living  generation  are  natives  of  the  region, 
knowing  no  other  means  of  comparison  than  those  under 
which  they  have  passed  their  days.  Even  when  this  is  the 
case,  there  is  commonly  so  large  an  infusion  of  the  birds 
of  passage,  men  who  are  adventurers  in  quest  of  advance- 
ment, and  who  live  without  the  charities  of  a  neighbor- 
hood, as  they  may  be  said  almost  to  live  without  a  home, 
that  there  is  to  be  found  for  a  long  time  a  middle  state  of 
society,  during  which  it  may  well  be  questioned  whether  a 
community  belongs  to  the  second  or  to  the  third  of  the 
periods  named. 

Templeton  was  properly  in  this  equivocal  condition,  for 
while  the  third  generation  of  the  old  settlers  were  in  ac- 
tive life,  so  many  passers-by  came  and  went,  that  the  in- 
fluence of  the  latter  nearly  neutralized  that  of  time  and 
the  natural  order  of  things.  Its  population  was  pretty 
equally  divided  between  the  descendants  of  the  earlier 
inhabitants  and  those  who  flitted  like  swallows  and  other 
migratory  birds.  All  of  those  who  had  originally  entered 
the  region  in  the  pride  of  manhood,  and  had  been  active 
in  converting  the  wilderness  into  the  abodes  of  civilized 
men,  if  they  had  not  been  literally  gathered  to  their  fathers 
in  a  physical  sense,  had  been  laid,  the  first  of  their  several 
races,  beneath  those  sods  that  were  to  cover  the  heads  of 
so  many ,  of  their  descendants.  A  few  still  remained 
among  those  who  entered  the  wilderness  in  young  man- 
hood, but  the  events  of  the  first  period  we  have  designated 
and  which  we  have  imperfectly  recorded  in  another  work, 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  157 

were  already  passing  into  tradition.  Among  these  origi- 
nal settlers  some  portion  of  the  feeling  that  had  distin- 
guished their  earliest  communion  with  their  neighbors 
yet  continued,  and  one  of  their  greatest  delights  was  to 
talk  of  the  hardships  and  privations  of  their  younger  days, 
as  the  veteran  loves  to  discourse  of  his  marches,  battles, 
scars,  and  sieges.  It  would  be  too  much  to  say  that  these 
persons  viewed  the  more  ephemeral  part  of  the  population 
with  distrust,  for  their  familiarity  with  changes  accus- 
tomed them  to  new  faces  ;  but  they  had  a  secret  inclina- 
tion for  each  other,  preferred  those  who  could  enter  the 
most  sincerely  into  their  own  feelings,  and  naturally  loved 
that  communion  best,  where  they  found  the  most  sympa- 
thy. To  this  fragment  of  the  community  belonged  nearly 
all  there  was  to  be  found  of  that  sort  of  sentiment  which 
is  connected  with  locality  ;  adventure,  with  them,  supply- 
ing the  place  of  time  ;  while  the  natives  of  the  spot,  want- 
ing in  the  recollections  that  had  so  many  charms  for  their 
fathers,  were  not  yet  brought  sufficiently  within  the  in- 
fluence of  traditionary  interest,  to  feel  that  hallowed  sen- 
timent in  its  proper  force.  As  opposed  in  feeling  to  these 
relics  of  the  olden  time  were  the  birds  of  passage  so  often 
named,  a  numerous  and  restless  class,  that  of  themselves 
are  almost  sufficient  to  destroy  whatever  there  is  of  poetry 
or  of  local  attachment  in  any  region  where  they  resort. 

In  Templeton  and  its  adjacent  district,  however,  the  two 
hostile  influences  might  be  said  to  be  nearly  equal,  the 
descendants  of  the  fathers  of  the  country  beginning  to 
make  a  manly  stand  against  the  looser  sentiment,  or  the 
want  of  sentiment,  that  so  singularly  distinguishes  the  mi- 
gratory bands.  The  first  did  begin  to  consider  the  temple 
in  which  their  fathers  had  worshipped  more  hallowed  than 
strange  altars  ;  the  sods  that  covered  their  fathers'  heads 
more  sacred  than  the  clods  that  were  upturned  by  the 
plough  ;  and  the  places  of  their  childhood  and  childish 
sports  dearer  than  the  highway  trodden  by  a  nameless 
multitude. 

Such,  then,  were  the  elements  of  the  society  into  which 
we  have  now  ushered  the  reader,  and  with  which  it  will  be 
our  duty  to  make  him  better  acquainted,  as  we  proceed  in 
the  regular  narration  of  the  incidents  of  our  tale. 

The  return  of  the  Effinghams,  after  so  long  an  absence, 


158  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

naturally  produced  a  sensation  in  so  small  a  place,  and 
visitors  began  to  appear  in  the  Wigwam  as  soon  as  pro- 
priety would  allow.  Many  false  rumors  prevailed,  quite 
as  a  matter  of  course  ;  and  Eve,  it  was  reported,  was  on 
the  point  of  being  married  to  no  less  than  three  of  the  in- 
mates of  her  father's  house,  within  the  first  ten  days,  viz., 
Sir  George  Templemore,  Mr.  Powis,  and  Mr.  Bragg  ;  the 
latter  story  taking  its  rise  in  some  precocious  hopes  that 
had  escaped  the  gentleman  himself,  in  the  "  excitement  " 
of  helping  to  empty  a  bottle  of  bad  Breton  wine,  that  was 
dignified  with  the  name  of  champagne.  But  these  tales 
revived  and  died  so  often,  in  a  state  of  society  in  which 
matrimony  is  so  general  a  topic  with  the  young  of  the  gen- 
tler sex,  that  they  brought  with  them  their  own  refutation. 
The  third  day,  in  particular,  after  the  arrival  of  our  par- 
ty, was  a  reception  day  at  the  Wigwam  ;  the  gentlemen 
and  ladies  making  it  a  point  to  be  at  home  and  disengaged, 
after  twelve  o'clock,  in  order  to  do  honor  to  their  guests. 
One  of  the  first  who  made  his  appearance  was  a  Mr.  Howel, 
a  bachelor  of  about  the  same  age  as  Mr.  Effingham,  and  a 
man  of  easy  fortune  and  quiet  habits.  Nature  had  done 
more  toward  making  Mr.  Howel  a  gentleman,  than  either 
cultivation  or  association  ;  for  he  had  passed  his  entire  life, 
with  very  immaterial  exceptions,  in  the  valley  of  Temple- 
ton,  where,  without  being  what  could  be  called  a  student 
or  a  scholar,  he  had  dreamed  away  his  existence  in  an  in- 
dolent communication  with  the  current  literature  of  the 
day.  He  was  fond  of  reading,  and  being  indisposed  to  con- 
tention or  activity  of  any  sort,  his  mind  had  admitted  the 
impressions  of  what  he  perused,  as  the  stone  receives  a 
new  form  by  the  constant  fall  of  drops  of  water.  Unfor- 
tunately for  Mr.  Howel,  he  understood  no  language  but 
his  mother  tongue  ;  and,  as  all  his  reading  was  necessarily 
confined  to  English  books,  he  had  gradually,  and  unknown 
to  himself,  in  his  moral  nature  at  least,  got  to  be  a  mere 
reflection  of  those  opinions,  prejudices,  and  principles,  if 
such  a  word  can  properly  be  used  for  such  a  state  of  the 
mind,  that  it  had  suited  the  interests  or  passions  of  Eng- 
land to  promulgate  by  means  of  the  press.  A  perfect  bonne 
foi  prevailed  in  all  his  notions  ;  and  though  a  very  modest 
man  by  nature,  so  very  certain  was  he  that  his  authority 
was  always  right,  that  he  was  a  little  apt  to  be  dogmatical 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  159 

on  such  points  as  he  thought  his  authors  appeared  to  think 
settled.  Between  John  Effingham  and  Mr.  Howel,  there 
were  constant  amicable  skirmishes  in  the  way  of  discus- 
sion ;  for,  while  the  latter  was  so  dependent,  limited  in 
knowledge  by  unavoidable  circumstances,  and  disposed  to 
an  innocent  credulity,  the  first  was  original  in  his  views,  ac- 
customed to  see  and  think  for  himself,  and,  moreover,  a 
little  apt  to  estimate  his  own  advantages  at  their  full  value. 

"  Here  comes  our  good  neighbor,  and  my  old  schoolfel- 
low, Tom  Howel,"  said  Mr.  Effingham,  looking  out  at  a 
window,  and  perceiving  the  person  mentioned  crossing  the 
little  lawn  in  front  of  the  house,  by  following  a  winding 
foot-path — "  as  kind-hearted  a  man,  Sir  George  Temple- 
more,  as  exists  ;  one  who  is  really  American,  for  he  has 
scarcely  quitted  the  county  half  a  dozen  times  in  his  life, 
and  one  of  the  honestest  fellows  of  my  acquaintance." 

"Aye,"  put  in  John  Effingham,  u  as  real  an  American 
as  any  man  can  be,  who  uses  English  spectacles  for  all  he 
looks  at,  English  opinions  for  all  he  says,  English  prejudices 
for  all  he  condemns,  and  an  English  palate  for  all  he  tastes. 
American,  quotha !  The  man  is  no  more  American  than 
the  Times  newspaper,  or  Charing  Cross !  He  actually 
made  a  journey  to  New  York,  last  war,  to  satisfy  himself 
with  his  own  eyes  that  a  Yankee  frigate  had  really  brought 
an  Englishman  into  port." 

"  His  English  predilections  will  be  no  fault  in  my  eyes," 
said  the  baronet,  smiling — "and  I  dare  say  we  shall  be  ex- 
cellent friends." 

"  I  am  sure  Mr.  Howel  is  a  very  agreeable  man,"  added 
Grace  ;  "of  all  in  your  Templeton  coterie,  he  is  my  greatest 
favorite." 

"  Oh  !  I  foresee  a  tender  intimacy  between  Templemore 
and  Howel,"  rejoined  John  Effingham  ;  "  and  sundry  wordy 
wars  between  the  latter  and  Miss  Effingham." 

"  In  this  you  do  me  injustice,  cousin  Jack.  I  remember 
Mr.  Howel  well,  and  kindly  ;  for  he  was  ever  wont  to  in- 
dulge my  childish  whims  when  a  girl." 

"  The  man  is  a  second  Burchell,  and,  I  dare  say,  never 
came  to  the  Wigwam  when  you  were  a  child,  without  hav- 
ing his  pockets  stuffed  with  cakes  or  bonbons." 

The  meeting  was  cordial,  Mr.  Howel  greeting  the  gen- 
tlemen like  a  warm  friend,  and  expressing  great  delight  at 


160  HOME   AS  FOUND. 

the  personal  improvements  that  had  been  made  in  Eve 
between  the  ages  of  eight  and  twenty.  John  Effingham 
was  no  more  backward  than  the  others,  for  he,  too,  liked 
their  simple-minded,  kind-hearted,  but  credulous  neigh- 
bor. 

"  You  are  welcome  back — you  are  welcome  back,"  added 
Mr.  Howel,  blowing  his  nose  in  order  to  conceal  the  tears 
that  were  gathering  in  his  eyes.  "  I  did  think  of  going 
to  New  York  to  meet  you,  but  the  distance  at  my  time  of 
life  is  very  serious.  Age,  gentlemen,  seems  to  be  a  stranger 
to  you." 

"And  yet  we,  who  are  both  a  few  months  older  than 
yourself,  Howel,"  returned  Mr.  Effingham,  kindly,  "  have 
managed  to  overcome  the  distance  you  have  just  mentioned 
in  order  to  come  and  see  you  !  " 

"  Aye,  you  are  great  travellers,  gentlemen,  very  great 
travellers,  and  are  accustomed  to  motion.  Been  quite  as 
far  as  Jerusalem,  I  hear !  " 

"  Into  its  very  gates,  my  good  friend  ;  and  I  wish,  with 
all  my  heart,  we  had  had  you  in  our  company.  Such  a 
journey  might  cure  you  of  the  home  malady." 

"  I  am  a  fixture,  and  never  expect  to  look  upon  the  ocean 
now.  I  did,  at  one  period  of  my  life,  fancy  such  an  event 
might  happen,  but  I  have  finally  abandoned  all  hope  on 
that  subject.  Well,  Miss  Eve,  of  all  the  countries  in  which 
you  have  dwelt,  to  which  do  you  give  the  preference  ? " 

"  I  think  Italy  is  the  general  favorite,"  Eve  answered, 
with  a  friendly  smile  ;  "  although  there  are  some  agree- 
able things  peculiar  to  almost  every  country." 

"  Italy  ! — Well,  that  astonishes  me  a  good  deal !  I  never 
knew  there  was  anything  particularly  interesting  about 
Italy  !  I  should  have  expected  you  to  say  England." 

"  England  is  a  fine  country,  too,  certainly  ;  but  it  wants 
many  things  that  Italy  enjoys." 

"Well,  now,  what?M  said  Mr.  Howel,  shifting  his  legs 
from  one  knee  to  the  other,  in  order  to  be  more  convenient 
to  listen,  or,  if  necessary,  to  object.  "  What  can  Italy  pos- 
sess, that  England  does  not  enjoy  in  a  still  greater  degree  ?  " 

"  Its  recollections,  for  one  thing,  and  all  that  interest 
which  time  and  great  events  throw  around  a  region." 

"  And  is  England  wanting  in  recollections  and  great 
events  ?  Are  there  not  the  Conqueror  ?  or  if  you  will, 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  161 

King  Alfred,  and  Queen  Elizabeth,  and  Shakespeare — think 
of  Shakespeare,  young  lady — and  Sir  Walter  Scott,  and  the 
Gunpowder  Plot  ;  and  Cromwell,  Oliver  Cromwell,  my 
dear  Miss  Eve ;  and  Westminster  Abbey,  and  London 
Bridge,  and  George  IV.,  the  descendant  of  a  line  of  real 
kings.  What  in  the  name  of  Heaven  can  Italy  possess  to 
equal  the  interest  one  feels  in  such  things  as  these  ? " 

"  They  are  very  interesting,  no  doubt,"  said  Eve,  endeav- 
oring not  to  smile — "  but  Italy  has  its  relics  of  former  ages 
too  ;  you  forget  the  Caesars." 

"  Very  good  sort  of  persons  for  barbarous  times,  I  dare 
say,  but  what  can  they  be  to  the  English  monarchs  ?  I 
would  rather  look  upon  a  bond  fide  English  king,  than  see 
all  the  Caesars  that  ever  lived.  I  never  can  think  any  man 
a  real  king  but  the  king  of  England." 

"  Not  King  Solomon  ?"  cried  John  Effingham. 

"  Oh  !  he  was  a  Bible  king,  and  one  never  thinks  of 
them.  Italy  !  well,  this  I  did  not  expect  from  your  father's 
daughter  !  Your  great -great-great-grandfather  must  have 
been  an  Englishman  born,  Mr.  Effingham  ? " 

"  I  have  reason  to  think  he  was,  sir." 

"  And  Milton,  and  Dryden,  and  Newton,  and  Locke  ! 
These  are  prodigious  names,  and  worth  all  the  Caesars  put 
together.  A  Pope,  too  ;  what  have  they  got  in  Italy  to 
compare  to  Pope  ?  " 

"  They  have  at  least  the  Pope,"  said  Eve,  laughing. 

"  And  then  there  are  the  Boar's  Head  in  East  Cheap  ; 
and  the  Tower  ;  and  Queen  Anne,  and  all  the  wits  of  her 
reign  ;  and — and — and  Titus  Oates  ;  and  Bosworth  Field  ; 
and  Smithfield,  where  the  martyrs  were  burned,  and  a  thou- 
sand more  spots  and  persons  of  intense  interest  in  Old  Eng- 
land ! " 

"  Quite  true,"  said  John  Effingham,  with  an  air  of  sympa 
thy — "  but,  Howel,  you  have  forgotten  Peeping  Tom  of 
Coventry,  and  the  climate  !  " 

"  And  Holyrood  House,  and  York  Minster,  and  St. 
Paul's,"  continued  the  worthy  Mr.  Howel,  too  much  bent 
on  a  catalogue  of  excellences  that  to  him  were  sacred,  to 
heed  the  interruption  ;  "  and  above  all  Windsor  Castle. 
What  is  there  in  the  world  to  equal  Windsor  Castle  as  a 
royal  residence  ? " 

Want  of  breath  now  gave  Eve  an  opportunity  to  reply, 
ii 


1 63  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

and  she  seized  it  with  an  eagerness  that  she  was  the  first  to 
laugh  at  herself  afterward. 

"Caserta  is  no  mean  house,  Mr.  Howel  ;  and  in  my  poor 
judgment,  there  is  more  real  magnificence  in  its  great  stair- 
case than  in  all  Windsor  Castle  united,  if  you  except  the 
chapel." 

"But  St.  Paul's." 

"  Why,  St.  Peter's  may  be  set  down  quite  fairly,  I  think, 
for  its  pendant  at  least." 

"  True,  the  Catholics  do  say  so,"  returned  Mr.  Howelr 
with  the  deliberation  one  uses  when  he  greatly  distrusts  his 
own  concession  ;  "but  I  have  always  considered  it  one  of 
their  frauds.  I  don't  think  there  can  be  anything  finer  than 
St.  Paul's.  Then  there  are  the  noble  ruins  of  England  ! 
They,  you  must  admit,  are  unrivalled." 

"  The  Temple  of  Neptune,  at  Psestum,  is  commonly 
thought  an  interesting  ruin,  Mr.  Howel.'* 

"  Yes,  yes,  for  a  temple,  I  dare  say  ;  though  1  do  not  re- 
member to  have  ever  heard  of  it  before.  But  no  temple 
can  ever  compare  to  a  ruined  abbey." 

"  Taste  is  an  arbitrary  thing,  Tom  Howel,  as  you  and  I 
know  when,  as  boys,  we  quarrelled  about  the  beauty  of  our 
ponies,"  said  Mr.  Effingham,  willing  to  put  an  end  to  a  dis- 
cussion that  he  thought  a  little  premature  after  so  long  an 
absence.  "  Here  are  two  young  friends  who  shared  the 
hazards  of  our  late  passage  with  us,  and  to  whom  in  a  great 
degree  we  owe  our  present  happy  security,  "and  I  am  anx- 
ious to  make  you  acquainted  with  them.  This  is  our  coun- 
tryman, Mr.  Powis,  and  this  is  an  English  friend,  who  I  am 
certain  will  be  happy  to  know  so  warm  an  admirer  of  his 
own  country — Sir  George  Templemore." 

Mr.  Howel  had  never  before  seen  a  titled  Englishman, 
and  he  was  taken  so  much  by  surprise  that  he  made  his  sal- 
utations rather  awkwardly.  As  both  the  young  men,  how- 
ever, met  him  with  the  respectful  ease  that  denotes  famili- 
arity with  the  world,  he  soon  recovered  his  self-possession. 

"  I  hope  you  have  brought  back  with  you  a  sound  Amer- 
ican heart,  Miss  Eve,"  resumed  the  guest,  as  soon  as  this 
little  interruption  had  ceased.  "  We  have  had  sundry  ru- 
mors of  French  marquises  and  German  barons  ;  but  I  have 
all  along  trusted  too  much  to  your  patriotism  to  believe 
you  would  marry  a  foreigner." 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  163 

tm  I  hope  you  except  Englishmen,"  cried  Sir  George,  gayly ; 
"  we  are  almost  the  same  people." 

"  I  am  proud  to  hear  you  say  so,  sir.  Nothing  flatters 
me  more  than  to  be  thought  English  ;  and  I  certainly  should 
not  have  accused  Miss  Effingham  of  a  want  of  love  of 
country,  had — 

"  She  married  half-a-dozen  Englishmen,"  interrupted 
John  Effingham,  who  saw  that  the  old  theme  was  in  danger 
of  being  revived.  "  But,  Howel,  you  have  paid  me  no  com- 
pliments on  the  changes  in  the  house.  I  hope  they  are  to 
your  taste." 

"A  little  too  French,  Mr.  John." 

"  French  !  There  is  not  a  French  feature  in  the  whole 
animal.  What  has  put  such  a  notion  into  your  head  ? " 

"  It  is  the  common  opinion,  and  I  confess  I  should  like 
the  building  better  were  it  less  continental." 

"  Why,  my  old  friend,  it  is  a  nondescript-original— 
Effingham  upon  Doolittle,  if  you  will  ;  and,  as  for  models, 
it  is  rather  more  English  than  anything  else." 

"Well,  Mr.  John,  I  am  glad  to  hear  this,  for  I  do  confess 
to  a  disposition  rather  to  like  the  house.  I  am  dying  to 
know,  Miss  Eve,  if  you  saw  all  our  distinguished  contem- 
poraries when  in  Europe  ?  That  to  me  would  be  one  of 
the  greatest  delights  of  travelling  !  " 

"  To  say  that  we  saw  them  all,  might  be  too  much  ;  though 
we  certainly  did  meet  with  many." 

"  Scott,  of  course." 

"  Sir  Walter  we  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  a  few  times, 
in  London." 

"  And  Southey,  and  Coleridge,  and  Wordsworth,  and 
Moore,  and  Bulwer,  and  D'Israeli,and  Rogers,  and  Camp- 
bell, and  the  grave  of  Byron,  and  Horace  Smith,  and  Miss 
Landon,  and  Barry  Cornwall,  and " 

"  Cum  multis  aliis"  put  in  John  Effingham,  again,  by 
way  of  arresting  the  torrent  of  names.  "  Eve  saw  many 
of  these,  and,  as  Tubal  told  Shylock,  'we  often  came 
where  we  did  hear'  of  the  rest.  But  you  say  nothing, 
friend  Tom,  of  Goethe,  and  Tieck,  and  Schlegel  and  La- 
martine,  Chateaubriand,  Hugo,  Delavigne,  Mickiewicz, 
Nota,  Manzoni,  Niccolini,  etc.,  etc.,  etc.,  etc.,  etc.,  etc." 

Honest,  well-meaning  Mr.  Howel  listened  to  the  cata- 
logue that  the  other  ran  volubly  over,  in  silent  wonder ; 


1 64  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

for,  with  the  exception  of  one  or  two  of  these  distinguished 
men,  he  had  never  even  heard  of  them  ;  and,  in  the  sim- 
plicity of  his  heart,  unconsciously  to  himself,  he  had  got 
to  believe  that  there  was  no  great  personage  still  living 
of  whom  he  did  not  know  something. 

"Ah,  here  comes  young  Wenham,  by  way  of  preserving 
the  equilibrium,"  resumed  John  Effingham,  looking  out 
of  a  window.  "  I  rather  think  you  must  have  forgotten 
him,  Ned,  though  you  remember  his  father,  beyond  ques- 
tion." 

Mr.  Effingham  and  his  cousin  went  out  into  the  hall  to 
receive  the  new  guest,  with  whom  the  latter  had  become  ac- 
quainted while  superintending  the  repairs  of  the  Wigwam. 

Mr.  Wenham  was  the  son  of  a  successful  lawyer  in  the 
county,  and,  being  an  only  child,  he  had  also  succeeded 
to  an  easy  independence.  His  age,  however,  brought 
him  rather  into  the  generation  to  which  Eve  belonged, 
than  into  that  of  the  father  ;  and,  if  Mr.  Howel  was  a  re- 
flection, or  rather  a  continuation,  of  all  the  provincial 
notions  that  America  entertained  of  England  forty  years 
ago,  Mr.  Wenham  might  almost  be  said  to  belong  to  the 
opposite  school,  and  to  be  as  ultra-American  as  his  neigh- 
bor was  ultra-British.  If  there  is  lajeune  France,  there  is 
also  la  jeune  Amerique,  although  the  votaries  of  the  latter 
march  with  less  hardy  steps  than  the  votaries  of  the  first. 
Mr.  Wenham  fancied  himself  a  paragon  of  national  inde- 
pendence, and  was  constantly  talking  of  American  excel- 
lences, though  the  ancient  impressions  still  lingered  in  his 
moral  system,  as  men  look  askance  for  the  ghosts  which 
frightened  their  childhood  on  crossing  a  churchyard  in 
the  dark.  John  Effingham  knew  the  penchant  of  the 
young  man,  and  when  he  said  that  he  came  happily  to 
preserve  the  equilibrium,  he  alluded  to  this  striking  dif- 
ference in  the  characters  of  their  two  friends. 

The  introductions  and  salutations  over,  we  shall  resume 
the  conversation  that  succeeded  in  the  drawing-room. 

"  You  must  be  much  gratified,  Miss  Effingham,"  ob- 
served Mr.  Wenham,  who,  like  a  true  American,  being  a 
young  man  himself,  supposed  it  de  rigueur  to  address  a 
young  lady  in  preference  to  any  other  present,  "  with 
the  great  progress  made  by  our  country  since  you  went 
abroad." 


HOME  AS^  FOUND.  165 

Eve  simply  answered  that  her  extreme  youth,  when  she 
left  home,  had  prevented  her  from  retaining  any  precise 
notions  on  such  subjects. 

"  I  dare  say  it  is  all  very  true,"  she  added,  "but  one, 
like  myself,  who  remembers  only  older  countries,  is,  I 
think,  a  little  more  apt  to  be  struck  with  the  deficiencies 
than  with  what  may,  in  truth,  be  improvements,  though 
they  still  fall  short  of  excellence." 

Mr.  Wenham  looked  vexed,  or  indignant  would  be  a 
better  word,  but  he  succeeded  in  preserving  his  coolness 
— a  thing  that  is  not  always  easy  to  one  of  provincial  hab- 
its and  provincial  education,  when  he  finds  his  own  beau- 
ideal  lightly  estimated  by  others. 

"Miss  Effingham  must  discover  a  thousand  imperfec- 
tions,"  said  Mr.  Howel,  "  coming,  as  she  does,  directly  from 
England.  That  music,  now  " — alluding  to  the  sounds  of  a 
flute  that  were  heard  through  the  open  windows,  coming 
from  the  adjacent  village — "  must  be  rude  enough  to  her 
ear,  after  the  music  of  London." 

"  The  street  music  of  London  is  certainly  among  the 
best,  if  not  the  very  best,  in  Europe,"  returned  Eve,  with 
a  glance  of  the  eye  at  the  baronet,  that  caused  him  to  smile, 
"  and  I  think  this  fairly  belongs  to  the  class,  being  so  free- 
ly given  to  the  neighborhood." 

"  Have  you  read  the  articles  signed  Minerva,  in  the  Heb- 
domad, Miss  Effingham  ? "  inquired  Mr.  Wenham,  who 
was  determined  to  try  the  young  lady  on  a  point  of  senti- 
ment, having  succeeded  so  ill  in  his  first  attempt  to  inter- 
est her.  "They  are  generally  thought  to  be  a  great  acquisi- 
tion to  American  literature." 

"Well,  Wenham,  you  are  a  fortunate  man,"  interposed 
Mr.  Howel,  "  if  you  can  find  any  literature  in  America  to 
add  to  or  subtract  from.  Beyond  almanacs,  reports  of 
cases  badly  got  up,  and  newspaper  verses,  I  know  nothing 
that  deserves  such  a  name." 

"  We  may  not  print  on  as  fine  paper,  Mr.  Howel,  or  do 
up  the  books  in  as  handsome  binding  as  other  people," 
said  Mr.  Wenham,  bridling  and  looking  grave,  "  but  so  far 
as  sentiments  are  concerned,  or  sound  sense,  American  lit- 
erature need  turn  its  back  on  no  literature  of  the  day." 

"  By  the  way,  Mr.  Effingham,  you  were  in  Russia  ;  did 
you  happen  to  see  the  Emperor  ? " 


[66  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  I  had  that  pleasure,  Mr.  Howel." 

"  And  is  he  really  the  monster  we  have  been  taught  to 
believe  him  ?" 

"  Monster  !  "  exclaimed  the  upright  Mr.  Effingham,  fairly 
recoiling  a  step  in  surprise.  "  In  what  sense  a  monster, 
my  worthy  friend  ?  Surely  not  in  a  physical  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  know  that.  I  have  somehow  got  the  notion 
he  is  anything  but  handsome.  A  mean  butchering,  bloody- 
minded  looking  little  chap,  I'll  engage." 

"  You  are  libelling  one  of  the  finest-looking  men  of  the 
age." 

"  I  think  I  would  submit  it  to  a  jury.  I  cannot  believe, 
after  what  I  have  read  of  him  in  the  English  publications, 
that  he  is  so  very  handsome." 

"  But,  my  good  neighbor,  these  English  publications 
must  be  wrong ;  prejudiced  perhaps,  or  even  malig- 
nant." 

"  Oh  !  I  am  not  the  man  to  be  imposed  on  in  that  way. 
Besides,  what  motive  could  an  English  writer  have  for  bely- 
ing an  Emperor  of  Russia?" 

"  Sure  enough,  what  motive  !"  exclaimed  John  Effing- 
ham.  "  You  have  your  answer,  Ned  !  " 

"  But  you  will  remember,  Mr.  Howel,"  Eve  interposed, 
"  that  we  have  seen  the  Emperor  Nicholas." 

"  I  dare  say,  Miss  Eve,  that  your  gentle  nature  was  dis- 
posed to  judge  him  as  kindly  as  possible  ;  and  then,  I  think 
most  Americans,  ever  since  the  treaty  of  Ghent,  have  been 
disposed  to  view  all  Russians  too  favorably.  No,  no  ;  I  am 
satisfied  with  the  account  of  the  English  ;  they  live  much 
nearer  to  St.  Petersburg  than  we  do,  and  they  are  more 
accustomed,  too,  to  give  accounts  of  such  matters." 

"  But  living  nearer,  Tom  Howel,"  cried  Mr.  Effingham, 
with  unusual  animation,  "in  such  a  case,  is  of  no  avail,  un- 
less one  lives  near  enough  to  see  with  his  own  eyes." 

"  Well — well — my  good  friend,  we  will  talk  of  this  an- 
other time.  I  know  your  disposition  to  look  at  everybody 
with  lenient  eyes.  I  will  now  wish  you  all  a  good  morn- 
ing, and  hope  soon  to  see  you  again.  Miss  Eve,  I  have 
one  word  to  say,  if  you  dare  trust  yourself  with  a  youth  of 
fifty  for  a  minute  in  the  library." 

Eve  rose  cheerfully,  and  led  the  way  to  the  room  her 
father's  visitor  had  named.  When  within  it,  Mr.  Howel 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  167 

shut  the  door  carefully,  and  then  with  a  sort  of  eager  de- 
light, he  exclaimed  : 

"  For  Heaven's  sake,  my  dear  young  lady,  tell  me  who 
are  these  two  strange  gentlemen  in  the  other  room." 

"  Precisely  the  persons  my  father  mentioned,  Mr.  Howel ; 
Mr.  Paul  Powis  and  Sir  George  Templemore." 

"  Englishmen,  of  course  !  " 

"  Sir  George  Templemore  is,  of  course,  as  you  say,  but 
we  may  boast  of  Mr.  Powis  as  a  countryman." 

"  Sir  George  Templemore  !  What  a  superb-looking 
young  fellow ! " 

"Why,  yes,"  returned  Eve,  laughing ;  "he,  at  least,  you 
will  admit  is  a  handsome  man." 

"  He  is  wonderful !  The  other,  Mr.-a-a-a — I  forget  what 
you  called  him — he  is  pretty  well  too  ;  but  this  Sir  George 
is  a  princely  youth." 

"  I  rather  think  a  majority  of  observers  would  give  the 
preference  to  the  appearance  of  Mr.  Powis,"  said  Eve, 
struggling  to  be  steady,  but  permitting  a  blush  to  heighten 
her  color,  in  spite  of  the  effort. 

"What  could  have  induced  him  to  come  up  among  these 
mountains — an  English  baronet !  "  resumed  Mr.  Howe], 
without  thinking  of  Eve's  confusion.  "  Is  he  a  real  lord  ? " 

"  Only  a  little  one,  Mr.  Howel.  You  heard  what  my 
father  said  of  our  having  been  fellow-travellers." 

"  But  what  does  he  think  of  us  ?  I  am  dying  to  know 
what  such  a  man  really  thinks  of  us." 

"  It  is  not  always  easy  to  discover  what  such  men  really 
think  ;  although  I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  he  is  disposed 
to  think  rather  favorably  of  some  of  us." 

"Aye,  of  you,  and  your  father,  and  Mr.  John.  You  have 
travelled,  and  are  more  than  half  European ;  but  what  can 
he  think  of  those  who  have  never  left  America  ?" 

"  Even  of  some  of  those,"  returned  Eve,  smiling,  "  I  sus- 
pect he-  thinks  partially." 

"  Well,  I  am  glad  of  that.  Do  you  happen  to  know  his 
opinion  of  the  Emperor  Nicholas  ?  " 

"  Indeed  I  do  not  remember  to  have  heard  him  mention 
the  Emperor's  name  ;  nor  do  I  think  he  has  ever  seen 
him." 

"  That  is  extraordinary  !  Such  a  man  should  have  seen 
everything,  and  know  everything  ;  but  I'll  engage,  at  the 


1 68  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

bottom,  he  does  know  all  about  him.  If  you  happen  to  have 
any  old  English  newspapers,  as  wrappers,  or  by  any  other 
accident,  let  me  beg  them  of  you.  I  care  not  how  old  they 
are.  An  English  journal  fifty  years  old  is  more  interesting 
than  one  of  ours  wet  from  the  press," 

Eve  promised  to  send  him  a  package,  when  they  shook 
hands  and  parted.  As  she  was  crossing  the  hall,  to  rejoin 
the  party,  John  Effingham  stopped  her. 

"  Has  Howel  made  proposals  ?  "  the  gentleman  inquired, 
in  an  affected  whisper. 

"None,  Cousin  Jack,  beyond  an  offer  to  read  the  old 
English  newspapers  I  can  send  him." 

"  Yes,  yes,  Tom  Howel  will  swallow  all  the  nonsense 
that  is  timbrd  a  Londres" 

"  I  confess  a  good  deal  of  surprise  at  finding  a  respecta- 
ble and  intelligent  man  so  weak-minded  as  to  give  credit 
to  such  authorities,  or  to  form  his  serious  opinions  on  infor- 
mation derived  from  such  sources." 

"  You  may  be  surprised,  Eve,  at  hearing  so  frank  avowals 
of  the  weakness ;  but,  as  for  the  weakness  itself,  you  are 
now  in  a  country  for  which  England  does  all  the  think- 
ing, except  on  subjects  that  touch  the  current  interests  of 
the  day." 

"  Nay,  I  will  not  believe  this !  If  it  were  true,  how 
came  we  independent  of  her — where  did  we  get  spirit  to 
war  against  her  ? " 

"  The  man  who  has  attained  his  majority  is  independent 
of  his  father's  legal  control,  without  being  independent  of 
the  lessons  he  was  taught  when  a  child.  The  soldier  some- 
times mutinies,  and  after  the  contest  is  over,  he  is  usually 
the  most  submissive  man  of  the  regiment." 

"All  this  to  me  is  very  astonishing !  I  confess  that  a 
great  deal  has  struck  me  unpleasantly  in  this  way,  since 
our  return,  especially  in  ordinary  society  ;  but  I  never 
could  have  supposed  it  had  reached  to  the  pass  in  which 
I  see  it  existing  in  our  good  neighbor  Howel." 

"You  have  witnessed  one  of  the  effects,  in  a  matter  of 
no  great  moment  to  ourselves  ;  but,  as  time  and  years  af- 
ford the  means  of  observation  and  comparison,  you  will 
perceive  the  effects  in  matters  of  the  last  moment,  in  a  na- 
tional point  of  view.  It  is  in  human  nature  to  undervalue 
the  things  with  which  we  are  familiar,  and  to  form  false 


HOME   AS  FOUND.  169 

estimates  of  those  which  are  remote,  either  by  time  or  by 
distance.  But,  go  into  the  drawing-room,  and  in  young 
Wenham  you  will  find  one  who  fancies  himself  a  votary 
of  a  new  school,  although  his  prejudices  and  mental  de- 
pendence are  scarcely  less  obvious  than  those  of  poor 
Tom  Howel." 

The  arrival  of  more  company,  among  whom  were  sev- 
eral ladies,  compelled  Eve  to  defer  an  examination  of  Mr. 
Wenham's  peculiarities  to  another  opportunity.  She 
found  many  of  her  own  sex,  whom  she  had  left  children, 
grown  into  womanhood,  and  not  a  few  of  them  at  a  period 
of  life  when  they  should  be  cultivating  their  physical  and 
moral  powers,  already  oppressed  with  the  cares  and  fee- 
bleness that  weigh  so  heavily  on  the  young  American  wife. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

"Nay  we  must  longer  kneel  ;  I  am  a  suitor." 

QUEEN  KATHERINE. 

THE  Effmghams  were  soon  regularly  domesticated,  and 
the  usual  civilities  had  been  exchanged.  Many  of  their 
old  friends  resumed  their  ancient  intercourse,  and  some 
new  acquaintances  were  made.  The  few  first  visits  were, 
as  usual,  rather  labored  and  formal  ;  but  things  soon  took 
their  natural  course,  and,  as  the  ease  of  country  life  was 
the  aim  of  the  family,  the  temporary  little  bustle  was 
quickly  forgotten. 

The  dressing-room  of  Eve  overlooked  the  lake,  and, 
about  a  wreek  after  her  arrival,  she  was  seated  in  it  enjoy- 
ing that  peculiarly  ladylike  luxury,  which  is  to  be  found 
in  the  process  of  having  another  gently  disposing  of  the 
hair.  Annette  wielded  the  comb,  as  usual,  while  Ann 
Sidley,  who  was  unconsciously  jealous  that  any  one  should 
be  employed  about. her  darling,  even  in  this  manner, 
though  so  long  accustomed  to  it,  busied  herself  in  pre- 
paring the  different  articles  of  attire  that  she  fancied  her 
young  mistress  might  be  disposed  to  wear  that  morning. 
Grace  was  also  in  the  room,  having  escaped  from  the 
hands  of  her  own  maid,  in  order  to  look  into  one  of  those 


170  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

books  which  professed  to  give  an  account  of  the  extraction 
and  families  of  the  higher  classes  of  Great  Britain,  a  copy 
of  which  Eve  happened  to  possess,  among  a  large  collec- 
tion of  books,  Almanachs  de  Gotha,  Court  Guides,  and 
other  similar  works  that  she  had  found  it  convenient  to 
possess  as  a  traveller. 

"Ah!  here  it  is,"  said  Grace,  in  the  eagerness  of  one 
who  is  suddenly  successful  after  a  long  and  vexatious 
search. 

"  Here  is  what,  coz  ?  " 

Grace  colored,  and  she  could  have  bitten  her  tongue  for 
its  indiscretion,  but,  too  ingenuous  to  deceive,  she  reluct- 
antly told  the  truth. 

"  I  was  merely  looking  for  the  account  of  Sir  George 
Templemore's  family  ;  it  is  awkward  to  be  domesticated 
with  one  of  whose  family  we  are  utterly  ignorant." 

"  Have  you  found  the  name  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  I  see  he  has  two  sisters,  both  of  whom  are  mar- 
ried, and  a  brother  who  is  in  the  Guards.  But " 

"  But  what,  dear  ? " 

"  His  title  is  not  so  very  old." 

"The  title  of  no  baronet  can  be  very  old,  the  order  hav- 
ing been  instituted  in  the  reign  of  James  I." 

"  I  did  not  know  that.  His  ancestor  was  created  a  bar- 
onet in  1701,  I  see.'1  Now,  Eve " 

"  Now,  what,  Grace  ? " 

"  We  are  both — "  Grace  would  not  confine  the  remark 
to  herself — "  we  are  both  of  older  families  than  this  !  You 
have  even  a  much  higher  English  extraction  ;  and  I  think 
I  can  claim  for  the  Van  Cortlandts  more  antiquity  than  one 
that  dates  from  1701  !  " 

"  No  one  doubts  it,  Grace  ;  but  what  do  you  wish  me  to 
understand  by  this  ?  Are  we  to  insist  on  preceding  Sir 
George,  in  going  through  a  door  ? " 

Grace  blushed  to  the  eyes,  and  yet  she  laughed  involun- 
tarily. 

"  What  nonsense  !  No  one  thinks  of  such  things  in 
America." 

"  Except  at  Washington,  where,  I  am  told,  *  Senators' 
ladies '  do  give  themselves  airs.  But  you  are  quite  right, 
Grace  ;  women  have  no  rank  in  America,  beyond  their 
general  social  rank  as  ladies  or  no  ladies,  and  we  will  not 


AS  FOUND.  171 

be  the  first  to  set  an  example  of  breaking  the  rule.  I  am 
afraid  our  blood  will  pass  for  nothing,  and  that  we  must 
give  place  to  the  baronet,  unless,  indeed,  he  recognizes  the 
rights  of  the  sex." 

**  You  know  I  mean  nothing  so  silly.  Sir  George  Tem- 
ple more  does  not  seem  to  think  of  rank  at  all  ;  even  Mr. 
Powis  treats  him  in  all  respects  as  an  equal,  and  Sir 
George  seems  to  admit  it  to  be  right." 

Eve's  maid,  at  the  moment,  was  twisting  her  hair,  with 
the  intention  to  put  it  up  ;  but  the  sudden  manner  in 
\vhich  her  young  mistress  turned  to  look  at  Grace,  caused 
Annette  to  relinquish  her  grasp,  and  the  shoulders  of  the 
beautiful  and  blooming  girl  were  instantly  covered  with 
the  luxuriant  tresses. 

"  And  why  should  not  Mr.  Powis  treat  Sir  George  Tem- 
plemore  as  one  every  way  his  equal,  Grace  ?  "  she  asked, 
with  an  impetuosity  unusual  in  one  so  trained  in  the  forms 
of  the  world. 

"  Why,  Eve,  one  is  a  baronet,  and  the  other  is  but  a  sim- 
ple gentleman." 

Eve  Effingham  sat  silent  for  quite  a  minute.  Her  little 
foot  moved,  and  she  had  been  carefully  taught,  too,  that  a 
lady-like  manner  required  that  even  this  beautiful  portion 
of  the  female  frame  should  be  quiet  and  unobtrusive.  But 
America  did  not  contain  two  of  the  same  sex,  years,  and 
social  condition,  less  alike  in  their  opinions,  or  it  might  be 
said  their  prejudices,  than  the  two  cousins.  Grace  Van 
Cortlandt,  of  the  best  blood  of  her  native  land,  had  uncon- 
sciously imbibed  in  childhood  the  notions  connected  with 
hereditary  rank,  through  the  traditions  of  colonial  man- 
ners, by  means  of  novels,  by  hearing  the  vulgar  reproached 
or  condemned  for  their  obtrusion  and  ignorance,  and  too 
often  justly  reproached  and  condemned,  and  by  the  aid  of 
her  imagination,  which  contributed  to  throw  a  gloss  and 
brilliancy  over  a  state  of  things  that  singularly  gains  by 
distance.  On  the  other  hand,  with  Eve,  everything  con- 
nected with  such  subjects  was  a  matter  of  fact.  She  had 
been  thrown  early  into  the  highest  associations  of  Europe ; 
she  had  not  only  seen  royalty  on  its  days  of  gala  and  rep- 
resentation, a  mere  raree-show  that  is  addressed  to  the 
senses,  or  purely  an  observance  of  forms  that  may  possibly, 
have  their  meaning,  but  which  can  scarcely  be  said  to  have 


I;2  HOME  AS 

their  reasons ;  but  she  had  lived  long  and  intimately 
among  the  high-born  and  great,  and  this,  too,  in  so  many 
different  countries,  as  to  have  destroyed  the  influence  of 
the  particular  nation  that  has  transmitted  so  many  of  its 
notions  to  America  as  heir-looms.  By  close  observation, 
she  knew  that  arbitrary  and  political  distinctions  made 
but  little  difference  between  men  of  themselves  ;  and  so 
far  from  having  become  the  dupe  of  the  glitter  of  life,  by 
living  so  long  within  its  immediate  influence,  she  had 
learned  to  discriminate  between,  the  false  and  the  real,  and 
to  perceive  that  which  was  truly  respectable  and  useful, 
and  to  know  it  from  that  which  was  merely  arbitrary  and 
selfish.  Eve  actually  fancied  that  the  position  of  an  Amer- 
ican gentleman  might  readily  become,  nay,  that  it  ought 
to  be,  the  highest  of  all  human  stations,  short  of  that  of 
sovereigns.  Such  a  man  had  no  social  superior,  with  the 
exception  of  those  who  actually  ruled,  in  her  eyes  ;  and 
this  fact  she  conceived,  rendered  him  more  than  noble,  as 
nobility  is  usually  graduated.  She  had  been  accustomed  to 
see  her  father  and  John  EfRngham  moving  in  the  best  cir- 
cles of  Europe,  respected  for  their  information  and  inde- 
pendence, undistinguished  by  their  manners,  admired  for 
their  personal  appearance,  manly,  courteous,  and  of  noble 
bearing  and  principles,  if  not  set  apart  from  the  rest  of 
mankind  by  an  arbitrary  rule  connected  with  rank.  Rich, 
and  possessing  all  the  habits  that  properly  mark  refinement, 
of  gentle  extraction,  of  liberal  attainments,  walking  abroad 
in  the  dignity  of  manhood,  and  with  none  between  them 
and  the  Deity,  Eve  had  learned  to  regard  the  gentlemen 
of  her  race  as  the  equals  in  station  of  any  of  their  Euro- 
pean associates,  and  as  the  superiors  of  most,  in  every- 
thing that  is  essential  to  true  distinction.  With  her,  even 
titular  princes  and  dukes  had  no  estimation,  merely  as 
princes  and  dukes  ;  and,  as  her  quick  mind  glanced  over  the 
long  catalogue  of  artificial  social  gradations,  and  she  found 
Grace  actually  attaching  an  importance  to  the  equivocal 
and  purely  conventional  condition  of  an  English  baronet,  a 
strong  sense  of  the  ludicrous  connected  itself  with  the  idea. 
"  A  simple  gentleman,  Grace  ? "  she  repeated  slowly  after 
her  cousin  ;  "  and  is  not  a  simple  gentleman,  a  simple 
American  gentleman,  the  equal  of  any  gentleman  on  earth 
- — of  a  poor  baronet  in  particular  ? " 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  1^3 

"  Poor  baronet,  Eve  !  " 

"  Yes,  dear,  poor  baronet  ;  I  know  fully  the  extent  and 
meaning  of  what  I  say.  It  is  true,  we  do  not  know  as 
much  of  Mr.  Powis'  family,"  and  here  Eve's  color  height- 
ened, though  she  made  a  mighty  effort  to  be  steady  and 
unmoved,  "  as  we  might ;  but  we  know  he  is  an  American ; 
that,  at  least,  is  something  ;  and  we  see  he  is  a  gentleman  ; 
and  what  American  gentleman,  a  real  American  gentleman, 
can  be  the  inferior  of  an  English  baronet  ?  Would  your 
uncle,  think  you  ;  would  Cousin  Jack  ;  proud,  lofty-minded 
Cousin  Jack,  think  you,  Grace,  consent  to  receive  so  pal- 
try a  distinction  as  a  baronetcy,  were  our  institutions  to  be 
so  far  altered  as  to  admit  of  such  social  classifications  ?" 

"  Why,  what  would  they  be,  Eve,  if  not  baronets  ?" 

"  Earls,  counts,  dukes,  nay,  princes  !  These  are  the  des- 
ignations of  the  higher  classes  of  Europe,  and  such  titles, 
or  those  that  are  equivalent,  would  belong  to  the  higher 
classes  here." 

"  I  fancy  that  Sir  George  Templemore  would  not  be 
persuaded  to  admit  all  this  !  " 

"  If  you  had  seen  Miss  Eve  surrounded  and  admired  by 
princes,  as  I  have  seen  her,  Miss  Grace,  "  said  Ann  Sidley, 
"  you  would  not  think  any  simple  Sir  George  half  good 
enough  for  her." 

"  Our  good  Nanny  means  a  Sir  George,"  interrupted 
Eve,  laughing,  "  and  not  the  Sir  George  in  question.  But, 
seriously,  dearest  coz,  it  depends  more  on  ourselves,  and 
less  on  others,  in  what  light  they  are  to  regard  us,  than  is 
commonly  supposed.  Do  you  not  suppose  there  are  fam- 
ilies in  America  who,  if  disposed  to  raise  any  objections 
beyond  those  that  are  purely  personal,  would  object  to 
baronets,  and  the  wearers  of  red  ribbons,  as  unfit  matches 
for  their  daughters,  on  the  ground  of  rank  ?  What  an  ab- 
surdity would  it  be  for  a  Sir  George,  or  the  Sir  George 
either,  to  object  to  a  daughter  of  a  President  of  the 
United  States,  for  instance,  on  account  of  station  ;  and  yet 
I'll  answer  for  it,  you  would  think  it  no  personal  honor,  if 
Mr.  Jackson  had  a  son,  that  he  should  propose  to  my  dear 
father  for  you.  Let  us  respect  ourselves  properly,  take 
care  to  be  truly  ladies  and  gentlemen,  and  so  far  from  tit- 
ular ranks  being  necessary  to  us,  before  a  hundred  lustra 
are  past  we  shall  bring  all  such  distinctions  into  discredit, 


r74  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

by  showing  that  they  are  not  necessary  to  any  one  impor- 
tant interest,  or  to  true  happiness  and  respectability  any- 
where." 

"  And  do  you  not  believe,  Eve,  that  Sir  George  Temple- 
more  thinks  of  the  difference  in  station  between  us?" 

"I  cannot  answer  for  that,"  said  Eve,  calmly.  "The 
man  is  naturally  modest;  and,  it  is  possible,  when  he  sees 
that  we  belong  to  the  highest  social  condition  of  a  great 
country,  he  may  regret  that  such  has  not  been  his  own 
good  fortune  in  his  native  land  ;  especially,  Grace,  since  he 
has  known  you." 

Grace  blushed,  looked  pleased,  delighted  even,  yet  sur- 
prised. It  is  unnecessary  to  explain  the  causes  of  the  first 
three  expressions  of  her  emotions,  but  the  last  may  require 
a  short  examination.  Nothing  but  time  and  a  change  of 
circumstances  can  ever  raise  a  province,  or  a  provincial 
town,  to  the  independent  state  of  feeling  that  so  strikingly 
distinguishes  a  metropolitan  country  or  a  capital.  It  would 
be  as  rational  to  expect  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  nursery 
should  disregard  the  opinions  of  the  drawing-room,  as  to 
believe  that  the  provincial  should  do  all  his  own  thinking. 
Political  dependency,  moreover,  is  much  more  easily  thrown 
aside  than  mental  dependency.  It  is  not  surprising,  there- 
fore, that  Grace  Van  Cortlandt,  with  her  narrow  associa- 
tions, general  notions  of  life,  origin,  and  provincial  habits, 
should  be  the  very  opposite  of  Eve,  in  all  that  relates  to 
independence  of  thought,  on  subjects  like  those  that  they 
were  now  discussing.  Had  Grace  been  a  native  of  New 
England,  even,  she  would  have  been  less  influenced  by  the 
mere  social  rank  of  the  baronet  than  was  actually  the  case  ; 
for,  while  the  population  of  that  part  of  the  Union  feel 
more  of  the  general  subserviency  to  Great  Britain  than  the 
population  of  any  other  portion  of  the  republic,  they  prob- 
ably feel  less  of  it,  in  this  particular  form,  from  the  circum- 
stance that  their  colonial  habits  were  less  connected  with 
the  aristocratical  usages  of  the  mother  country.  Grace 
was  allied  by  blood,  too,  with  the  higher  classes  of  England, 
as  indeed  was  the  fact  with  most  of  the  old  families  among 
the  New  York  gentry ;  and  the  traditions  of  her  race  came 
in  aid  of  the  traditions  of  her  colony,  to  continue  the  pro- 
found deference  she  felt  for  an  English  title.  Eve  might 
have  been  equally  subjected  to  the  same  feelings,  had  she 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  175 

not  been  removed  into  another  sphere  at  so  early  a  period 
of  life,  where  she  imbibed  the  notions  already  mentioned 
— notions  that  were  quite  as  effectually  rooted  in  her  moral 
system,  as  those  of  Grace  herself  could  be  in  her  own. 

"  This  is  a  strange  way  of  viewing  the  rank  of  a  baronet, 
Eve  !  "  Grace  exclaimed,  as  soon  as  she  had  a  little  recov- 
ered from  the  confusion  caused  by  the  personal  allusion. 
"  I  greatly  question  if  you  can  induce  Sir  George  Temple- 
more  to  see  his  own  position  with  your  eyes." 

"  No,  my  dear  ;  I  think  he  will  be  much  more  likely  to 
regard  not  only  that,  but  most  other  things,  with  the  eyes 
of  another  person.  We  will  now  talk  of  more  agreeable 
things,  however  ;  for  I  confess,  when  I  do  dwell  on  titles, 
I  have  a  taste  for  the  more  princely  appellations  ;  and  that 
a  simple  chevalier  can  scarce  excite  a  feeling  that  such  is 
the  theme." 

"  Nay,  Eve,"  interrupted  Grace,  with  spirit,  "  an  English 
baronet  is  noble.  Sir  George  Templemore  assured  me  that 
as  lately  as  last  evening.  The  heralds,  I  believe,  have  quite 
recently  established  that  fact  to  their  own  satisfaction." 

"  I  am  glad  of  it,  dear,"  returned  Eve,  with  difficulty  re- 
fraining from  gaping,  "  as  it  will  be  of  great  importance  to 
them  in  their  own  eyes.  At  all  events,  I  concede  that  Sir 
George  Templemore,  knight  or  baronet,  big  baron  or  little 
baron,  is  a  noble  fellow  ;  and  what  more  can  any  reasonable 
person  desire  ?  Do  you  know,  sweet  coz,  that  the  Wigwam 
will  be  full  to  overflowing  next  week  ?  that  it  will  be  nec- 
essary to  light  our  council-fire,  and  to  smoke  the  pipe  of 
many  welcomes  ? " 

"  I  have  understood  Mr.  Powis,  that  his  kinsman,  Cap- 
tain Ducie,  will  arrive  on  Monday." 

"  And  Mrs.  Hawker  will  come  on  Tuesday,  Mr.  arid  Mrs. 
Bloomfield  on  Wednesday,  and  honest,  brave,  straightfor- 
ward, literati-hating  Captain  Truck  on  Thursday  at  the 
latest.  We  shall  have  a  large  country  circle,  and  I  hear 
the  gentlemen  talking  of  the  boats  and  other  amusements. 
But  I  believe  my  father  has  a  consultation  in  the  library, 
at  which  he  wishes  us  to  be  present  ;  we  will  join  him  if 
you  please." 

As  Eve's  toilette  was  now  completed,  the  two  ladies  rose, 
and  descended  together  to  join  the  party  below.  Mr. 
Effingham  was  standing  at  a  table  that  was  covered  with 


r;6  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

maps  ;  while  two  or  three  respectable-looking  men,  master 
mechanics,  were  at  his  side.  The  manners  of  these  men 
were  quiet,  civil,  and  respectful,  having  a  mixture  of  manly 
simplicity  with  a  proper  deference  for  the  years  and  station 
of  the  master  of  the  house  ;  though  all  but  one  wore  their 
hats'.  The  one  who  formed  the  exception  had  become  re- 
fined by  a  long  intercourse  with  this  particular  family  ;  and 
his  acquired  taste  had  taught  him  that  respect  for  himself, 
as  well  as  for  decency,  rendered  it  necessary  to  observe  the 
long-established  rules  of  decorum  in  his  intercourse  with 
others.  His  companions,  though  without  a  particle  of 
coarseness,  or  any  rudeness  of  intention,  were  less  deco- 
rous, simply  from  a  loose  habit,  that  is  insensibly  taking 
the  place  of  the  ancient  laws  of  propriety  in  such  matters, 
and  which  habit,  it  is  to  be  feared,  has  a  part  of  its  origin 
in  false  and  impracticable  political  notions,  that  have  been 
stimulated  by  the  arts  of  demagogues.  Still  not  one  of  the 
three  hard-working,  really  civil,  and  even  humane  men, 
who  now  stood  covered  in  the  library  of  Mr.  Effingham, 
was  probably  conscious  of  the  impropriety  of  which  he  was 
guilty,  or  was  doing  more  than  insensibly  yielding  to  a 
vicious  and  vulgar  practice. 

"  I  am  glad  you  have  come,  my  love,"  said  Mr.  Effingham, 
as  his  daughter  entered  the  room,  "  for  I  find  I  need  sup- 
port in  maintaining  my  own  opinions  here.  John  is  obsti- 
nately silent  ;  and  as  for  all  these  other  gentlemen,  1  fear 
they  have  decidedly  taken  sides  against  me." 

"You  can  usually  count  on  my  support,  dearest  father, 
feeble  as  it  may  be.  But  what  is  the  disputed  point  to- 
day ? " 

"  There  is  a  proposition  to  alter  the  interior  of  the  church, 
and  our  neighbor  Gouge  has  brought  the  plans  on  which, 
as  he  says,  he  has  lately  altered  several  churches  in  the 
country.  The  idea  is,  to  remove  the  pews  entirely,  con- 
verting them  into  what  are  called  '  slips,'  to  lower  the  pul- 
pit, and  to  raise  the  floor  amphitheatre  fashion." 

"Can  there  be  a  sufficient  reason  for  this  change  ?"  de- 
manded Eve,  with  surprise.  "  Slips  !  The  word  has  a  vul- 
gar sound  even,  and  savors  of  a  useless  innovation.  I 
doubt  its  orthodoxy." 

"  It  is  very  popular,  Miss  Eve,"  answered  Aristabulus, 
advancing  from  the  window,  where  he  had  been  whispering 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  177 

assent.  "  This  fashion  takes  universally,  and  is  getting  to 
prevail  in  all  denominations." 

Eve  turned  involuntarily,  and  to  her  surprise  she  per- 
ceived that  the  editor  of  the  Active  Inquirer  was  added  to 
their  party.  The  salutations  on  the  part  of  the  young  lady 
were  distant  and  stately,  while  Mr.  Dodge,  who  had  not 
been  able  to  resist  public  opinion,  and  had  actually  parted 
with  his  mustachios,  simpered,  and  wished  to  have  it  under- 
stood by  the  spectators  that  he  was  on  familiar  terms  with 
all  the  family. 

"  It  may  be  popular,  Mr.  Bragg,"  returned  Eve,  as  soon 
as  she  rose  from  her  profound  courtesy  to  Mr.  Dodge  ;  "  but 
it  can  scarcely  be  said  to  be  seemly.  This  is,  indeed,  chang- 
ing the  order  of  things,  by  elevating  the  sinner  and  depress- 
ing the  saint." 

"You  forget,  Miss  Eve,  that  under  the  old  plan  the  peo- 
ple could  not  see  ;  they  were  kept  unnaturally  down,  if  one 
can  so  express  it,  while  nobody  had  a  go>od  look-out  but 
the  parson  and  the  singers  in  the  front  row  of  the  gallery. 
This  was  unjust." 

"  I  do  not  conceive,  sir,  that  a  good  look-out,  as  you  term 
it,  is  at  all  essential  to  devotion,  or  that  one  cannot  as  well 
listen  to  instruction  when  beneath  the  teacher,  as  when 
above  him." 

"  Pardon  me,  miss  ; "  Eve  recoiled,  as  she  always  did, 
when  Mr.  Bragg  used  this  vulgar  and  contemptuous  mode 
of  address  ;  "  we  put  nobody  up  or  down  ;  all  we  aim  at  is 
a  just  equality — to  place  all,  as  near  as  possible,  on  a 
level." 

Eve  gazed  about  her  in  wonder  ;  and  then  she  hesitated 
a  moment,  as  if  distrusting  her  ears. 

"  Equality  !  Equality  with  what  ?  Surely  not  with  the 
ordained  ministers  of  the  church,  in  the  performance  of 
their  sacred  duties  !  Surely  not  with  the  Deity  !  " 

"We  do  not  look  at  it  exactly  in  this  light,  ma'am.  The 
people  build  the  church,  that  you  will  allow,  Miss  Effing- 
ham  ;  even  you  will  allow  this,  Mr.  Effingham." 

Both  the  parties  appealed  to  bowed  a  simple  assent  to 
so  plain  a  proposition,  but  neither  spoke. 

"Well,  the  people  building  the  church,  very  naturally 
ask  themselves  for  what  purpose  it  was  built  ?" 

"  For  the  worship  of  God,"  returned  Eve,  with  a  steady 
12 


178  HOME   AS  FOUND. 

solemnity  of  manner  that  a  little  abashed  even  the  ordina- 
rily indomitable  and  self-composed  Aristabulus. 

u  Yes,  miss  ;  for  the  worship  of  God  and  the  accommo 
dation  of  the  public." 

"  Certainly,"  added  Mr.  Dodge  ;  "  for  the  public  accom- 
modation and  for  public  worship,"  laying  due  emphasis  on 
the  adjectives. 

"  Father,  you,  at  least,  will  never  consent  to  this  ? " 

"  Not  readily,  my  love.  I  confess  it  shocks  all  my  notions 
of  propriety  to  see  the  sinner,  even  when  he  professes  to 
be  the  most  humble  and  penitent,  thrust  himself  up  osten- 
tatiously, as  if  filled  only  with  his  own  self-love  and  self- 
importance." 

"You  will  allow,  Mr.  Effingham,"  rejoined  Aristabulus, 
"  that  churches  are  built  to  accommodate  the  public,  as  Mr. 
Dodge  has  so  well  remarked." 

"  No,  sir,  they  are  built  for  the  worship  of  God,  as  my 
daughter  has  so  well  remarked." 

"  Yes,  sir ;  that,  too,  I  grant  you " 

"  As  secondary  to  the  main  object,  the  public  conven- 
ience, Mr.  Bragg  unquestionably  means,"  put  in  John  Ef- 
fingham, speaking  for  the  first  time  that  morning  on  the 
subject. 

Eve  turned  quickly  and  looked  toward  her  kinsman. 
He  was  standing  near  the  table,  with  folded  arms,  and  his 
fine  face  expressing  all  the  sarcasm  and  contempt  that  a 
countenance  so  singularly  calm  and  gentlemanlike  could 
betray. 

"  Cousin  Jack,  "she  said  earnestly,  "  this  ought  not  to  be." 

"  Cousin  Eve,  nevertheless  this  will  be." 

"  Surely  not — surely  not !  Men  can  never  so  far  forget 
appearances  as  to  convert  the  temple  of  God  into  a  thea- 
tre, in  which  the  convenience  of  the  spectators  is  the  one 
great  object  to  be  kept  in  view  !  " 

"You  have  travelled,  sir,"  said  John  Effingham,  indicat- 
ing by  his  eye  that  he  addressed  Mr.  Dodge,  in  particular, 
"and  must  have  entered  places  of  worship  in  other  parts 
of  the  world.  Did  not  the  simple  beauty  of  the  manner 
in  which  all  classes,  the  great  and  the  humble,  the  rich  and 
the  poor,  kneel  in  a  common  humility  before  the  altar, 
strike  you  agreeably  on  such  occasions  ;  in  Catholic  coun- 
tries in  particular  ? " 


&OM£  AS  FOUND.  ifo 

"Bless  me!  no,  Mr.  John  Effingham.  I  was  disgusted 
at  the  meanness  of  their  rites,  and  really  shocked  at  the 
abject  manner  in  which  the  people  knelt  on  the  cold  damp 
stones,  as  if  they  were  no  better  than  beggars." 

"  And  were  they  not  beggars  ?"  asked  Eve,  with  almost 
a  severity  of  tone  ;  "ought  they  not  so  to  consider  them- 
selves, when  petitioning  for  mercy  of  the  one  great  and 
omnipotent  God  ? " 

"  Why,  Miss  Effingham,  the  people  will  rule,  and  it  is 
useless  to  pretend  to  tell  them  that  they  shall  not  have  the 
highest  seats  in  the  church  as  well  as  in  the  state.  Really 
I  can  see  no  ground  why  a  parson  should  be  raised  above 
his  parishioners.  The  new  order  churches  consult  the 
public  convenience,  and  place  everybody  on  a  level,  as  it 
might  be.  Now,  in  old  times,  a  family  was  buried  in  its 
pew.  It  could  neither  see  nor  be  seen  ;  and  I  can  remem- 
ber the  time  when  I  could  just  get  a  look  of  our  clergy- 
man's  wig  ;  for  he  was  an  old-school  man,  and  as  for  his 
fellow-creatures,  one  might  as  well  be  praying  in  his  own 
closet.  I  must  say  I  am  a  supporter  of  liberty,  if  it  be 
only  in  pews." 

"I  am  sorry,  Mr.  Dodge,"  answered  Eve,  mildly,  "you 
did  not  extend  your  travels  into  the  countries  of  the  Mus- 
sulmans, where  most  Christian  sects  might  get  some  use- 
ful notions  concerning  the  part  of  worship,  at  least,  that 
is  connected  with  appearances.  There  you  would  have 
seen  no  seats,  but  sinners  bowing  down  in  a  mass,  on  the 
cold  stones,  and  all  thoughts  of  cushioned  pews  and  draw- 
ing-room conveniences  unknown.  We  Protestants  have 
improved  on  our  Catholic  forefathers  in  this  respect,  and 
the  innovation  of  which  you  now  speak,  in  my  eyes,  is  an 
irreverent — almost  a  sinful — invasion  of  the  proprieties  of 
the  temple." 

"  Ah,  Miss  Eve,  this  comes  from  substituting  forms  for 
the  substance  of  things,"  exclaimed  the  editor.  "  For  my 
part,  I  can  say,  I  was  truly  shocked  with  the  extravagan- 
ces I  witnessed  in  the  way  of  worship,  in  most  of  the  coun- 
tries I  visited.  Would  you  think  it,  Mr.  Bragg,  rational 
beings,  real  bonafide  living  men  and  women,  kneeling  on 
the  stone  pavement,  like  so  many  camels  in  the  desert  " 
— Mr.  Dodge  loved  to  draw  his  images  from  the  different 
parts  of  the  world  he  had  seen — "  ready  to  receive  the 


ifc>  HOME  AS  FOUND, 

burdens  of  their  masters ;  not  a  pew,  not  a  cushion,  not  a 
single  comfort  that  is  suitable  to  a  free,  and  intelligent 
being,  but  everything  conducted  in  the  most  abject  man- 
ner, as  if  accountable  human  souls  were  no  better  than  so 
many  mutes  in  a  Turkish  palace?" 

"  You  ought  to  mention  this  in  the  Active  Inquirer" 
said  Aristabulus. 

"  All  in  good  time,  sir.  I  have  many  things  in  reserve, 
among  which  I  propose  to  give  a  few  remarks — I  dare  say 
they  will  be  very  worthless  ones — on  the  impropriety  of  a 
rational  being's  ever  kneeling.  To  my  notion,  gentlemen 
and  ladies,  God  never  intended  an  American  to  kneel." 

The  respectable  mechanics  who  stood  around  the  table 
did  not  absolutely  assent  to  this  proposition  ;  for  one  of 
them  actually  remarked  that  "  he  saw  no  great  harm  in  a 
man's  kneeling  to  the  Deity  ; "  but  they  evidently  inclined 
to  the  opinion  that  the  new  school  of  pews  was  far  better 
than  the  old. 

"  It  always  appears  to  me,  Miss  Effingham,"  said  one, 
"  that  I  hear  and  understand  the  sermon  better  in  one  of 
the  low  pews,  than  in  one  of  the  old  high-backed  things 
that  looks  so  much  like  pounds." 

"  But  can  you  withdraw  into  yourself  better,  sir  ?  Can 
you  more  truly  devote  all  your  thoughts,  with  a  suitable 
singleness  of  heart,  to  the  worship  of  God  ? " 

"  You  mean  in  the  prayers,  now,  I  rather  conclude  ? " 

"  Certainly,  sir,  I  mean  in  the  prayers  and  the  thanks- 
givings." 

"  Why,  we  leave  them  pretty  much  to  the  parson  ;  though 
I  own  it  is  not  quite  as  easy  leaning  on  the  edge  of  one  of 
the  new  school  pews  as  on  one  of  the  old.  They  are  better 
for  sitting,  but  not  so  good  for  standing.  But  then  the  sit- 
ting posture  at  prayers  is  quite  coming  into  favor  among 
our  people,  Miss  Effingham,  as  well  as  among  yours.  The 
sermon  is  the  main  chance,  after  all." 

"Yes,"  observed  Mr.  Gouge,  "give  me  good  strong 
preaching  any  day,  in  preference  to  good  praying.  A  man 
may  get  along  with  second-rate  prayers,  but  he  stands  in 
need  of  first-rate  preaching." 

"  These  gentlemen  consider  religion  a  little  like  a  cor- 
dial on  a  cold  day,"  observed  John  Effingham,  "which  is 
to  be  taken  in  sufficient  doses  to  make  the  blood  circulate. 


HOME  AS  FOUtfD.  i§i 

They  are  not  the  men  to  be  pounded  in  pews,  like  lost 
sheep  ;  not  they  !  " 

"  Mr.  John  will  always  have  his  say,"  one  remarked,  and 
then  Mr.  Effingham  dismissed  the  party,  by  telling  them 
he  would  think  of  the  matter. 

When  the  mechanics  were  gone,  the  subject  was  dis- 
cussed at  some  length  between  those  that  remained,  all  the 
Effinghams  agreeing  that  they  would  oppose  the  innova- 
tion, as  irreverent  in  appearance,  unsuited  to  the  retirement 
and  self-abasement  that  best  comported  with  prayer,  and 
opposed  to  the  delicacy  of  their  own  habits  ;  while  Messrs. 
Bragg  and  Dodge  contended  to  the  last  that  such  changes 
were  loudly  called  for  by  the  popular  sentiment  ;  that  it 
was  unsuited  to  the  dignity  of  a  man  to  be  "pounded," 
even  in  a  church,  and  virtually,  that  a  good,  "  stirring  " 
sermon,  as  they  called  it,  was  of  far  more  account,  in  pub- 
lic worship,  than  all  the  prayers  and  praises  that  could  issue 
from  the  heart  or  throat. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

"We'll  follow  Cade— we'll  follow  Cade." 

"  THE  views  of  this  Mr.  Bragg,  and  of  our  old  fellow- 
traveller,  Mr.  Dodge,  appear  to  be  peculiar  on  the  subject 
of  religious  forms,"  observed  Sir  George  Templemore,  as 
he  descended  the  little  lawn  before  the  Wigwam,  in  com- 
pany with  the  three  ladies,  Paul  Powis,  and  John  Effingham, 
on  their  way  to  the  lake.  "  I  should  think  it  would  be  dif- 
ficult to  find  another  Christian  who  objects  to  kneeling  at 
prayer." 

"  Therein  you  are  mistaken,  Templemore,"  answered 
Paul ;  "  for  this  country,  to  say  nothing  of  one  sect  which 
holds  it  in  utter  abomination,  is  filled  with  them.  Our 
pious  ancestors,  like  neophytes,  ran  into  extremes  on  the 
subject  of  forms,  as  well  as  in  other  matters.  When  you 
go  to  Philadelphia,  Miss  Effingham,  you  will  see  an  instance 
of  a  most  ludicrous  nature — ludicrous,  if  there  was  not 
something  painfully  revolting  mingled  with  it — of  the  man- 


i§2  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

ner  in  which  men  can  strain  at  a  gnat  and  swallow  a  camel ; 
and  which  I  am  sorry  to  say  is  immediately  connected  with 
our  own  church." 

It  was  music  to  Eve's  ears  to  hear  Paul  Powis  speak  of 
his  pious  ancestors  as  being  American,  and  to  find  him  so 
thoroughly  identifying  himself  with  her  own  native  land  ; 
for,  while  condemning  so  many  of  its  practices,  and  so 
much  alive  to  its  absurdities  and  contradictions,  our  heroine 
had  seen  too  much  of  other  countries,  not  to  take  an  honest 
pride  in  the  real  excellences  of  her  own.  There  was,  also, 
a  soothing  pleasure  in  hearing  him  openly  own  that  he  be- 
longed to  the  same  church  as  herself. 

"  And  what  is  there  ridiculous  in  Philadelphia,  in  par- 
ticular, and  in  connection  with  our  own  church  ?  "  she  asked. 
"  I  am  not  so  easily  disposed  to  find  fault  where  the  vener- 
able church  is  concerned." 

"  You  know  that  the  Protestants,  in  their  horror  of  idola- 
try, discontinued,  in  a  great  degree,  the  use  of  the  cross  as 
an  outward  religious  symbol  ;  and  that  there  was  probably 
a  time  when  there  was  not  a  single  cross  to  be  seen  in  the 
whole  of  a  country  that  was  settled  by  those  who  made  a 
profession  of  love  for  Christ  and  a  dependence  on  his  expi- 
ation, the  great  business  of  their  lives  !  " 

"  Certainly.  We  all  know  our  predecessors  were  a  little 
over-rigid  and  scrupulous  on  all  points  connected  with  out- 
ward appearances." 

"  They  certainly  contrived  to  render  the  religious  rites 
as  little  pleasing  to  the  senses  as  possible,  by  aiming  at  a 
sublimation  that  peculiarly  favors  spiritual  pride  and  a 
pious  conceit.  I  do  not  know  whether  travelling  has  had 
the  same  effect  on  you  as  it  has  produced  on  me  ;  but  I 
find  all  my  inherited  antipathies  to  the  mere  visible  rep- 
resentation of  the  cross  superseded  by  a  sort  of  solemn 
affection  for  it,  as  a  symbol,  when  it  is  plain  and  unaccom- 
panied by  any  of  those  bloody  and  minute  accessories  that 
are  so  often  seen  around  it  in  Catholic  countries.  The 
German  Protestants,  who  usually  ornament  the  altar  with  a 
cross,  first  cured  me  of  the  disrelish  I  imbibed  on  this-sub- 
ject  in  childhood." 

"We,  also,  I  think,  Cousin  John,  were  agreeably  struck 
with  the  same  usage  in  Germany.  From  feeling  a  species 
of  nervousness  at  the  sight  of  a  cross,  I  came  to  love  to 


HOME   AS  FOUND.  183 

see  it ;  and  I  think  you  must  have  undergone  a  similar 
change,  for  I  have  discovered  no  less  than  three  among  the 
ornaments  of  the  great  window  of  the  entrance  tower  at 
the  Wigwam." 

"  You  might  have  discovered  one,  also,  in  every  door  of 
the  building,  whether  great  or  small,  young  lady.  Our 
pious  ancestors,  as  Powis  calls  them,  much  of  whose  piety, 
by  the  way,  was  anything  but  meliorated  with  spiritual  hu- 
mility or  Christian  charity,  were  such  ignoramuses  as  to 
set  up  crosses  in  every  door  they  built,  even  while  they 
veiled  their  eyes  in  holy  horror  whenever  the  sacred  sym- 
bol was  seen  in  a  church." 

"  Every  door  ! "  exclaimed  the  Protestants  of  the  party. 

"  Yes,  literally  every  door,  I  might  almost  say  ;  certainly 
every  panelled  door  that  was  constructed  twenty  years 
since.  I  first  discovered  the  secret  of  our  blunder,  when 
visiting  a  castle  in  France,  that  dated  back  from  the  time 
of  the  crusade.  It  was  a  chateau  of  the  Montmorencies, 
that  had  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Conde  family  by  mar- 
riage ;  and  the  courtly  old  domestic,  who  showed  me  the 
curiosities,  pointed  out  to  me  the  stone  croix.  in  the  win- 
dows, which  has  caused  the  latter  to  be  called  croise'es,  as  a 
pious  usage  of  the  crusaders.  Turning  to  a  door,  I  saw 
the  same  crosses  in  the  wooden  stiles  ;  and  if  you  cast  an 
eye  on  the  first  humble  door  that  you  may  pass  in  this 
village,  you  will  detect  the  same  symbol  staring  you 
boldly  in  the  face,  in  the  very  heart  of  a  population  that 
would  almost  expire  at  the  thoughts  of  placing  such  a  sign 
of  the  beast  on  their  very  thresholds." 

The  whole  party  expressed  their  surprise  ;  but  the  first 
door  they  passed  corroborated  this  account,  and  proved 
the  accuracy  of  John  Effingham's  statements.  Catholic 
zeal  and  ingenuity  could  not  have  wrought  more  accurate 
symbols  of  this  peculiar  sign  of  the  sect ;  and  yet,  here 
they  stood,  staring  every  passenger  in  the  face,  as  if  mock- 
ing the  ignorant  and  exaggerated  pretension  which  would 
lay  undue  stress  on  the  minor  points  of  a  religion,  the  es- 
sence of  which  was  faith  and  humility. 

"And  the  Philadelphia  church  ?"  said  Eve,  quickly,  so 
soon  as  her  curiosity  was  satisfied  on  the  subject  of  the 
door  ;  "  I  am  now  more  impatient  than  ever  to  learn  what 
silly  blunder  we  have  also  committed  there." 


1 84  HOME   AS  FOUND. 

"Impious  would  almost  be  a  better  term,"  Paul  an- 
swered. 

"  The  only  church  spire  that  existed  for  half  a  century, 
in  that  town,  was  surmounted  by  a  mitre,  while  the  cross 
was  studiously  rejected." 

A  silence  followed  ;  for  there  is  often  more  true  argu- 
ment in  simply  presenting  the  facts  of  a  case,  than  in  all 
the  rhetoric  and  logic  that  could  be  urged  by  way  of  aux- 
iliaries. Every  one  saw  the  egregious  folly,  not  to  say 
presumption,  of  the  mistake  ;  and  at  the  moment  every 
one  wondered  how  a  common-sense  community  could 
have  committed  so  indecent  a  blunder.  We  are  mistaken. 
There  was  an  exception  to  the  general  feeling  in  the  per- 
son of  Sir  George  Templemore.  To  his  church-and-state 
notions,  and  anti-catholic  prejudices,  which  were  quite  as 
much  political  as  religious,  there  was  everything  that  was 
proper,  and  nothing  that  was  wrong,  in  rejecting  a  cross 
for  a  mitre. 

"The  church,  no  doubt,  was  Episcopal,  Powis,"  he  re- 
marked, "and  it  was  not  Roman.  What  better  symbol 
than  the  mitre  could  be  chosen  ? " 

"Now  I  reflect,  it  is  not  so  very  strange,"  said  Grace, 
eagerly,  "for  you  will  remember,  Mr.  Effingham,  that  Pro- 
testants attach  the  idea  of  idolatry  to  the  cross,  as  it  is 
used  by  Catholics." 

"  And  of  bishops,  peers  in  parliament,  church  and  state, 
to  a  mitre." 

"  Yes  ;  but  the  church  in  question  I  have  seen  ;  and  it 
was  erected  before  the  war  of  the  revolution.  It  was  an 
English  rather  than  an  American  church." 

"  It  was,  indeed,  an  English  church  rather  than  an  Ame- 
rican ;  and  Templemore  is  very  right  to  defend  it,  mitre 
and  all." 

"  I  dare  say  a  bishop  officiated  at  its  altar  ? " 

"I  dare  say — nay,  I  know  he  did  ;  and  I  will  add,  he 
would  rather  that  the  mitre  were  two  hundred  feet  in  the 
air  than  down  on  his  own  simple,  white-haired,  apostolical- 
looking  head.  But  enough  of  divinity  for  the  morning  .* 
yonder  is  Tom  with  the  boat,  let  us  to  our  oars." 

The  party  were  now  on  the  little  wharf  that  served  as  a 
village-landing,  and  the  boatman  mentioned  lay  off,  in  wait- 
ing for  the  arrival  of  his  fare.  Instead  of  using  him,  how- 


ffOME  AS  FOUJVD.  185 

ever,  the  man  was  dismissed,  the  gentlemen  preferring  to 
handle  the  oars  themselves.  Aquatic  excursions  were  of 
constant  occurrence  in  the  warm  months,  on  that  beauti- 
fully limpid  sheet  of  water,  and  it  was  the  practice  to  dis- 
pense with  the  regular  boatmen,  whenever  good  oarsmen 
were  to  be  found  among  the  company. 

As  soon  as  the  light  buoyant  skiff  was  brought  to  the 
side  of  the  wharf,  the  whole,  party  embarked  ;  and  Paul 
and  the  baronet  taking  the  oars,  they  soon  urged  the  boat 
from  the  shore. 

"  The  world  is  getting  to  be  too  confined  for  the  adven- 
turous spirit  of  the  age,"  said  Sir  George,  as  he  and  his 
companion  pulled  leisurely  along,  taking  the  direction  of 
the  eastern  shore,  beneath  the  forest-clad  cliffs  of  which  the 
ladies  had  expressed  a  wish  to  be  rowed  ;  "  here  are  Powis 
and  myself  actually  rowing  together  on  a  mountain  lake  of 
America,  after  having  boated  as  companions  on  the  coast 
of  Africa,  and  on  the  margin  of  the  Great  Desert.  Poly- 
nesia and  Terra  Australis  may  yet  see  us  in  company,  as 
hardy  cruisers." 

"The  spirit  of  the  age  is,  indeed,  working  wonders  in  the 
way  you  mean,"  said  John  Effingham.  "  Countries  of 
which  our  fathers  merely  read,  are  getting  to  be  as  familiar 
as  our  own  homes  to  their  sons  ;  and,  with  you,  one  can 
hardly  foresee  to  what  a  pass  of  adventure  the  generation 
or  two  that  will  follow  us  may  not  reach." 

"  Vraiment  c'est  fort  extraordinaire  de  se  trouver  sur  un  lac 
Americain"  exclaimed  Mademoiselle  Viefville. 

"  More  extraordinary  than  to  find  one's  self  on  a  Swiss 
lake,  think  you,  my  dear  Mademoiselle  Viefville  ?  " 

"  Noil)  non,  mats  tout  aussi  extraordinaire  pour  une  Pari- 
stenne." 

"  I  am  now  about  to  introduce  you,  Mr.  John  Effingham 
and  Miss  Van  Cortlandt  excepted,"  Eve  continued,  "  to  the 
wonders  and  curiosities  of  this  lake  and  region.  There, 
near  the  small  house  that  is  erected  over  a  spring  of  deli- 
cious water,  stood  the  hut  of  Natty  Bumppo,  once  known 
throughout  all  these  mountains  as  a  renowned  hunter  ;  a 
man  who  had  the  simplicity  of  a  woodsman,  the  heroism  of 
a  savage,  the  faith  of  a  Christian,  and  the  feelings  of  a  poet. 
A  better  than  he,  after  his  fashion,  seldom  lived." 

"We  have  all  heard  of  him,"  said  the  baronet,  looking 


1 86  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

round  curiously;  " and  must  all  feel  an  interest  in  what 
concerns  so  brave  and  just  a  man.  I  would  I  could  see  his 
counterpart." 

"  Alas  !  "  said  John  Effingham,  "  the  days  of  the  '  Leather- 
stockings  '  have  passed  away.  He  preceded  me  in  life,  and 
I  see  few  remains  of  his  character  in  a  region  where  specu- 
lation is  more  rife  than  moralizing,  and  emigrants  are  plen- 
tier  than  hunters.  Natty  probably  chose  that  spot  for  his 
hut,  on  account  of  the  vicinity  of  the  spring  ;  is  it  not  so, 
Miss  Effingham  ?  " 

"  He  did  ;  and  yonder  little  fountain  that  you  see  gush- 
ing from  the  thicket,  and  which  comes  glancing  like  dia- 
monds into  the  lake,  is  called  the  *  Fairy  Spring,'  by  some 
flight  of  poetry  that,  like  so  many  of  our  feelings,  must 
have  been  imported  ;  for  I  see  no  connection  between  the 
name  and  the  character  of  the  country,  fairies  having  never 
been  known,  even  by  tradition,  in  Otsego." 

The  boat  now  came  under  a  shore,  where  the  trees 
fringed  the  very  water,  frequently  overhanging  the  element 
that  mirrored  their  fantastic  forms.  At  this  point  a  light 
skiff  was  moving  leisurely  along  in  their  own  direction,  but 
a  short  distance  in  advance.  On  a  hint  from  John  Effing- 
ham, a  few  vigorous  strokes  of  the  oars  brought  the  boats 
near  each  other. 

"  This  is  the  flag-ship,"  half  whispered  John  Effingham, 
as  they  came  near  the  other  skiff,  "containing  no  less  a 
man  than  the  'commodore.'  Formerly  the  chief  of  the 
lake  was  an  admiral,  but  that  was  in  times  when,  living 
nearer  to  the  monarchy,  we  retained  some  of  the  European 
terms  ;  now,  no  man  rises  higher  than  a  commodore  in 
America  whether  it  be  on  the  ocean  or  on  the  Otsego, 
whatever  maybe  his  merits  or  his  services.  A  charming  day, 
commodore;  I  rejoice  to  see  you  still  afloat  in  your  glory." 

The  commodore,  a  tall,  thin,  athletic  man  of  seventy, 
with  a  white  head,  and  movements  that  were  quick  as  those 
of  a  boy,  had  not  glanced  aside  at  the  approaching  boat 
until  he  was  thus  saluted  in  the  well  known  voice  of  John 
Effingham.  He  then  turned  his  head,  however,  and  scan- 
ning the  whole  party  through  his  spectacles,  he  smiled 
good-naturedly,  made  a  flourish  with  one  hand,  while  he 
continued  paddling  with  the  other,  for  he  stood  erect  and 
straight  in  the  stern  of  his  skiff,  and  answered  heartily — 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  187 

"  A  fine  morning,  Mr.  John,  and  the  right  time  Df  the 
moon  for  boating.  This  is  not  a  real  scientific  day  for  the 
fish,  perhaps  ;  but  I  have  just  come  out  to  see  that  all  the 
points  and  bays  are  in  their  right  places." 

"  How  is  it,  commodore,  that  the  water  near  the  village 
is  less  limpid  than  common,  and  that  even  up  here  we  see 
so  many  specks  floating  on  its  surface  ?  " 

"What  a  question  for  Mr.  John  Effingham  to  ask  of  his 
native  water  !  So  much  for  travelling  in  far  countries, 
where  a  man  forgets  quite  as  much  as  he  learns,  I  fear." 
Here  the  commodore  turned  entirely  round,  and  raising 
an  open  hand  in  an  oratorical  manner,  he  added — "  You 
must  know,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  that  the  lake  is  in  blow." 

"  In  blow,  commodore  !  I  did  not  know  that  the  lake 
bore  its  blossoms." 

"  It  does,  sir,  nevertheless.  Ay,  Mr.  John,  and  its  fruits, 
too  ;  but  the  last  must  be  dug  for,  like  potatoes.  There 
have  been  no  miraculous  draughts  of  the  fishes  of  late  years 
in  the  Otsego,  ladies  and  gentlemen  ;  but  it  needs  the  sci- 
entific touch  and  the  knowledge  of  baits  to  get  a  fin  of  any 
of  your  true  game  above  the  water,  nowadays.  Well,  I 
have  had  the  head  of  the  sogdollager'  thrice  in  the  open 
air,  in  my  time,  though  I  am  told  the  admiral  actually  got 
hold  of  him  once  with  his  hand." 

"  The  sogdollager  !  "  said  Eve,  much  amused  with  the  sin- 
gularities of  the  man,  whom  she  perfectly  remembered  to 
have  been  commander  of  the  lake,  even  in  her  own  infancy  ; 
"we  must  be  indebted  to  you  for  an  explanation  of  that 
term,  as  well  as  for  the  meaning  of  your  allusion  to  the 
head  and  the  open  air." 

"  A  sogdollager,  young  lady,  is  the  perfection  of  a  thing. 
I  know  Mr.  Grant  used  to  say  there  was  no  such  word  in 
the  dictionary  ;  but  then  there  are  many  words  that  ought 
to  be  in  the  dictionaries  that  have  been  forgotten  by  the 
printers.  In  the  way  of  salmon  trout,  the  sogdollager  is 
their  commodore.  Now,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  I  should 
not  like  to  tell  you  all  I  know  about  the  patriarch  of  this 
lake,  for  you  would  scarcely  believe  me  ;  but  if  he  would 
not  weigh  a  hundred  when  cleaned,  there  is  not  an  ox  in 
the  county  that  will  weigh  a  pound  when  slaughtered." 

"  You  say  you  had  his  head  above  water?"  said  John 
Eflfingham. 


1 88  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

11  Thrice,  Mr.  John.  The  first  time  was  thirty  years  ago  ; 
and  I  confess  I  lost  him  on  that  occasion  by  want  of  science  ; 
for  the  art  is  not  learned  in  a  day,  and  I  had  then  followed 
the  business  but  ten  years.  The  second  time  was  five  years 
later  ;  and  I  had  then  been  fishing  expressly  for  the  old 
gentleman  about  a  month.  For  near  a  minute  it  was  a 
matter  of  dispute  between  us  whether  he  should  come  out 
of  the  lake  or  I  go  into  it ;  but  I  actually  got  his  gills  in 
plain  sight.  That  was  a  glorious  haul !  Washington  did 
not  feel  better  the  night  Cornwallis  surrendered,  than  I 
felt  on  that  great  occasion  ! " 

"One  never  knows  the  feelings  of  another,  it  seems.  I 
should  have  thought  disappointment  at  the  loss  would  have 
been  the  prevailing  sentiment  on  that  great  occasion,  as  you 
so  justly  term  it." 

"  So  it  would  have  been,  Mr.  John,  with  an  unscientific 
fisherman  ;  but  we  experienced  hands  know  better.  Glory 
is  to  be  measured  by  quality,  and  not  by  quantity,  ladies 
and  gentlemen  ;  and  I  look  on  it  as  a  greater  feather  in 
a  man's  cap  to  see  the  sogdollager's  head  above  water  for 
half  a  minute  than  to  bring  home  a  skiff  filled  with  pick- 
erel. The  last  time  I  got  a  look  at  the  old  gentleman  I  did 
not  try  to  get  him  into  the  boat,  but  we  sat  and  conversed 
for  near  two  minutes  ;  he  in  the  water,  and  I  in  the  skiff." 

"Conversed!"  exclaimed  Eve,  "and  with  a  fish,  too'. 
What  could  the  animal  have  to  say  ? " 

"Why,  young  lady,  a  fish  can  talk  as  well  as  one  of  our- 
selves ;  the  only  difficulty  is  to  understand  what  he  says. 
I  have  heard  the  old  settlers  affirm  that  the  Leather-stock- 
ing used  to  talk  for  hours  at  a  time  with  the  animals  of  the 
forest." 

"You  knew  the  Leather  stocking,  commodore  ?" 

"  No,  young  lady,  I  am  sorry  to  say  I  never  had  the 
pleasure  of  looking  on  him  even.  He  was  a  great  man  ! 
They  may  talk  of  their  Jeffersons  and  Jacksons,  but  I  set 
down  Washington  and  Natty  Bumppo  as  the  two  only  really 
great  men  of  my  time." 

"  What  do  you  think  of  Bonaparte,  commodore  ? "  in 
quired  Paul. 

"  Well,  sir,  Bonaparte  had  some  strong  points  about  him, 
I  do  really  believe.  But  he  could  have  been  nothing  to  the 
Leather-stocking  in  the  woods  !  It's  no  great  matter,  young 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  189 

gentleman,  to  be  a  great  man  among  your  inhabitants  of 
cities — what  I  call  umbrella  people.  Why,  Natty  was  al- 
most as  great  with  the  spear  as  with  the  rifle  ;  though  I 
never  heard  that  he  got  a  sight  of  the  sogdollager." 

"  We  shall  meet  again  this  summer,  commodore,"  said 
John  Effingham  ;  "  the  ladies  wish  to  hear  the  echoes,  and 
we  must  leave  you." 

"All  very  natural,  Mr.  John,"  returned  the  commodore, 
laughing,  and  again  flourishing  his  hand  in  his  own  pecu- 
liar manner.  "  The  women  all  love  to  hear  the  echoes,  for 
they  are  not  satisfied  with  what  they  have  once  said,  but 
they  like  to  hear  it  over  again.  I  never  knew  a  lady  come 
on  the  Otsego  but  one  of  the  first  things  she  did  was  to  get 
paddled  to  the  Speaking  Rocks  to  have  a  chat  with  herself. 
They  come  out  in  such  numbers  sometimes,  and  then  all 
talk  at  once,  in  a  way  quite  to  confuse  the  echo.  I  suppose 
you  have  heard,  young  lady,  the  opinion  people  have  now 
got  concerning  these  voices." 

"  I  cannot  say  I  have  ever  heard  more  than  that  they  are 
some  of  the  most  perfect  echoes  known,"  answered  Eve, 
turning  her  body  so  as  to  face  the  old  man,  as  the  skiff  of 
the  party  passed  that  of  the  veteran  fisherman. 

"  Some  people  maintain  that  there  is  no  echo  at  all, 
and  that  the  sounds  we  hear  come  from  the  spirit  of  the 
Leather-stocking,  which  keeps  about  its  old  haunts,  and 
repeats  everything  we  say,  in  mockery  of  our  invasion  of 
the  woods.  I  do  not  say  this  notion  is  true,  or  that  it  is  my 
own  ;  but  we  all  know  that  Natty  did  dislike  to  see  a  new 
settler  arrive  in  the  mountains,  and  that  he  loved  a  tree  as 
a  muskrat  loves  water.  They  show  a  pine  up  here  on  the 
side  of  the  Vision,  which  he  notched  at  every  new-comer, 
until  reaching  seventeen,  his  honest  old  heart  could  go  no 
further,  and  he  gave  the  matter  up  in  despair." 

"  This  is  so  poetical,  commodore,  it  is  a  pity  it  cannot  be 
true.  I  like  this  explanation  of  the  *  Speaking  Rocks  ' 
much  better  than  that  implied  by  the  name  of  '  Fairy 
Spring.'  " 

"  You  are  quite  right,  young  lady,"  called  out  the  fisher- 
man, as  the  boats  separated  still  further.  "There  never 
was  any  fairy  known  in  Otsego  ;  but  the  time  has  been 
when  we  could  boast  of  a  Natty  Bumppo." 

Here  the  commodore  flourished  his  hand  again,  and  Eve 


190  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

nodded  her  adieus.  The  skiff  of  the  party  continued  to 
pull  slowly  along  the  fringed  shore,  occasionally  sheering 
more  into  the  lake,  to  avoid  some  overhanging  and  nearly 
horizontal  tree,  and  then  returning  so  closely  to  the  land, 
as  barely  to  clear  the  pebbles  of  the  narrow  strand  with  the 
oar. 

Eve  thought  she  had  never  beheld  a  more  wild  or  beau- 
tifully variegated  foliage,  than  that  which  the  whole  leafy 
mountain  side  presented.  More  than  half  of  the  forest  of 
tall,  solemn  pines,  that  had  veiled  the  earth  when  the  coun- 
try was  first  settled,  had  already  disappeared  ;  but  agree- 
ably to  one  of  the  mysterious  laws  by  which  nature  is  gov- 
erned, a  rich  second  growth,  that  included  nearly  every 
variety  of  American  wood,  had  shot  up  in  their  places. 
The"  rich  Rembrandt-like  hemlocks,  in  particular,  were 
perfectly  beautiful,  contrasting  admirably  with  the  livelier 
tints  of  the  various  deciduous  trees.  Here  and  there,  some 
flowering  shrub  rendered  the  picture  gay,  wrhile  masses  of 
the  rich  chestnut,  in  blossom,  lay  in  clouds  of  natural  glory 
among  the  dark  tops  of  the  pines. 

The  gentlemen  pulled  the  light  skiff  fully  a  mile  under 
this  overhanging  foliage,  occasionally  frightening  some  mi- 
gratory bird  from  a  branch,  or  a  water-fowl  from  the  nar- 
row strand.  At  length,  John  Effingham  desired  them  to 
cease  rowing,  and  managing  the  skiff  for  a  minute  or  two 
with  the  paddle  which  he  had  used  in  steering,  he  desired 
the  whole  party  to  look  up,  announcing  to  them  that  they 
were  beneath  the  "  Silent  Pine." 

A  common  exclamation  of  pleasure  succeeded  the  up- 
ward glance  ;  for  it  is  seldom  that  a  tree  is  seen  to  more 
advantage  than  that  which  immediately  attracted  every 
eye.  The  pine  stood  on  the  bank,  with  its  roots  embedded 
in  the  earth,  a  few  feet  higher  than  the  level  of  the  lake, 
but  in  such  a  situation  as  to  bring  the  distance  above  the 
water  into  the  apparent  height  of  the  tree.  Like  all  of 
its  kind  that  grows  in  the  dense  forests  of  America,  its  in- 
crease, for  a  thousand  years,  had  been  upward  ;  and  it  now 
stood  in  solitary  glory,  a  memorial  of  what  the  mountains 
which  were  yet  so  rich  in  vegetation  had  really  been  in 
their  days  of  nature  and  pride.  For  near  a  hundred  feet 
above  the  eye,  the  even  round  trunk  was  branchless,  and 
then  commenced  the.  dark-green  masses  of  foliage,  which 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  191 

clung  around  the  stem  like  smoke  ascending  in  wreaths. 
The  tall  column-like  tree  had  inclined  toward  the  light 
when  struggling  among  its  fellows,  and  it  now  so  far  over- 
hung the  lake,  that  its  summit  may  have  been  some  ten  or 
fifteen  feet  without  the  base.  A  gentle,  graceful  curve 
added  to  the  effect  of  this  variation  from  the  perpendicu* 
lar,  and  infused  enough  of  the  fearful  into  the  grand,  to 
render  the  picture  sublime.  Although  there  was  not  a 
breath  of  wind  on  the  lake,  the  currents  were  strong 
enough  above  the  forest  to  move  this  lofty  object,  and  it 
was  just  possible  to  detect  a  slight,  graceful  yielding  of 
the  very  uppermost  boughs  to  the  passing  air. 

"  This  pine  is  ill-named,"  cried  Sir  George  Templemore, 
"for  it  is  the  most  eloquent  tree  eye  of  mine  has  ever 
looked  on!" 

"  It  is  indeed  eloquent,"  answered  Eve;  "one  hears  it 
speak  even  now  of  the  fierce  storms  that  have  whistled 
round  its  tops — of  the  seasons  that  have  passed  since  it  ex- 
tricated that  verdant  cap  from  the  throng  of  sisters  that 
grew  beneath  it,  and  of  all  that  has  passed  on  the  Otsego, 
when  this  limpid  lake  lay  like  a  gem  embedded  in  the  for- 
est. When  the  Conqueror  first  landed  in  England  this  tree 
stood  on  the  spot  where  it  now  stands  !  Here,  then,  is  at 
last  an  American  antiquity  !  " 

"  A  true  and  regulated  taste,  Miss  Effingham,"  said  Paul, 
"  has  pointed  out  to  you  one  of  the  real  charms  of  the  coun- 
try. Were  we  to  think  less  of  the  artificial  and  more  of 
our  natural  excellences,  we  should  render  ourselves  less 
liable  to  criticism." 

Eve  was  never  inattentive  when  Paul  spoke  ;  and  her 
color  heightened  as  he  paid  this  compliment  to  her  taste, 
but  still  her  soft  blue  eye  was  riveted  on  the  pine. 

"  Silent  it  may  be  in  one  respect,  but  it  is  indeed  all  elo- 
quence in  another,"  she  resumed,  with  a  fervor  that  was  not 
lessened  by  Paul's  remark.  "  That  crest  of  verdure,  which 
resembles  a  plume  of  feathers,  speaks  of  a  thousand  things 
to  the  imagination." 

"  I  have  never  known  a  person  of  any  poetry  who  came 
under  this  tree,"  said  John  Effingham,  "  that  did  not  fall 
into  this  very  train  of  thought.  I  once  brought  a  man 
celebrated  for  his  genius  here,  and  after  gazing  for  a  min- 
ute or  two  at  the  high,  green  tuft  that  tops  the  tree,  he  ex 


i92  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

claimed,  *  that  mass  of  green  waved  there  in  the  fierce  light 
when  Columbus  first  ventured  into  the  unknown  sea.'  It 
is  indeed  eloquent  ;  for  it  tells  the  same  glowing  tale  to  all 
who  approach  it — a  tale  fraught  with  feeling  and  recollec- 
tions." 

"And  yet  its  silence  is,  after  all,  its  eloquence,"  added 
Paul ;  "  and  the  name  is  not  so  misplaced  as  one  might  at 
first  think." 

"  It  probably  obtained  its  name  from  some  fancied  con- 
trast to  the  garrulous  rocks  that  lie  up  yonder,  half  con- 
cealed by  the  forest.  If  you  will  ply  the  oars,  gentlemen, 
we  will  now  hold  a  little  communion  with  the  spirit  of  the 
Leather-stocking." 

The  young  men  complied  ;  and  in  about  five  minutes  the 
skiff  was  off  in  the  lake,  at  the  distance  of  fifty  rods  from 
the  shore,  where  the  whole  mountain-side  came  at  one 
glance  into  the  view.  Here  they  lay  on  their  oars,  and 
John  Effingham  called  out  to  the  rocks  a  "good  morning," 
in  a  clear  distinct  voice.  The  mocking  sounds  were  thrown 
back  again  with  a  closeness  of  resemblance  that  actually 
startled  the  novice.  Then  followed  other  calls  and  other 
repetitions  of  the  echoes,  which  did  not  lose  the  minutest 
intonation  of  the  voice. 

"This  actually  surpasses  the  celebrated  echoes  of  the 
Rhine,"  cried  the  delighted  Eve  ;  "  for,  though  those  do 
give  the  strains  of  the  bugle  so  clearly,  I  do  not  think  they 
answer  to  the  voice  with  so  much  fidelity." 

"  You  are  very  right,  Eve,"  replied  her  kinsman,  "for  I 
can  recall  no  place  where  so  perfect  and  accurate  an  echo 
is  to  be  heard  as  at  these  speaking  rocks.  By  increasing 
our  distance  to  half  a  mile,  and  using  a  bugle,  as  I  well 
know  from  actual  experiment,  we  should  get  back  entire 
passages  of  an  air.  The  interval  between  the  sound  and  the 
echo,  too,  would  be  distinct,  and  would  give  time  for  an 
undivided  attention.  Whatever  may  be  said  of  the  'pine,' 
these  rocks  are  most  aptly  named  ;  and  if  the  spirit  of 
Leather-stocking  has  any  concern  with  the  matter,  he  is  a 
mocking  spirit." 

John  Effingham  now  looked  at  his  watch,  and  then  he 
explained  to  the  party  a  pleasure  he  had  in  store  for  them. 
On  a  sort  of  small,  public  promenade,  that  lay  at  the  point 
where  the  river  flowed  out  of  the  lake,  stood  a  rude  shell 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  193 

of  a  building  that  was  called  the  "gun-house."  Here — a 
speaking  picture  of  the  entire  security  of  the  country,  from 
foes  within  as  well  as  from  foes  without — were  kept  two  or 
three  pieces  of  field  artillery,  with  doors  so  open  that  any 
one  might  enter  the  building,  and  even  use  the  guns  at 
will,  although  they  properly  belonged  to  the  organized 
corps  of  the  State. 

One  of  these  guns  had  been  sent  a  short  distance  down 
the  valley  ;  and  John  Effingham  informed  his  companions 
that  they  might  look  momentarily  for  its  reports  to  arouse 
the  echoes  of  the  mountains.  He  was  still  speaking  when 
the  gun  was  fired,  its  muzzle  being  turned  eastward.  The 
sound  first  reached  the  side  of  the  Vision,  abreast  of  the 
village,  whence  the  reverberations  reissued,  and  rolled 
along  the  range,  from  cave  to  cave,  and  cliff  to  cliff,  and 
wood  to  wood,  until  they  were  lost,  like  distant  thunder, 
two  or  three  leagues  to  the  northward.  The  experiment 
was  thrice  repeated,  and  always  with  the  same  magnificent 
effect,  the  western  hills  actually  echoing  the  echoes  of  the 
eastern  mountains,  like  tru;  dying  strains  of  some  falling 
music. 

"  Such  a  locality  would  be  a  treasure  in  the  vicinity  of 
a  melodramatic  theatre,"  said  Paul,  laughing,  "  for  cer- 
tainly no  artificial  thunder  I  have  ever  heard  has  equalled 
this.  This  sheet  of  water  might  even  receive  a  gon- 
dola." 

"  And  yet,  I  fear,  one  accustomed  to  the  boundless  hori- 
zon of  the  ocean  might  in  time  weary  of  it,"  answered  John 
Effingham,  significantly. 

Paul  made  no  answer  ;  and  the  party  rowed  away  in  si- 
lence. 

"  Yonder  is  the  spot  where  we  have  so  long  been  accus- 
tomed to  resort  for  picnics,"  said  Eve,  pointing  out  a 
lovely  place,  that  was  beautifully  shaded  by  old  oaks,  and 
on  which  stood  a  rude  house  that  was  much  dilapidated, 
and  indeed  injured,  by  the  hands  of  man.  John  Effing- 
ham smiled,  as  his  cousin  showed  the  place  to  her  com- 
panions, promising  them  an  early  and  nearer  view  of  its 
beauties. 

"  By  the  way,  Miss  Effingham,"  he  said,  "  I  suppose  you 
flatter  yourself  with  being  the  heiress  of  that  desirable  re- 
treat ? " 


I94  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"It  is  very  natural  that  at  some  day,  though  I  trust  a 
very  distant  one,  I  should  succeed  to  that  which  belongs  to 
my  dear  father." 

"  Both  natural  and  legal,  my  fair  cousin  ;  but  you  are 
yet  to  learn  that  there  is  a  power  that  threatens  to  rise  up 
and  dispute  your  claim." 

"  What  power — human  power,  at  least — can  dispute  the 
lawful  claim  of  an  owner  to  his  property  ?  That  Point  has 
been  ours  ever  since  civilized  man  has  dwelt  among  these 
hills  ;  who  will  presume  to  rob  us  of  it  ?  " 

"You  will  be  much  surprised  to  discover  that  there  is 
such  a  power,  and  that  there  is  actually  a  disposition  to 
exercise  it.  The  public — the  all-powerful,  omnipotent, 
over-ruling,  law-making,  law-breaking  public — has  a  pass- 
ing caprice  to  possess  itself  of  your  beloved  Point ;  and 
Ned  Effingham  must  show  unusual  energy,  or  it  will  get 
it!" 

"Are  you  serious,  Cousin  Jack  ?" 

"As  serious  as  the  magnitude  of  the  subject  can  render 
a  responsible  being,  as  Mr.  Dodge  would  say." 

Eve  said  no  more,  but  she  looked  vexed,  and  remained 
almost  silent  until  they  landed,  when  she  hastened  to  seek 
her  father  with  a  view  to  communicate  what  she  had 
heard.  Mr.  Effingham  listened  to  his  daughter,  as  he 
always  did,  with  tender  interest  ;  and  when  she  had  done, 
he  kissed  her  glowing  cheek,  bidding  her  not  to  believe 
that,  which  she  seemed  so  seriously  to  dread,  possible. 

"  But  Cousin  John  would  not  trifle  with  me  on  such  a 
subject,  father,"  Eve  continued  ;  "he  knows  how  much  I 
prize  all  those  little  heirlooms  that  are  connected  with  the 
affections." 

"  We  can  inquire  further  into  the  affair,  my  child,  if  it 
be  your  desire  ;  ring  for  Pierre,  if  you  please." 

Pierre  answered,  and  a  message  was  sent  to  Mr.  Bragg, 
requiring  his  presence  in  the  library. 

Aristabulus  appeared,  by  no  means  in  the  best  humor, 
for  he  disliked  having  been  omitted  in  the  late  excursion 
on  the  lake,  fancying  that  he  had  a  community  right  to 
share  in  all  his  neighbors'  amusements,  though  he  had  suf- 
ficient self-command  to  conceal  his  feelings. 

"I  wish  to  know,  sir,"  Mr.  Effingham  commenced,  with- 
out introduction,  "  whether  there  can  be  any  mistake  con- 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  195 

earning  the  ownership  of  the  Fishing  Point  on  the  west 
side  of  the  lake." 

"  Certainly  not,  sir  ;  it  belongs  to  the  public." 

Mr.  Effingham's  cheek  glowed,  and  he  looked  astonished  ; 
but  he  remained  calm. 

"  The  public  !  Do  you  gravely  affirm,  Mr.  Bragg,  that 
the  public  pretends  to  claim  that  Point?" 

"  Claim,  Mr.  Effingham  !  as  long  as  I  have  resided  in  this 
county,  I  have  never  heard  its  right  disputed." 

"  Your  residence  in  this  county,  sir,  is  not  of  very  an- 
cient date,  and  nothing  is  easier  than  that  you  may  be  mis- 
taken. I  confess  some  curiosity  to  know  in  what  manner 
the  public  has  acquired  its  title  to  the  spot.  You  are  a 
lawyer,  Mr.  Bragg,  and  may  give  an  intelligible  account 
of  it." 

"  Why,  sir,  your  father  gave  it  to  them  in  his  lifetime. 
Everybody,  in  all  this  region,  will  tell  you  as  much  as  this.' 

"  Do  you  suppose,  Mr.  Bragg,  there  is  anybody  in  all 
this  region  who  will  swear  to  the  fact  ?  Proof,  you  well 
know,  is  very  requisite  even  to  obtain  justice." 

"  I  much  question,  sir,  if  there  be  anybody  in  all  this 
region  that  will  not  swear  to  the  fact.  It  is  the  common 
tradition  of  the  whole  country  ;  and,  to  be  frank  with  you, 
sir,  there  is  a  little  displeasure,  because  Mr.  John  Effing- 
ham  has  talked  of  giving  private  entertainments  on  the 
Point." 

"  This,  then,  only  shows  how  idly  and  inconsiderately  the 
traditions  of  the  country  take  their  rise.  But,  as  I  wish  to 
understand  all  the  points  of  the  case,  do  me  the  favor  to 
walk  into  the  village,  and  inquire  of  those  whom  you  think 
the  best  informed  in  the  matter,  what  they  know  of  the 
Point,  in  order  that  I  may  regulate  my  course  accordingly. 
Be  particular,  if  you  please,  on  the  subject  of  title,  as  one 
would  not  wish  to  move  in  the  dark." 

Aristabulus  quitted  the  house  immediately,  and  Eve, 
perceiving  that  things  were  in  the  right  train,  left  her  fa- 
ther alone  to  meditate  on  what  had  just  passed.  Mr.  Ef- 
fingham walked  up  and  down  his  library  for  some  time, 
much  disturbed,  for  the  spot  in  question  was  identified 
with  all  his  early  feelings  and  recollections  ;  and  if  there 
were  a  foot  of  land  on  earth,  to  which  he  was  more  at- 
tached than  to  all  others,  next  to  his  immediate  residence, 


196  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

it  was  this.  Still,  he  could  not  conceal  from  himself,  in 
spite  of  his  opposition  to  John  Effingham's  sarcasms,  that 
his  native  country  had  undergone  many  changes  since  he 
last  resided  in  it,  and  that  some  of  these  changes  were 
quite  sensibly  for  the  worse.  The  spirit  of  misrule  was 
abroad,  a»d  the  lawless  and  unprincipled  held  bold  lan- 
guage, when  it  suited  their  purpose  to  intimidate.  As  he 
ran  over  in  his  mind,  however,  the  facts  of  the  case,  and 
the  nature  of  his  right,  he  smiled  to  think  that  any  one 
should  contest  it,  and  sat  down  to  his  writing,  almost  for- 
getting that  there  had  been  any  question  at  all  on  the  un- 
pleasant subject. 

Aristabulus  was  absent  for  several  hours,  nor  did  he  re- 
turn until  Mr.  Effingham  was  dressed  for  dinner,  and  alone 
in  the  library  again,  having  absolutely  lost  all  recollection 
of  the  commission  he  had  given  his  agent. 

"  It  is  as  I  told  you,  sir — the  public  insists  that  it  owns 
the  Point  ;  and  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  say,  Mr.  Effingham,  that 
the  public  is  determined  to  maintain  its  claim." 

"Then,  Mr.  Bragg,  it  is  proper  I  should  tell  the  public 
that  it  is  not  the  owner  of  the  Point,  but  that  I  am  its  owner, 
and  that  I  am  determined  to  maintain  my  claim." 

"It  is  hard  to  kick  against  the  pricks,  Mr.  Effingham." 

"  It  is  so,  sir,  as  the  public  will  discover,  if  it  persevere 
in  invading  a  private  right." 

"  Why,  sir,  some  of  those  with  whom  I  have  conversed 
have  gone  so  far  as  to  desire  me  to  tell  you — I  trust  my 
motive  will  not  be  mistaken " 

"  If  you  have  any  communication  to  make,  Mr.  Bragg, 
do  it  without  reserve.  It  is  proper  I  should  know  the  truth 
exactly." 

"Well,  then,  sir,  I  am  the  bearer  of  something  like  a 
defiance  ;  the  people  wish  you  to  know  that  they  hold 
your  right  cheaply,  and  that  they  laugh  at  it.  Not  to 
mince  matters,  they  defy  you." 

"  I  thank  you  for  this  frankness,  Mr.  Bragg,  and  it  in- 
creases my  respect  for  your  character.  Affairs  are  now  at 
such  a  pass,  that  it  is  necessary  to  act.  If  you  will  amuse 
yourself  with  a  book  for  a  moment,  I  shall  have  further 
occasion  for  your  kindness." 

Aristabulus  did  not  read,  for  he  was  too  much  filled  with 
wonder  at  seeing  a  man  so  coolly  set  about  contending 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  197 

with  that  awful  public  which  he  himself  as  habitually  de- 
ferred to,  as  any  Asiatic  slave  defers  to  his  monarch.  In- 
deed, nothing  but  his  being  sustained  by  that  omnipotent 
power,  as  he  viewed  the  power  of  the  public  to  be,  had 
emboldened  him  to  speak  so  openly  to  his  employer,  for 
Aristabulus  felt  a  secret  confidence,  that,  right  or  wrong> 
it  was  always  safe  in  America  to  make  the  most  fearless 
professions  in  favor  of  the  great  body  of  the  community. 
In  the  meantime,  Mr.  Effingham  wrote  a  simple  ad- 
vertisement against  trespassing  on  the  property  in  ques- 
tion, and  handed  it  to  the  other,  with  a  request  that  he 
would  have  it  inserted  *in  the  number  of  the  village  paper 
that  was  to  appear  next  morning.  Mr.  Bragg  took  the 
advertisement,  and  went  to  execute  the  duty  without  com- 
ment. 

The  evening  arrived  before  Mr.  Effingham  was  again 
alone,  when,  being  by  himself  in  the  library  once  more, 
Mr.  Bragg  entered,  full  of  his  subject.  He  was  followed 
by  John  Effingham,  who  had  gained  an  inkling  of  what  had 
passed. 

"  I  regret  to  say,  Mr.  Effingham,"  Aristabulus  com- 
menced, "  that  your  advertisement  has  created  one  of  the 
greatest  excitements  it  has  ever  been  my  ill-fortune  to  wit- 
ness in  Templeton." 

"  All  of  which  ought  to  be  very  encouraging  to  us,  Mr. 
Bragg,  as  men  under  excitement  are  usually  wrong." 

"  Very  true,  sir,  as  regards  individual  excitement,  but 
this  is  a  public  excitement." 

'  "  I  am  not  at  all  aware  that  that  fact  in  the  least  alters 
the  case.  If  one  excited  man  is  apt  to  do  silly  things, 
half  a  dozen  backers  will  be  very  likely  to  increase  his 
folly." 

Aristabulus  listened  with  wonder,  for  excitement  was 
one  of  the  means  for  effecting  public  objects,  so  much 
practised  by  men  of  his  habits,  that  it  had  never  crossed 
his  mind  any  single  individual  could  be  indifferent  to  its 
effect.  To  own  the  truth  he  had  anticipated  so  much  un- 
popularity from  his  unavoidable  connection  with  the  affair, 
as  to  have  contributed  himself  in  producing  the  excite- 
ment, with  the  hope  of  ''choking  Mr.  Effingham  off,"  as 
he  had  elegantly  expressed  it  to  one  of  his  intimates,  in 
the  vernacular  of  the  country. 


198  HOME  AS   FOUND. 

"  A  public  excitement  is  a  powerful  engine,  Mr.  Ef« 
fingham,"  he  exclaimed,  in  a  sort  of  politico-pious  hor* 
ror. 

"  I  am  fully  aware,  sir,  that  it  may  be  even  a  fearfully 
powerful  engine.  Excited  men,  acting  in  masses,  compose 
what  are  called  mobs,  and  have  committed  a  thousand  ex- 
cesses." 

"  Your  advertisement  is,  to  the  last  degree,  disrelished ; 
to  be  very  sincere,  it  is  awfully  unpopular  ! " 

"  I  suppose  it  is  always  what  you  term  an  unpopular 
act,  so  far  as  the  individuals  opposed  are  concerned,  to  re- 
sist aggression." 

"But  they  call  your  advertisement  aggression,  sir." 

"  In  that  simple  fact  exist  all  the  merits  of  the  question. 
If  I  own  this  property,  the  public,  or  that  portion  of  it 
which  is  connected  with  this  affair,  are  aggressors  ;  and  so 
much  more  in  the  wrong  that  they  are  many  against  one  ; 
if  they  own  the  property,  1  am  not  only  wrong,  but  very 
indiscreet." 

The  calmness  with  which  Mr.  Effingham  spoke  had  an 
effect  on  Aristabulus,  and,  for  a  moment,  he  was  staggered. 
It  was  only  for  a  moment,  however,  as  the  pains  and  pen- 
alties of  unpopularity  presented  themselves  afresh  to  an 
imagination  that  had  been  so  long  accustomed  to  study  the 
popular  caprice,  that  it  had  got  to  deem  the  public  favor 
the  one  great  good  of  life. 

"But  they  say,  they  own  the  Point,  Mr.  Effingham." 

"  And  I  say,  they  do  not  own  the  Point,  Mr.  Bragg  ; 
never  did  own  it ;  and  with  my  consent,  never  shall  own 
it." 

"  This  is  purely  a  matter  of  fact,"  observed  John  Effing- 
ham, "  and  I  confess  I  am  curious  to  know  how  or  whence 
this  potent  public  derives  its  title.  You  are  lawyer  enough, 
Mr.  Bragg,  to  know  that  the  public  can  hold  property 
only  by  use  or  by  especial  statute.  Now,  under  which 
title  does  this  claim  present  itself  ?" 

"First,  by  use,  sir,  and  then  by  especial  gift." 

"  The  use,  you  are  aware,  must  be  adverse,  or  as  op- 
posed to  the  title  of  the  other  claimants.  Now,  I  am  a 
living  witness  that  my  late  uncle  permitted  the  public  to 
use  this  Point,  and  that  the  public  accepted  the  conditions. 
Its  use,  therefore,  has  not  been  adverse,  or,  at  least,  not 


HOME  AS  POUND.  199 

for  a  time  sufficient  to  make  title.  Every  hour  that  my 
cousin  has  permitted  the  public  to  enjoy  his  property, 
adds  to  his  right,  as  well  as  to  the  obligation  conferred  on 
that  public,  and  increases  tne  duty  of  the  latter  to  cease 
intruding,  whenever  he  desires  it.  If  there  is  an  especial 
gift,  as  I  understand  you  to  say,  from  my  late  uncle,  there 
must  also  be  a  law  to  enable  the  public  to  hold,  or  a 
trustee  ;  which  is  the  fact  ? " 

"  I  admit,  Mr.  John  Effingham,  that  I  have  seen  neither 
deed  nor  law,  and  I  doubt  if  the  latter  exist.  Still  the 
public  must  have  some  claim,  for  it  is  impossible  that 
everybody  should  be  mistaken." 

"  Nothing  is  easier,  nor  anything  more  common,  than 
for  whole  communities  to  be  mistaken,  and  more  particu- 
larly when  they  commence  with  excitement." 

While  his  cousin  was  speaking,  Mr.  Effingham  went  to 
a  secretaire,  and  taking  out  a  large  bundle  of  papers,  he 
laid  it  down  on  the  table,  unfolding  several  parchment 
deeds,  to  which  massive  seals,  bearing  the  arms  of  the  late 
colony,  as  well  as  those  of  England,  were  pendent. 

"  Here  are  my  titles,  sir,"  he  said,  addressing  Aristabu- 
lus,  pointedly  ;  "if  the  public  has  a  better,  let  it  be  pro- 
duced, and  I  shall  at  once  submit  to  its  claim." 

"  No  one  doubts  that  the  king,  through  his  authorized 
agent,  the  governor  of  the  colony  of  New  York,  granted 
this  estate  to  your  predecessor,  Mr.  Effingham,  or  that  it 
descended  legally  to  your  immediate  parent,  but  all  con- 
tend that  your  parent  gave  the  Point  to  the  public,  as  a 
spot  of  public  resort." 

"  I  am  glad  that  the  question  is  narrowed  down  within 
limits  that  are  so  easily  examined.  What  evidence  is  there 
of  this  intention  on  the  part  of  my  late  father  ?  " 

"Common  report  ;  I  have  talked  with  twenty  people 
in  the  village,  and  they  all  agree  that  the  '  Point '  has 
been  used  by  the  public,  as  public  property,  from  time 
immemorial." 

"Will  you  be  so  good,  Mr.  Bragg,  as  to  name  some  of 
those  who  affirm  this  ? " 

Mr.  Bragg  complied,  naming  quite  the  number  of  per- 
sons he  had  mentioned,  with  a  readiness  that  proved  he 
thought  he  was  advancing  testimony  of  weight. 

"  Of  all  the  names  you  have  mentioned,"  returned  Mr. 


200  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

Effingham,  "  I  never  heard  but  three,  and  these  are  the 
names  of  mere  boys.  The  first  dozen  are  certainly  the 
names  of  persons  who  can  .know  no  more  of  this  village 
than  they  have  gleaned  in  the  last  few  years  ;  and  several 
of  them,  I  understand,  have  dwelt  among  us  but  a  few 
weeks,  nay,  days." 

"Have  I  not  told  you,  Ned,"  interrupted  John  Effing- 
ham,  "that  an  American  'always'  means  eighteen  months, 
and  that  '  time  immemorial '  is  only  since  the  last  general 
crisis  in  the  money  market !  " 

"  The  persons  I  have  mentioned  compose  a  part  of  the 
population,  sir,"  added  Mr.  Bragg,  "  and  one  and  all  they 
are  ready  to  swear  that  your  father,  by  some  means  or 
other,  they  are  not  very  particular  as  to  minutiae,  gave 
them  the  right  to  use  this  property." 

"  They  are  mistaken,  and  I  should  be  sorry  that  any  one 
among  them  should  swear  to  such  a  falsehood.  But  here 
are  my  titles — let  them  show  better,  or  if  they  can,  any, 
indeed." 

"  Perhaps  your  father  abandoned  the  place  to  the  pub- 
lic ;  this  might  make  a  good  claim." 

"  That  he  did  not,  I  am  a  living  proof  to  the  contrary  ; 
he  left  it  to  his  heirs  at  his  death,  and  I  myself  exercised 
full  right  of  ownership  over  it  until  I  went  abroad.  I  did 
not  travel  with  it  in  my  pocket,  sir,  it  is  true,  but  I  left  it 
to  the  protection  of  the  laws,  which,  I  trust,  are  as  availa- 
ble to  the  rich  as  to  the  poor,  although  this  is  a  free 
country." 

"Well,  sir,  I  suppose  a  jury  must  determine  the  point 
as  you  seem  firm  ;  though  I  warn  you,  Mr.  Effingham,  as 
one  who  knowrs  his  country,  that  a  verdict  in  the  face  of  a 
popular  feeling  is  rather  a  hopeless  matter.  If  they  prove 
that  your  late  father  intended  to  abandon  or  give  this 
property  to  the  public,  your  case  will  be  lost." 

Mr.  Effingham  looked  among  the  papers  a  moment,  ami 
selecting  one,  he  handed  to  Mr.  Bragg,  first  pointing  out 
to  his  notice  a  particular  paragraph. 

"This,  sir,  is  my  late  father's  will,"  Mr.  Effingham  said 
mildly  ;  "  and  in  that  particular  clause  you  will  find  that 
he  makes  a  special  devise  of  this  very  'Point,'  leaving  it 
to  his  heirs,  in  such  terms  as  to  put  any  intention  to  give  it 
to  the  public  quite  out  of  the  question.  This,  at  least,  is 


HOME  AS  FOUND.     .  201 

the  latest  evidence  I,  his  only  son,  executor,  and  heir  pos- 
sess of  his  final  wishes  ;  if  that  wondering  and  time-imme- 
morial public  of  which  you  speak  has  a  better,  I  wait  with 
patience  that  it  may  be  produced." 

The  composed  manner  of  Mr.  Effingham  had  deceived 
Aristabulus,  who  did  not  anticipate  any  proof  so  com- 
pletely annihilating  to  the  pretensions  of  the  public,  as 
that  he  now  held  in  his  hand.  It  was  a  simple,  brief  de- 
vise, disposing  of  the  piece  of  property  in  question,  and 
left  it  without  dispute,  that  Mr.  Effingham  had  succeeded 
to  all  the  rights  of  his  father  with  no  reservation  or  con- 
dition of  any  sort. 

"  This  is  very  extraordinary,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Bragg, 
when  he  had  read  the  clause  seven  times,  each  perusal 
contributing  to  leave  the  case  still  clearer  in  favor  of  his 
employer,  the  individual,  and  still  stronger  against  the 
hoped-for  future  employers,  the  people.  "The  public 
ought  to  know  of  this  bequest  of  the  late  Mr.  Effingham." 

"  I  think  it  ought,  sir,  before  it  pretended  to  deprive  his 
child  of  his  property  ;  or  rather,  it  ought  to  be  certain,  at 
least  that  there  was  no  such  devise." 

"  You  will  excuse  me,  Mr.  Effingham,  but  I  think  it  is 
incumbent  on  a  private  citizen,  in  a  case  of  this  sort,  when 
the  public  has  taken  up  a  wrong  notion,  as  I  now  admit  is 
clearly  the  fact  as  regards  the  Point,  to  enlighten  it,  and 
to  inform  it  that  it  does  not  own  the  spot." 

"  This  has  been  done  already,  Mr.  Bragg,  in  the  adver- 
tisement you  had  the  goodness  to  carry  to  the  printers,  al- 
though I  deny  that  there  exists  any  such  obligation." 

"  But,  sir,  they  object  to  the  mode  you  have  chosen  to 
set  them  right." 

"  The  mode  is  usual,  I  believe,  in  the  case  of  trespasses." 

"  They  expect  something  different,  sir,  in  an  affair  in 
which  the  public  is — is — is — all '' 

''Wrong,"  put  in  John  Effingham,  pointedly.  "  I  have 
heard  something  of  this  out  of  doors,  Ned,  and  blame  you 
for  your  moderation.  Is  it  true  that  you  had  told  several 
of  your  neighbors  that  you  have  no  wish  to  prevent  them 
from  using  the  Point,  but  that  your  sole  object  is  merely 
to  settle  the  question  of  right,  and  to  prevent  intrusions 
on  your  family,  when  it  is  enjoying  its  own  place  of  retire- 
ment ? " 


902  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"Certainly,  John,  my  only  wish  is  to  preserve  the  prop- 
erty for  those  to  whom  it  is  especially  devised,  to  allow 
those  who  have  the  best,  nay,  the  only  right  to  it,  its  un- 
disturbed possession,  occasionally,  and  to  prevent  any 
more  of  that  injury  to  the  trees  that  has  been  committed 
by  some  of  those  rude  men,  who  always  fancy  themselves 
so  completely  all  the  public,  as  to  be  masters  'in  their  own 
particular  persons,  whenever  the  public  has  any  claim.  I 
can  have  no  wish  to  deprive  my  neighbors  of  the  inno- 
cent pleasure  of  visiting  the  Point,  though  I  am  fully  de- 
termined they  shall  not  deprive  me  of  my  property." 

"  You  are  far  more  indulgent  than  I  should  be,  or  per- 
haps than  you  will  be  yourself,  when  you  read  this." 

As  John  Effingham  spoke  he  handed  his  kinsman  a 
small  handbill,  which  purported  to  call  a  meeting  for  that 
night,  of  the  inhabitants  of  Templeton,  to  resist  his  arro- 
gant claim  to  the  disputed  property.  This  handbill  had 
the  usual  marks  of  a  feeble  and  vulgar  malignancy  about 
if,  affecting  to  call  Mr.  Effingham  "one  Mr.  Effingham," 
and  it  was  anonymous. 

"This  is  scarcely  worth  our  attention,  John,"  said  Mr. 
Effingham,  mildly.  "  Meetings  of  this  sort  cannot  decide 
a  legal  title,  and  no  man  who  respects  himself  will  be  the 
tool  of  so  pitiful  an  attempt  to  frighten  a  citizen  from 
maintaining  his  rights." 

"  I  agree  with  you  as  respects  the  meeting,  which  has 
been  conceived  in  ignorance  and  low  malice,  and  will 
probably  end,  as  all  such  efforts  end,  in  ridicule.  But " 

"  Excuse  me,  Mr.  John,"  interrupted  Aristabulus,  u  there 
is  an  awful  excitement !  Some  have  even  spoken  of 
Lynching ! " 

"Then,"  said  Mr.  Effingham,  "it  does,  indeed,  require 
that  we  should  be  more  firm.  Do  you,  sir,  know  of  any 
person  who  has  dared  to  use  such  a  menace  ?" 

Aristabulus  quailed  before  the  stern  eye  of  Mr.  Effing- 
ham, and  he  regretted  having  communicated  so  much, 
though  he  had  communicated  nothing  but  the  truth.  He 
stammered  out  an  obscure  and  half-intelligible  explana- 
tion, and  proposed  to  attend  the  meeting  in  person,  in 
order  that  he  might  be  in  the  way  of  understanding  the 
subject,  without  falling  into  the  danger  of  mistake.  To 
this  Mr.  Effingham  assented,  as  he  felt  too  indignant  at 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  203 

this  outrage  on  all  his  rights,  whether  as  a  citizen  or  a 
man,  to  wish  to  pursue  the  subject  with  his  agent  that 
night.  Aristabulus  departed,  and  John  Effingham  re- 
mained closeted  with  his  kinsman  until  the  family  retired. 
During  this  long  interview,  the  former  communicated 
many  things  to  the  latter,  in  relation  to  this  very  affair,  of 
which  the  owner  of  the  property,  until  then,  had  been 
profoundly  ignorant. 


CHAPTER   XV. 

"  There  shall  be  in  England,  seven  half-penny  loaves  sold  for  a  penny, 
the  three-hooped  pot  shall  have  ten  hoops  ;  and  I  will  make  it  felony  to 
drink  small  beer  :  all  the  realm  shall  be  in  common,  and  in  Cheapside 
shall  my  palfrey  go  to  grass." — JACK  CADE. 

THOUGH  the  affair  of  the  Point  continued  to  agitate  the 
village  of  Templeton  next  day,  and  for  many  days,  it  was 
little  remembered  in  the  Wigwam.  Confident  of  his  right, 
Mr.  Effingham,  though  naturally  indignant  at  the  abuse  of 
his  long  liberality,  through  which  alone  the  public  had  been 
permitted  to  frequent  the  place,  and  this  too,  quite  often, 
to  his  own  discomfort  and  disappointment,  had  dismissed 
the  subject  temporarily  from  his  mind,  and  was  already  en- 
gaged in  his  ordinary  pursuits.  Not  so,  however,  with  Mr. 
Bragg.  Agreeably  to  promise,  he  had  attended  the  meet- 
ing ;  and  now  he  seemed  to  regulate  all  his  movements  by 
a  sort  of  mysterious  self-importance,  as  if  the  repository 
of  some  secret  of  unusual  consequence.  No  one  regarded 
his  manner,  however  ;  for  Aristabulus,  and  his  secrets  and 
opinions,  were  all  of  too  little  value  in  the  eyes  of  most 
of  the  party,  to  attract  peculiar  attention.  He  found  a 
sympathetic  listener  in  Mr.  Dodge,  happily  ;  that  person 
having  been  invited,  through  the  courtesy  of  Mr.  Effing- 
ham, to  pass  the  day  with  those  in  whose  company,  though 
very  unwillingly  on  the  editor's  part  certainly,  he  had  gone 
through  so  many  dangerous  trials.  These  two,  then,  soon 
became  intimate,  and  to  have  seen  their  shrugs,  significant 
whisperings,  and  frequent  conferences  in  corners,  one  who 
did  not  known  them,  might  have  fancied  their  shoulders 
burdened  with  the  weight  of  the  state. 


204        .  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

But  all  this  pantomime,  which  was  intended  to  awaken 
curiosity,  was  lost  on  the  company  in  general.  The  ladies. 
attended  by  Paul  and  the  Baronet,  proceeded  into  the  for- 
est on  foot,  for  a  morning's  walk,  while  the  two  Messrs. 
Effingham  continued  to  read  the  daily  journals  that  were 
received  from  town  each  morning,  with  a  most  provoking 
indifference.  Neither  Aristabulus  nor  Mr.  Dodge  could 
resist  any  longer  ;  and  after  exhausting  their  ingenuity,  in 
the  vain  effort  to  induce  one  of  the  two  gentlemen  to  ques- 
tion them  in  relation  to  the  meeting  of  the  previous  night, 
the  desire  to  be  doing  fairly  overcame  their  affected  mys- 
teriousness,  and  a  formal  request  was  made  to  Mr.  Effing- 
ham  to  give  them  an  audience  in  the  library.  As  the  lat- 
ter, who  suspected  the  nature  of  the  interview,  requested 
his  kinsman  to  make  one  in  it,  the  four  were  soon  alone, 
in  the  apartment  so  often  named. 

Even  now  that  his  own  request  for  the  interview  was 
granted,  Aristabulus  hesitated  about  proceeding,  until  a 
mild  intimation  from  Mr.  Effingham  that  he  was  ready  to 
hear  his  communication,  told  the  agent  that  it  was  too  late 
to  change  his  determination. 

"I  attended  the  meeting  last  night,  Mr.  Effingham," 
Aristabulus  commenced,  "  agreeably  to  our  arrangement, 
and  I  feel  the  utmost  regret  at  being  compelled  to  lay  the 
result  before  a  gentleman  for  whom  I  entertain  so  pro- 
found a  respect." 

" There  was  then  a  meeting?"  said  Mr.  Effingham,  in- 
clining his  body  slightly,  by  way  oi  acknowledgment  for 
the  other's  compliment 

"There  was,  sir;  and  I  think,  Mr.  Dodge,  we  may  say 
an  overflowing  one." 

"The  public  was  fairly  represented,"  returned  the  edi- 
tor, "  as  many  as  fifty  or  sixty  having  been  present." 

"  The  public  has  a  perfect  right  to  meet,  and  to  consult 
on  its  claims  to  anything  it  may  conceive  itself  entitled  to 
enjoy,"  observed  Mr.  Effingham.  "  I  can  have  no  possible 
objection  to  such  a  course,  though  I  think  it  would  have 
consulted  its  own  dignity  more,  had  it  insisted  on  being 
convoked  by  more  respectable  persons  than  those  who,  I 
understand,  were  foremost  in  this  affair,  and  in  terms  bet- 
ter suited  to  its  own  sense  of  propriety." 

Aristabulus    glanced  at  Mr.   Dodge,  and    Mr.   Dodge 


HOME    AS  FOUND.  205 

glanced  back  at  Mr.  Bragg  ;  for  neither  of  these  politica-' 
mushrooms  could  conceive  of  the  dignity  and  fair-mind- 
edness with  which  a  gentleman  could  view  an  affair  of  this 
nature. 

"They  passed  a  set  of  resolutions,  Mr.  Effingham," 
Aristabulus  resumed,  with  the  gravity  with  which  he  ever 
spoke  of  things  of  this  nature.  "  A  set  of  resolutions,  sir  !  " 

"That  was  to  be  expected,"  returned  his  employer, 
smiling;  "the  Americans  area  set  of  resolutions-passing 
people.  Three  cannot  get  together  without  naming  a  chair- 
man and  secretary,  and  a  resolution  is  as  much  a  conse- 
quence of  such  an  '  organization,' — I  believe  that  is  the 
approved  word — as  an  egg  is  the  accompaniment  of  the 
cackling  of  a  hen." 

"  But,  sir,  you  do  not  know  the  nature  of  those  resolu- 
tions ! " 

"  Very  true,  Mr.  Bragg  ;  that  is  a  piece  of  knowledge  I 
am  to  have  the  pleasure  of  obtaining  from  you." 

Again  Aristabulus  glanced  at  Steadfast,  and  Steadfast 
threw  back  the  look  of  surprise  ;  for  to  both  it  was  matter 
of  real  astonishment  that  any  man  should  be  so  indifferent 
to  the  resolutions  of  a  meeting  that  had  been  regularly 
organized,  with  a  chairman  and  secretary  at  its  head,  and 
which  so  unequivocally  professed  to  be  the  public. 

"  I  am  reluctant  to  discharge  this  duty,  Mr.  Effingham, 
but  as  you  insist  on  its  performance  it  must  be  done.  In 
the  first  place,  they  resolved  that  your  father  meant  to  give 
them  the  Point." 

"  A  decision  that  must  clearly  settle  the  matter,  and 
which  will  destroy  all  my  father's  own  resolutions  on  the 
same  subject.  Did  they  stop  at  the  Point,  Mr.  Bragg,  or 
did  they  resolve  that  my  father  also  gave  them  his  wife  and 
children  ? " 

"  No,  sir,  nothing  was  said  concerning  the  latter." 

"  I  cannot  properly  express  my  gratitude  for  the  forbear- 
ance, as  they  had  just  as  good  a  right  to  pass  this  resolution 
as  to  pass  the  other." 

"  The  public's  is  an  awful  power,  Mr.  Effingham  ! " 

"Indeed  it  is,  sir,  but,  fortunately,  that  of  the  re-public 
is  still  more  awful,  and  I  shall  look  to  the  latter  for  sup- 

?ort,  in  this  *  crisis  '—that  is  the  word,  too,  is  it  not,  Mr. 
ohn  Effingham?" 


so6  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  If  you  mean  a  change  of  administration,  the  upsetting 
of  a  stage,  or  the  death  of  a  cart-horse  ;  they  are  all  equal- 
ly crisises,  in  the  American  vocabulary." 

"  Well,  Mr.  Bragg,  having  resolved  that  it  knew  my  late 
father's  intentions  better  than  he  knew  them  himself,  as  is 
apparent  from  the  mistake  he  made  in  his  will,  what  next 
did  the  public  dispose  of,  in  the  plenitude  of  its  power  ?  " 

"  It  resolved  sir,  that  it  was  your  duty  to  carry  out  the 
intentions  of  your  father." 

"  In  that,  then,  we  are  perfectly  of  a  mind  ;  as  the  public 
will  most  probably  discover,  before  we  get  through  with 
this  matter.  This  is  one  of  the  most  pious  resolutions  I 
ever  knew  the  public  to  pass.  Did  it  proceed  any  further  ?  " 

Mr.  Bragg,  notwithstanding  the  long-encouraged  truck- 
ling to  the  sets  of  men  whom  he  was  accustomed  to  digni- 
fy with  the  name  of  the  public,  had  a  profound  deference 
for  the  principles,  character,  and  station  of  Mr.  Effingham, 
that  no  sophistry,  or  self-encouragements  in  the  practices  of 
social  confusion,  could  overcome  ;  and  he  paused  before  he 
communicated  the  next  resolution  to  his  employer.  But 
perceiving  that  both  the  latter  and  his  cousin  were  quietly 
waiting  to  hear  it,  he  was  fain  to  overcome  his  scruples. 

"  They  have  openly  libelled  you,  by  passing  resolutions 
declaring  you  to  be  odious." 

"  That,  indeed,  is  a  strong  measure,  and,  in  the  interest 
of  good  manners  and  of  good  morals,  it  may  call  for  a  re- 
buke. No  one  can  care  less  than  myself,  Mr.  Bragg,  for 
the  opinions  of  those  who  have  sufficiently  demonstrated 
that  their  opinions  are  of  no  value,  by  the  heedless  man- 
ner in  which  they  have  permitted  themselves  to  fall  into 
this  error  ;  but  it  is  proceeding  too  far,  when  a  few  mem- 
bers of  the  community  presume  to  take  these  liberties  with 
a  private  individual,  and  that,  moreover,  in  a  case  affecting 
a  pretended  claim  of  their  own  ;  and  I  desire  you  to  tell 
those  concerned,  that  if  they  dare  to  publish  their  resolu- 
tions declaring  me  to  be  odious  I  will  teach  them  what 
they  now  do  not  appear  to  know — that  we  live  in  a  coun- 
try of  laws.  I  shall  not  prosecute  them,  but  I  shall  indict 
them  for  the  offence,  and  I  hope  this  is  plainly  expressed." 

Aristabulus  stood  aghast !  To  indict  the  public  was  a 
step  he  had  never  heard  of  before,  and  he  began  to  per- 
ceive that  the  question  actually  had  two  sides.  Still,  his 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  20? 

awe  of  public  meetings,  and  his  habitual  regard  for  popu- 
larity, induced  him  not  to  give  up  the  matter  without  an- 
other struggle. 

"  They  have  already  ordered  their  proceedings  to  be 
published,  Mr.  Effingham  !  "  he  said,  as  if  such  an  order 
were  not  to  be  countermanded. 

"  I  fancy,  sir,  that  when  it  comes  to  the  issue,  and  the 
penalties  of  a  prosecution  present  themselves,  their  leaders 
will  begin  to  recollect  their  individuality,  and  to  think  less 
of  their  public  character.  They  who  hunt  in  droves,  like 
wolves,  are  seldom  very  valiant  when  singled  out  from 
their  pack.  The  end  will  show." 

"  I  heartily  wish  this  unpleasant  affair  might  be  amica- 
bly settled,"  added  Aristabulus. 

"  One  might,  indeed,  fancy  so,"  observed  John  Effing- 
ham,  "  since  no  one  likes  to  be  persecuted." 

"  But,  Mr.  John,  the  public  thinks  itself  persecuted  in 
this  affair." 

"  The  term,  as  applied  to  a  body  that  not  only  makes, 
but  which  executes  the  law,  is  so  palpably  absurd,  that  I 
am  surprised  any  man  can  presume  to  use  it.  But,  Mr. 
Bragg,  you  have  seen  documents  that  cannot  err,  and  know 
that  the  public  has  not  the  smallest  right  to  this  bit  of 
land." 

"  All  very  true,  sir  ;  but  you  will  please  to  remember, 
that  the  people  do  not  know  what  I  now  know." 

"  And  you  will  please  to  remember,  sir,  that  when  peo- 
ple choose  to  act  affirmatively,  in  so  high-handed  a  man- 
ner as  this,  they  are  bound  to  know  what  they  are  about. 
Ignorance  in  such  a  matter,  is  like  the  drunkard's  plea  of 
intoxication  ;  it  merely  makes  the  offence  worse." 

"  Do  you  not  think,  Mr.  John,  that  Mr.  Effingharn  might 
have  acquainted  these  citizens  with  the  real  state  of  the 
case  ?  Are  the  people  so  very  wrong  that  they  have  fallen 
into  a  mistake  ?  " 

"  Since  you  ask  this  question  plainly,  Mr.  Bragg,  it  shall 
be  answered  with  equal  sincerity.  Mr.  Effingham  is  a  man 
of  mature  years  ;  the  known  child,  executor,  and  heir  of 
one  who,  it  is  admitted  all  round,  was  the  master  of  the 
controverted  property.  Knowing  his  own  business,  this 
Mr.  Effingham,  in  sight  of  the  grave  of  his  fathers,  beneath 
the  paternal  roof,  has  the  intolerable  impudence " 


208  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

" Arrogance  is  the  word,  Jack,"  said  Mr.  Effinghans 
smiling. 

"  Aye,  the  intolerable  arrogance  to  suppose  that  his  own 
is  his  own  ;  and  this  he  dares  to  affirm,  without  having  had 
the  politeness  to  send  his  title-deeds  and  private  papers 
round  to  those  who  have  been  so  short  a  time  in  the  place, 
that  they  might  well  know  everything  that  has  occurred 
in  it  for  the  last  half  century.  O  thou  naughty,  arrogant 
fellow,  Ned  ! " 

"  Mr.  John,  you  appear  to  forget  that  the  public  has 
more  claims  to  be  treated  with  attention  than  a  single  in- 
dividual. If  it  has  fallen  into  error,  it  ought  to  be  unde- 
ceived." 

"  No  doubt,  sir ;  and  I  advise  Mr.  Effingham  to  send 
you,  his  agent,  to  every  man,  woman,  and  child  in  the 
county,  with  the  Patent  of  the  King,  all  the  mesne  con- 
veyances and  wills,  in  your  pocket,  in  order  that  you  may 
read  them  at  length  to  each  individual,  with  a  view  that 
every  man,  woman,  and  child,  may  be  satisfied  that  he  or 
she  is  not  the  owner  of  Edward  Effingham's  lands !  " 

"  Nay,  sir,  a  shorter  process  might  be  adopted." 

"  It  might,  indeed,  sir,  and  such  a  process  has  been 
adopted  by  my  cousin,  in  giving  the  usual  notice,  in  the 
newspaper,  against  trespassing.  But,  Mr.  Bragg,  you 
must  know  that  I  took  great  pains,  three  years  since,  when 
repairing  this  house,  to  correct  the  mistake  on  this  very 
point,  into  which  I  found  that  your  immaculate  public 
had  fallen,  through  its  disposition  to  know  more  of  other 
people's  affairs  than  those  concerned  knew  of  themselves." 

Aristabulus  said  no  more,  but  gave  the  matter  up  in  de- 
spair. On  quitting  the  house,  he  proceeded  forthwith  to 
inform  those  most  interested  of  the  determination  of  Mr. 
Effingham  not  to  be  trampled  on  by  any  pretended  meet- 
ing of  the  public.  Common  sense,  not  to  say  common 
honesty,  began  to  resume  its  sway,  and  prudence  put  in 
its  plea,  by  way  of  applying  the  corrective.  Both  he  and 
Mr.  Dodge,  however,  agreed  that  there  was  an  unheard- 
of  temerity  in  thus  resisting  the  people,  and  this  too  with- 
out a  commensurate  object,  as  the  pecuniary  value  of  the 
disputed  point  was  of  no  material  consequence  to  either 
party. 

The  reader  is  not  by  any  means  to  suppose  that  Arista 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  209 

bulus  Bragg  and  Steadfast  Dodge  belonged  to  the  same 
variety  of  the  human  species,  in  consequence  of  their 
unity  of  sentiment  in  this  affair,  and  certain  other  general 
points  of  resemblance  in  their  manner  and  modes  of  think- 
ing. As  a  matter  of  necessity,  each  partook  of  those 
features  of  caste,  condition,  origin,  and  association,  that 
characterize  their  particular  set ;  but  when  it  came  to  the 
nicer  distinctions  that  mark  true  individuality,  it  would 
not  have  been  easy  to  find  two  men  more  essentially  dif- 
ferent in  character.  The  first  was  bold,  morally  and  phy- 
sically, aspiring,  self-possessed,  shrewd,  singularly  adapted 
to  succeed  in  his  schemes  where  he  knew  the  parties, 
intelligent  after  his  tastes,  and  apt.  Had  it  been  his  fort- 
une to  be  thrown  earlier  into  a  better  sphere,  the  same 
natural  qualities  that  rendered  him  so  expert  in  his  pre- 
sent situation  would  have  conduced  to  his  improvement 
and  most  probably  would  have  formed  a  gentleman,  a 
scholar,  and  one  who  could  have  contributed  largely  to 
the  welfare  and  tastes  of  his  fellow-creatures.  That  such 
was  not  his  fate,  was  more  his  misfortune  than  his  fault, 
for  his  plastic  character  had  readily  taken  the  impression 
of  those  things  that  from  propinquity  alone  pressed  hard- 
est on  it.  On  the  other  hand  Steadfast  was  a  hypocrite  by 
nature,  cowardly,  envious,  and  malignant ;  and  circum- 
stances had  only  lent  their  aid  to  the  natural  tendencies 
of  his  disposition.  That  two  men  so  differently  consti- 
tuted at  their  births,  should  meet,  as  it  might  be,  in  a 
common  centre,  in  so  many  of  their  habits  and  opinions, 
was  merely  the  result  of  accident  and  education.  . 

Among  the  other  points  of  resemblance  between  these 
two  persons,  was  that  fault  of  confounding  the  cause  with 
the  effects  of  trie  peculiar  institutions  under  which  they 
had  been  educated  and  lived.  Because  the  law  gave  to 
the  public  that  authority  which,  under  other  systems,  is 
intrusted  either  to  one  or  to  the  few,  they  believed  the 
public  was  invested  with  far  more  power  than  a  right  un- 
derstanding of  their  own  principles  would  have  shown. 
In  a  word,  both  these  persons  made  a  mistake  which  is 
getting  to  be  too  common  in  America,  that  of  supposing 
the  institutions  of  the  country  were  all  means  and  no  end. 
Under  this  erroneous  impression  they  saw  only  the  ma- 
chinery of  the  government,  becoming  entirely  forgetful 


2io  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

that  the  power  which  was  given  to  the  people  collectively, 
was  only  so  given  to  secure  to  them  as  perfect  a  liberty 
as  possible,  in  their  characters  of  individuals.  Neither 
had  risen  sufficiently  above  vulgar  notions,  to  understand 
that  public  opinion,  in  order  to  be  omnipotent,  or  even 
formidable  beyond  the  inflictions  of  the  moment,  must  be 
right  ;  and  that  if  a  solitary  man  renders  himself  contempt- 
ible by  taking  up  false  notions  inconsiderately  and  un- 
justly, bodies  of  men,  falling  into  the  same  error,  incur 
the  same  penalties,  with  the  additional  stigma  of  having 
acted  as  cowards. 

There  was  also  another  common  mistake  into  which 
Messrs.  Bragg  and  Dodge  had  permitted  themselves  to  fall, 
through  the  want  of  a  proper  distinction  between  princi- 
ples. Resisting  the  popular  will,  on  the  part  of  an  indi- 
vidual, they  considered  arrogance  and  aristocracy, /^r  .sv?, 
without  at  all  entering  into  the  question  of  the  right  or  the 
wrong.  The  people,  rightly  enough  in  the  general  signifi- 
cation of  the  term,  they  deemed  to  be  sovereign  ;  and  they 
belonged  to  a  numerous  class,  who  view  disobedience  to 
the  sovereign  in  a  democracy,  although  it  be  in  his  illegal 
caprices,  very  much  as  the  subject  of  a  despot  views  diso- 
bedience to  his  prince. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say,  that  Mr.  Effingham  and 
his  cousin  viewed  these  matters  differently.  Clear-headed, 
just-minded,  and  liberal  in  all  his  practices,  the  former,  in 
particular,  was  greatly  pained  by  the  recent  occurrence  ; 
and  he  paced  his  library  in  silence,  for  several  minutes 
after" Mr.  .Bragg  and  his  companion  had  withdrawn,  really 
too  much  grieved  to  speak. 

"  This  is  altogether  a  most  extraordinary  procedure, 
John,"  he  at  length  observes,  "  and  it  strikes  me  that  it  is 
but  an  indifferent  reward  for  the  liberality  with  which  I 
have  permitted  others  to  use  my  property  these  thirty 
years  ;  often,  very  often,  as  you  well  know,  to  my  own  dis- 
comfort, and  to  that  of  my  friends." 

"  I  have  told  you,  Ned,  that  you  were  not  to  expect  the 
America  on  your  return,  that  you  left  behind  you  on  your 
departure  for  Europe.  I  insist  that  no  country  has  so  much 
altered  for  the  worse  in  so  short  a  time." 

"  That  unequalled  pecuniary  prosperity  should  sensibly 
impair  the  manners  of  what  is  termed  the  world,  by  intro- 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  211 

ducing  suddenly  large  bodies  of  uninstructed  and  untrained 
men  and  women  into  society,  is  a  natural  consequence  of 
obvious  causes  ;  that  it  should  corrupt  morals  even,  we  have 
a  right  to  expect,  for  we  are  taught  to  believe  it  the  most 
corrupting  influence  under  which  man  can  live  ;  but  I  con- 
fess I  did  not  expect  to  see  the  day  when  a  body  of  stran- 
gers, birds  of  passage,  creatures  of  an  hour,  should  assume 
a  right  to  call  on  the  old  and  long-established  inhabitants 
of  a  country  to  prove  their  claims  to  their  possessions,  and 
this,  too,  in  an  unusual  and  unheard-of  manner,  under  the 
penalty  of  being  violently  deprived  of  them  !  " 

"  Long-established!"  repeated  John  Effingham,  laugh- 
ing ;  "  what  do  you  term  long-established  ?  Have  you  not 
been  absent  a  dozen  years,  and  do  not  these  people  reduce 
everything  to  the  level  of  their  own  habits  ?  I  suppose, 
now,  you  fancy  you  can  go  to  Rome,  or  Jerusalem,  or  Con- 
stantinople, and  remain  four  or  five  lustra,  and  then  come 
coolly  back  to  Templeton,  and,  on  taking  possession  of  this 
house  again,  call  yourself  an  old  resident." 

"I  certainly  do  suppose  I  have  that  right.  How  many 
English,  Russians,  and  Germans  did  we  meet  in  Italy,  the 
residents  of  years,  who  still  retained  all  their  natural  and 
local  rights  and  feelings  !  " 

"  Aye,  that  is  in  countries  where  society  is  permanent, 
and  men  get  accustomed  to  look  on  the  same  objects,  hear 
the  same  names,  and  see  the  same  faces  for  their  entire 
lives.  I  have  had  the  curiosity  to  inquire,  ;md  have  as- 
certained that  none  of  the  old,  permanent  families  have 
been  active  in  this  affair  of  the  Point,  but  that  all  the 
clamor  has  been  made  by  those  you  call  the  birds  of  pas- 
sage. But  what  of  that  ?  These  people  fancy  everything 
reduced  to  the  legal  six  months  required  to  vote  ;  and  that 
rotation  in  persons  is  as  necessary  to  republicanism  as  ro- 
tation in  office." 

"  Is  it  not  extraordinary  that  persons  who  can  know  so 
little  on  the  subject,  should  be  thus  indiscreet  and  pos- 
itive ?  " 

"  It  is  not  extraordinary  in  America.  Look  about  you, 
Ned,  and  you  will  see  adventurers  uppermost  everywhere  ; 
in  the  government,  in  the  towns,  in  your  villages,  in  the 
country,  even.  We  are  a  nation  of  changes.  Much  of 
this,  I  admit,  is  the  fair  consequence  of  legitimate  causes, 


212  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

as  an  immense  region,  in  forest,  cannot  be  peopled  on  any 
other  conditions.  But  this  necessity  has  infected  the  en- 
tire national  character,  and  men  get  to  be  impatient  of 
any  sameness,  even  though  it  be  useful.  Everything  goes 
to  confirm  this  feeling,  instead  of  opposing  it.  The  con- 
stant recurrences  of  the  elections  accustom  men  to  changes 
in  their  public  functionaries  ;  the  great  increase  in  the 
population  brings  new  faces  ;  and  the  sudden  accumula- 
tions of  property  place  new  men  in  conspicuous  stations. 
The  architecture  of  the  country  is  barely  becoming  suf- 
ficiently respectable  to  render  it  desirable  to  preserve  the 
buildings,  without  which  we  shall  have  no  monuments  to 
revere.  In  short,  everything  contributes  to  produce  such 
a  state  of  things,  painful  as  it  may  be  to  all  of  any  feeling, 
and  little  to  oppose  it." 

"  You  color  highly,  Jack  ;  and  no  picture  loses  in  tints, 
in  being  retouched  by  you." 

"  Look  into  the  first  paper  that  offers,  and  you  will  see 
the  young  men  of  the  country  hardily  invited  to  meet  by 
themselves,  to  consult  concerning  public  affairs,  as  if  they 
were  impatient  of  the  counsels  and  experience  of  their 
fathers.  No  country  can  prosper  where  the  ordinary  mode 
of  transacting  the  business  connected  with  the  root  of  the 
government  commences  with  this  impiety." 

"  This  is  a  disagreeable  feature  in  the  national  charac- 
ter, certainly  ;  but  you  must  remember  the  arts  employed 
by  the  designing  to  practise  on  the  inexperienced." 

"Had  I  a  son  who  presumed  to  denounce  the  wisdom 
and  experience  of  his  father,  in  this  disrespectful  manner, 
I  would  disinherit  the  rascal !  " 

"Ah,  Jack,  bachelors'  children  are  notoriously  well  edu- 
cated and  well  mannered.  We  will  hope,  however,  that  time 
will  bring  its  changes  also,  and  that  one  of  them  will  be  a 
greater  constancy  in  persons,  things,  and  the  affections." 

"  Time  will  bring  its  changes,  Ned  ;  but  all  of  them 
that  are  connected  with  individual  rights,  as  opposed  to 
popular  caprice  or  popular  interests,  are  likely  to  be  in 
the  wrong  direction." 

"  The  tendency  is  certainly  to  substitute  popularity  for 
the  right,  but  we  must  take  the  good  with  the  bad.  Even 
you,  Jack,  would  not  exchange  this  popular  oppression 
for  any  other  system  under  which  you  have  lived." 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  213 

•'  I  don't  know  that — I  don't  know  that.  Of  all  tyranny, 
A  vulgar  tyranny  is  to  me  the  most  odious." 

"  You  used  to  admire  the  English  system,  but  I  think 
observation  has  lessened  your  particular  admiration  in 
that  quarter,"  said  Mr.  Effingham,  smiling  in  a  way  that 
his  cousin  perfectly  understood. 

"  Harkee,  Ned,  we  all  take  up  false  notions  in  our  youth, 
and  this  was  one  of  mine  ;  but  of  the  two,  I  should  prefer 
the  cold,  dogged  domination  of  English  law,  with  its  fruits, 
the  heartlessness  of  a  sophistication  without  parallel,  to 
being  trampled  on  by  every  arrant  blackguard  that  may 
happen  to  traverse  this  valley  in  his  wanderings  after 
dollars.  There  is  one  thing  you  yourself  must  admit  ; 
the  public  is  a  little  too  apt  to  neglect  the  duties  it  ought 
to  discharge,  and  to  assume  duties  it  has  no  right  to  fulfil." 

This  remark  ended  the  discourse. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

"  Her  breast  was  a  brave  palace,  a  broad  street, 
Where  all  heroic,  ample  thoughts  did  meet, 
Where  nature  such  a  tenement  had  ta'en, 
That  other  souls,  to  hers,  dwell  in  a  lane." 

JOHN  NORTON. 

THE  village  of  Templeton,  it  has  been  already  intimated, 
was  a  miniature  town.  Although  it  contained  within  the 
circle  of  its  houses,  half  a  dozen  residences  with  grounds, 
and  which  were  dignified  with  names,  as  has  also  been  said, 
it  did  not  cover  a  surface  of  more  than  a  mile  square  ;  that 
disposition  to  concentration,  which  is  as  peculiar  to  an 
American  town,  as  the  disposition  to  diffusion  is  peculiar 
to  the  country  population,  and  which  seems  almost  to  pre- 
scribe that  a  private  dwelling  shall  have  but  three  windows 
in  front,  and  a  facade  of  twenty-five  feet,  having  presided 
at  the  birth  of  this  spot,  as  well  as  at  the  birth  of  so  many 
of  its  predecessors  and  contemporaries.  In  one  of  its  more 
retired  streets  (for  Templeton  had  its  publicity  and  retire- 
ment, the  latter  after  a  very  village  fashion,  however), 
dwelt  a  widow-bewitched  of  small  worldly  means,  five  chil- 
dren, and  of  great  capacity  for  circulating  intelligence. 


«4  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

Mrs.  Abbott,  for  so  was  this  demi-relict  called,  was  just  on 
the  verge  of  what  is  termed  the  "  good  society  "  of  the  vil- 
lage, the  most  uneasy  of  all  positions  for  an  ambitious  and 
ci-devant  pretty  woman  to  be  placed  in.  She  had  not  yet 
abandoned  the  hope  of  obtaining  a  divorce  and  its  suites  ; 
was  singularly,  nay,  rabidly  devout,  if  we  may  coin  the  ad- 
verb ;  in  her  own  eyes  she  was  perfection,  in  those  of  her 
neighbors  slightly  objectionable  ;  and  she  was  altogether  a 
droll,  and  by  no  means  an  unusual  compound  of  piety, 
censoriousness,  charity,  proscription,  gossip,  kindness, 
meddling,  ill-nature,  and  decency. 

The  establishment  of  Mrs.  Abbott,  like  her  house,  was 
necessarily  very  small,  and  she  kept  no  servant  but  a  girl 
she  called  her  help — a  very  suitable  appellation  by  the  way, 
as  they  did  most  of  the  work  of  the  menage  in  common. 
This  girl,  in  addition  to  cooking  and  washing,  was  the  con- 
fidante of  all  her  employer's  wandering  notions  of  man- 
kind in  general,  and  of  her  neighbors  in  particular  ;  as 
often  helping  her  mistress  in  circulating  her  comments  on 
the  latter,  as  in  anything  else. 

Mrs.  Abbott  knew  nothing  of  the  Effinghams,  except  by 
a  hearsay  that  got  its  intelligence  from  her  own  school, 
being  herself  a  late  arrival  in  the  place.  She  had  selected 
Templeton  as  a  residence  on  account  of  its  cheapness,  and 
having  neglected  to  comply  with  the  forms  of  the  world, 
by  hesitating  about  making  the  customary  visit  to  the  Wig- 
wam, she  began  to  resent,  in  her  spirit  at  least,  Eve's  deli- 
cate forbearance  from  obtruding  herself  where,  agreeably 
to  all  usage,  she  had  a  perfect  right  to  suppose  she  was  not 
desired.  It  was  in  this  spirit,  then,  that  she  sat  conversing 
with  Jenny,  as  the  maid-of-all-work  was  called,  the  morn- 
ing after  the  conversation  related  in  the  last  chapter,  in  her 
snug  little  parlor,  sometimes  plying  her  needle,  and  oftener 
thrusting  her  head  out  of  a  window  which  commanded  a 
view  of  the  principal  street  of  the  place,  in  order  to  see  what 
her  neighbors  might  be  about. 

"This  is  a  most  extraordinary  course  Mr.  Effingham  has 
taken  concerning  the  Point,"  said  Mrs.  Abbott,  "  and  I  do 
hope  the  people  will  bring  him  to  his  senses.  Why,  Jenny, 
the  public  has  used  that  place  ever  since  I  can  remember, 
and  I  have  now  lived  in  Templeton  quite  fifteen  months 
What  can  induce  Mr.  Howel  to  go  so  often  to  that  barber's 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  $15 

shop,  which  stands  directly  opposite  the  parlor  windows 
of  Mrs.  Bennett — one  would  think  the  man  was  all 
beard." 

"  I  suppose  Mr.  Howel  gets  shaved  sometimes,"  said  the 
logical  Jenny. 

"  Not  he  ;  or  if  he  does,  no  decent  man  would  think  of 
posting  himself  before  a  lady's  window  to  do  such  a  thing. 
Orlando  Furioso,"  calling  to  her  eldest  son,  a  boy  of  eleven, 
"  run  over  to  Mr.  Jones's  store  and  listen  to  what  the  peo- 
ple are  talking  about,  and  bring  me  back  the  news,  as  soon 
as  anything  worth  hearing  drops  from  anybody  ;  and  stop 
as  you  come  back,  my  son,  and  borrow  neighbor  Brown's 
gridiron.  Jenny,  it  is  most  time  to  think  of  putting  over 
the  potatoes." 

"  Ma,"  cried  Orlando  Furioso,  from  the  front  door, 
Mrs.  Abbott  being  very  rigid  in  requiring  that  all  her  chil- 
dren should  call  her  "  ma,"  being  so  much  behind  the  age 
as  actually  not  to  know  that  "  mother  "  had  got  to  be  much 
the  genteeler  term  of  the  two  ;  "  Ma,"  roared  Orlando 
Furioso,  u  suppose  there  is  no  news  at  Mr.  Jones's  store  ?" 

"  Then  go  to  the  nearest  tavern  ;  something  must  be  stir- 
ring this  fine  morning,  and  I  am  dying  to  know  what  it  can 
possibly  be.  Mind  you  bring  something  besides  the  grid- 
iron back  with  you.  Hurry,  or  never  come  home  again  as 
long  as  you  live  !  As  I  was  saying,  Jenny,  the  right  of  the 
public,  which  is  our  right,  for  we  are  part  of  the  public, 
to  this  Point,  is  as  clear  as  day,  and  I  am  only  astonished 
at  the  impudence  of  Mr.  Effingham  in  pretending  to  deny 
it.  I  dare  say  his  French  daughter  has  put  him  up  to  it. 
They  say  she  is  monstrous  arrogant !  " 

"  Is  Eve  Effingham  French,"  said  Jenny,  studiously 
avoiding  any  of  the  usual  terms  of  civility  and  propriety, 
by  way  of  showing  her  breeding — "  well,  I  had  always 
thought  her  nothing  but  Templeton  born  ! " 

"  What  signifies  where  a  person  was  born  ?  where  they 
live  is  the  essential  thing  ;  -and  Eve  Effingham  has  lived  so 
long  in  France,  that  she  speaks  nothing  but  broken  English  ; 
and  Miss  Debby  told  me  last  week,  that  in  drawing  up  a 
subscription  paper  for  a  new  cushion  to  the  reading-desk 
of  her  people,  she  actually  spelt  *  charity'  'carrotty.'" 

"  Is  that  French,  Miss  Abbott  ?" 

"  I  rather  think  it  is,  Jenny  ;  the  French  are  very  nig- 


$16  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

gardly,  and  give  their  poor  carrots  to  live  on,  and  so  the* 
have  adopted  the  word,  I  suppose.  You,  Byansy-Alzumy- 
Ann  (Bianca-Alzuma-Ann)  !  " 

"Marm!" 

"  Byansy-Alzumy- Ann !  who  taught  you  to  call  me 
marm  ?  Is  this  the  way  you  have  learned  your  catechism  ? 
Say  ma,  this  instant." 

"  Ma." 

"  Take  your  bonnet,  my  child,  and  run  down  to  Mrs. 
Wheaton's,  and  ask  her  if  anything  new  has  turned  up 
about  the  Point  this  morning ;  and,  do  you  hear,  Byansy- 
Alzumy-Ann  Abbott — how  the  child  starts  away,  as  if  she 
were  sent  on  a  matter  of  life  and  death ! " 

"Why,  ma,  I  want  to  hear  the  news,  too." 

"  Very  likely,  my  dear,  but  by  stopping  to  get  your  er- 
rand, you  may  learn  more  than  by  being  in  such  a  hurry. 
Stop  in  at  Mrs.  Green's,  and  ask  how  the  people  liked  the 
lecture  of  the  strange  parson  last  evening — and  ask  her 
.if  she  can  lend  me  a  watering-pot.  Now,  run,  and  be 
back  as  soon  as  possible.  Never  loiter  when  you  carry 
news,  child." 

"  No  one  has  a  right  to  stop  the  man,  I  believe,  Miss 
Abbott,"  put  in  Jenny,  very  appositely. 

"  That,  indeed,  have  they  not,  or  else  we  could  not  cal- 
culate the  consequences.  You  may  remember,  Jenny,  the 
pious,  even,  had  to  give  up  that  point,  public  convenience 
being  too  strong  for  them.  Roger-Demetrius-Benjamin  !  " 
— calling  to  a  second  boy,  two  years  younger  than  his 
brother — "  your  eyes  are  better  than  mine — who  are  all 
those  people  collected  together  in  the  street?  Is  not  Mr. 
Howel  among  them  ? " 

"  I  do  not  know,  ma  ! "  answered  Roger-Demetrius- 
Benjamin,  gaping. 

"Then  run  this  minute  and  see,  and  don't  stop  to  look 
for  your  hat.  As  you  come  back,  step  into  the  tailor's 
shop  and  ask  if  your  new  jacket js  most  done,  and  what  the 
news  is  ?  I  rather  think,  Jenny,  we  shall  find  out  some- 
thing worth  hearing  in  the  course  of  the  day.  By  the  way, 
they  do  say  that  Grace  Van  Cortlandt,  Eve  Effingham's 
cousin,  is  under  concern." 

"  Well,  she  is  the  last  person  I  should  think  would  be 
troubled  about  anything,  for  everybody  says  she  is  so  des- 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  217 

perate  rich  she  might  eat  off  of  silver  if  she  liked  ;  and 
she  is  sure  of  being  married  some  time  or  other." 

"That  ought  to  lighten  her  concern,  you  think.  Oh  !  it 
does  my  heart  good  when  I  see  any  of  those  flaunty  peo- 
ple right  well  exercised  !  Nothing  would  make  me  hap- 
pier than  to  see  Eve  Effingham  groaning  fairly  in  the 
spirit !  That  would  teach  her  to  take  away  the  people's 
Points." 

"  But,  Miss  Abbott,  then  she  would  become  almost  as 
good  a  woman  as  you  are  yourself." 

"I  am  a  miserable,  graceless,  awfully  wicked  sinner! 
Twenty  times  a  day  do  I  doubt  whether  I  am  actually  con- 
verted or  not.  Sin  has  got  such  a  hold  of  my  very  heart- 
strings, that  I  sometimes  think  they  will  crack  before  it 
lets  go.  Rinaldo-Rinaldini-Timothy,  my  child,  do  you 
toddle  across  the  way,  and  give  my  compliments  to  Mrs. 
Hulbert,  and  inquire  if  it  be  true  that  young  Dickson,  the 
lawyer,  is  really  engaged  to  Aspasia  Tubbs  or  not  ?  and 
borrow  a  skimmer  or  a  tin  pot,  or  anything  you  can  carry, 
for  we  may  want  something  of  the  sort  in  the  course  of 
the  day.  I  do  believe.  Jenny,  that  a  worse  creature  than 
myself  is  hardly  to  be  found  in  Templeton." 

"Why,  Miss  Abbott,"  returned  Jenny,  who  had  heard 
too  much  of  this  self-abasement  to  be  much  alarmed  at  it, 
"this  is  giving  almost  as  bad  an  account  of  yourself  as  I 
heard  somebody,  that  I  won't  name,  give  of  you  last  week." 

"And  who  is  your  somebody,  I  should  like  to  know  ?  I 
dare  say  one  no  better  than  a  formalist,  who  thinks  that 
reading  prayers  out  of  a  book,  kneeling,  bowing,  and 
changing  gowns,  is  religion!  Thank  Heaven,  I'm  pretty 
indifferent  to  the  opinions  of  such  people.  Harkee,  Jenny, 
if  I  thought  I  was  no  better  than  some  persons  I  could 
name,  I'd  give  the  point  of  salvation  up  in  despair!" 

"  Miss  Abbott,"  roared  a  ragged,  dirty-faced,  bare-footed 
boy,  who  entered  without  knocking,  and  stood  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  room,  with  his  hat  on,  with  a  suddenness  that 
denoted  great  readiness  in  entering  other  people's  posses- 
sions ;  "  Miss  Abbott,  ma  wants  to  know  if  you  are  likely 
to  go  from  home  this  week  ? " 

j'  Why,  what  in  nature  can  she  want  to  know  that  for, 
Ordeal  Bumgrum  ? "  Mrs.  Abbott  pronounced  this  singu- 
lar name,  however,  "  Ordeel." 


2i8  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  Oh  !  she  warnts  to  know." 

"  So  do  I  warnt  to  know  ;  and  know  I  will.  Run  home 
this  instant,  and  ask  your  mother  why  she  has  sent  you 
here  with  this  message.  Jenny,  I  am  much  exercised  to 
find  out  the  reason  Mrs.  Bumgrum  should  have  sent  Ordeal 
over  with  such  a  question." 

"  I  did  hear  that  Miss  Bumgrum  intended  to  make  a 
journey  i  -erself,  and  she  may  want  your  company." 

"  Here  comes  Ordeal  back,  and  we  shall  soon  be  out  of 
the  clouds.  What  a  boy  that  is  for  errands !  He  is  worth 
all  my  sons  put  together.  You  never  see  him  losing  time 
by  going  round  by  the  streets,  but  away  he  goes  over  the 
garden  fences  like  a  cat,  or  he  will  whip  through  a  house, 
if  standing  in  his  way,  as  if  he  were  its  owner,  should  the 
door  happen  to  be  open.  Well,  Ordeal  ?  " 

But  Ordeal  was  out  of  breath,  and  although  Jenny  shook 
him,  as  if  to  shake  the  news  out  of  him,  and  Mrs.  Abbott 
actually  shook  her  fist,  in  her  impatience  to  be  enlightened, 
nothing  could  induce  the  child  to  speak  until  he  had  recov- 
ered his  wind. 

"  I  believe  he  does  it  on  purpose,"'  said  the  provoked 
maid. 

"  It's  just  like  him  !  "  cried  the  mistress  ;  "  the  very  best 
newscarrier  in  the  village  is  actually  spoilt  because  he  is 
thick-winded." 

"  I  wish  folks  wouldn't  make  their  fences  so  high,"  Or- 
deal exclaimed,  the  instant  he  found  breath.  "I  can't  see 
of  what  use  it  is  to  make  a  fence  people  can't  climb  ! '" 

"  What  does  your  mother  say  ?  "  cried  Jenny,  repeating 
her  shake  con  amore. 

"Ma  wants  to  know,  Miss  Abbott,  if  you  don't  intend  to 
use  it  yourself,  if  you  will  lend  her  your  name  tor  a  few 
days  to  go  to  Utica  with  ?  She  says  folks  don't  treat  her 
half  as  well  when  she  is  called  Bumgrum  as  when  she  has 
another  name,  and  she  thinks  she'd  like  to  try  yours  this 
time." 

"  Is  that  all  !  You  needn't  have  been  so  hurried  about 
such  a  trifle,  Ordeal.  Give  my  compliments  to  your 
mother,  and  tell  her  she  is  quite  welcome  to  my  name,  and 
I  hope  it  will  be  serviceable  to  her." 

"  She  says  she  is  willing  to  pay  for  the  use  of  it,  if  you 
will  tell  her  what  the  damage  will  be." 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  2 if 

"  Oh  !  it's  not  worth  while  to  speak  of  such  a  trifle  ;  I 
dare  say  she  will  bring  it  back  quite  as  good  as  when  she 
took  it  away.  I  am  no  such  unneighborly  or  aristocratical 
person  as  to  wish  to  keep  my  name  all  to  myself.  Tell 
your  mother  she  is  welcome  to  mine,  and  to  keep  it  as  long 
as  she  likes,  and  not  to  say  anything  about  pay  ;  I  may 
want  to  borrow  hers,  or  something  else,  one  of  these  dayg, 
though,  to  say  the  truth,  my  neighbors  are  apt  to  complain 
of  me  as  unfriendly  and  proud  for  not  borrowing  as  much 
as  a  good  neighbor  ought." 

Ordeal  departed,  leaving  Mrs.  Abbott  in  some  such  con- 
dition as  that  of  the  man  who  had  no  shadow.  A  rap  at 
the  door  interrupted  the  further  discussion  of  the  old  sub- 
ject, and  Mr.  Steadfast  Dodge  appeared  in  answer  to  the 
permission  to  enter.  Mr.  Dodge  and  Mrs.  Abbott  were 
congenial  spirits  in  the  way  of  news,  he  living  by  it,  and 
she  living  on  it. 

"You  are  very  welcome,  Mr.  Dodge,"  the  mistress  of 
the  house  commenced.  "  I  hear  you  passed  the  day  yes- 
terday up  at  the  Effingharnses." 

"Why,  yes,  Mrs.  Abbott,  the  Effinghams  insisted  on  it, 
and  I  could  not  well  get  over  the  sacrifice,  after  having 
been  their  shipmate  so  long.  Besides,  it  is  a  little  relief  to 
talk  French  when  one  has  been  so  long  in  the  daily  prac- 
tice of  it." 

"  I  hear  there  is  company  at  the  house  ?" 

"  Two  of  our  fellow-travellers,  merely.  An  English  bar- 
onet, and  a  young  man  of  whom  less  is  known  than  one 
could  wish.  He  is  a  mysterious  person,  and  I  hate  mys- 
tery, Mrs.  Abbott." 

"  In  that,  then,  Mr.  Dodge,  you  and  I  are  alike.  I  think 
everything  should  be  known.  Indeed,  that  is  not  a  free 
country  in  which  there  are  any  secrets.  I  keep  nothing 
from  my  neighbors,  and,  to  own  the  truth,  I  do  not  like 
my  neighbors  to  keep  anything  from  me." 

"  Then  you'll  hardly  like  the  Effinghams,  for  I  never  yet 
met  with  a  more  close-mouthed  family.  Although  I  was 
so  long  in  the  ship  with  Miss  Eve,  I  never  hear^f  her  once 
speak  of  her  want  of  appetite,  of  sea-sickness,  or  of  any- 
thing relating  to  her  ailings  even  ;  nor  can  you  imagine  how 
close  she  is  on  the  subject  of  the  beaux  ;  I  do  not  think  I 
ever  heard  her  use  the  word,  or  so  much  as  allude  to  any 


^20  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

walk  or  ride  she  ever  took  with  a  single  man.  I  set  he* 
down,  Mrs.  Abbott,  as  unqualifiedly  artful  !  " 

"  That  you  may  with  certainty,  sir,  for  there  is  no  more 
sure  sign  that  a  young  woman  is  all  the  while  thinking  of 
the  beaux  than  her  never  mentioning  them." 

"  That  I  believe  to  be  human  nature  ;  no  ingenuous  per- 
son ever  thinks  much  of  the  particular  subject  of  conver- 
sation. What  is  your  opinion,  Mrs.  Abbott,  of  the  contem- 
plated match  at  the  Wigwam  ? " 

"  Match  !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Abbott.  "  What  already  !  It 
is  the  most  indecent  thing  I  ever  heard  of!  Why,  Mr. 
Dodge,  the  family  has  not  been  home  a  fortnight,  and  to 
think  so  soon  of  getting  married  !  It  is  quite  as  bad  as  a 
widower's  marrying  within  the  month." 

Mrs.  Abbott  made  a  distinction,  habitually,  between  the 
cases  of  widowers  and  widows,  as  the  first,  she  maintained, 
might  get  married  whenever  they  pleased,  and  the  latter 
only  when  they  got  offers  ;  and  she  felt  just  that  sort  of 
horror  of  a  man's  thinking  of  marrying  too  soon  alter  the 
death  of  his  wife,  as  might  be  expected  in  one  who  actually 
thought  of  a  second  husband  before  the  first  was  dead. 

"  Why,  yes,"  returned  Steadfast,  "  it  is  a  little  premature, 
perhaps,  though  they  have  been  long  acquainted.  Still,  as 
you  say,  it  would  be  more  decent  to  wait  and  see  what 
may  turn  up  in  a  country,  that,  to  them,  may  be  said  to  be 
a -foreign  land." 

"  But  who  are  the  parties,  Mr.  Dodge  ?  " 

"Miss  Eve  Effingham  and  Mr.  John  Effingham." 

"Mr.  John  Effingham  !  "  exclaimed  the  lady  who  had 
lent  her  name  to  a  neighbor,  aghast,  for  this  was  knocking 
one  of  her  own  day-dreams  in  the  head  ;  "well,  this  is  too 
much  !  But  he  shall  not  marry  her,  sir  ;  the  law  will  pre- 
vent it,  and  we  live  in  a  country  of  laws.  A  man  cannot 
marry  his  own  niece." 

"  It  is  excessively  improper,  and  ought  to  be  put  a  stop  to. 
And  yet  these  Effinghams  do  very  much  as  they  please." 

u  I  am  very  sorry  to  hear  that  ;  they  are  extremely  dis- 
agreeable,* said  Mrs.  Abbott,  with  a  look  of  eager  inquiry, 
as  if  afraid  the  answer  might  be  in  the  negative. 

"  As  much  so  as  possible  ;  they  have  hardly  a  way  that 
you  would  like,  my  dear  ma'am  ;  and  are  as  close-mouthed 
as  if  they  were  afraid  of  committing  themselves." 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  221 

"  Desperate  bad  news-carriers,  I  am  told,  Mr.  Dodge. 
There  is  Dorindy  (Dorinda)  Mudge,  who  was  employed 
there  by  Eve  and  Grace  one  day  ;  she  tells  me  she  tried  all 
she  could  to  get  them  to  talk,  by  speaking  of  the  most  com- 
mon things  ;  things  that  one  of  my  children  knew  all  about, 
such  as  the  affairs  of  the  neighborhood,  and  how  people 
are  getting  on  ;  and  though  they  would  listen  a  little,  and 
that  is  something,  I  admit,  not  a  syllable  could  she  get  in 
the  way  of  answer  or  remark.  She  tells  me  that  several 
times  she  had  a  mind  to  quit,  for  it  is  monstrous  unpleas- 
ant to  associate  with  your  tongue-tied  folks." 

"  I  dare  say  Miss  Effingham  could  throw  out  a  hint  now 
and  then,  concerning  the  voyage  and  her  late  fellow-travel- 
lers," said  Steadfast,  casting  an  uneasy  glance  at  his  com- 
panion. 

"  Not  she.  Dorindy  maintains  that  it  is  impossible  to 
get  a  sentiment  out  of  her  concerning  a  single  fellow-creat- 
ure. When  she  talked  of  the  late  unpleasant  affair  of  poor 
neighbor  Bronson's  family — a  melancholy  transaction  that, 
Mr.  Dodge,  and  I  shouldn't  wonder  if  it  went  to  nigh  break 
Mrs.  Bronson's  heart — but  when  Dorindy  mentioned  this, 
which  is  bad  enough  to  stir  the  sensibility  of  a  frog,  neither 
of  my  young  ladies  replied,  or  put  a  single  question.  In 
this  respect  Grace  is  as  bad  as  Eve,  and  Eve  is  as  bad  as 
Grace,  they  say.  Instead  of  so  much  as  seeming  to  wish  to 
know  any  more,  what  does  Miss  Eve  do,  but  turn  to  some 
daubs  of  paintings,  and  point  out  to  her  cousin  what  she 
was  pleased  to  term  peculiarities  in  Swiss  usages.  Then 
the  two  hussies  would  talk  of  nature,  *  our  beautiful  na- 
ture,' Dorindy  says  Eve  had  the  impudence  to  call  it,  and 
as  if  human  nature  and  its  failings  and  backslidings  were 
not  a  fitter  subject  for  a  young  woman's  discourse,  than  a 
silly  conversation  about  lakes,  and  rocks,  and  trees,  as  if 
she  owned  the  nature  about  Templeton.  It  is  my  opinion, 
Mr.  Dodge,  that  downright  ignorance  is  at  the  bottom  of  it 
all,  for  Dorindy  says  that  they  actually  know  no  more  of 
the  intricacies  of  the  neighborhood  than  if  they  lived  in 
Japan." 

"All  pride,  Mrs.  Abbott — rank  pride.  They  feel  them- 
selves too  great  to  enter  into  the  minutiae  of  common  folks' 
concerns.  I  often  tried  Miss  Effingham,  coming  from  Eng- 
land ;  and  things  touching  private  interests,  that  I  know 


222  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

she  did  and  must  understand,  she  always  disdainfully  re- 
fused to  enter  into.  Oh  !  she  is  a  real  Tartar  in  her  way  ; 
and  what  she  does  not  wish  to  do,  you  never  can  make  her 
do  !  "  • 

11  Have  you  heard  that  Grace  is  under  concern  ? " 

"  Not  a  breath  of  it  ;  under  whose  preaching  was  she 
sitting,  Mrs.  Abbott  ?  " 

"  That  is  more  than  I  can  tell  you  ;  not  under  the  church 
parson's,  I'll  engage  ;  no  one  ever  heard  of  a  real,  active, 
regenerating,  soul-reviving,  spirit-groaning,  and  fruit-yield- 
ing conversion  under  his  ministry." 

"  No  ;  there  is  very  little  unction  in  .that  persuasion 
generally.  How  cold  and  apathetic  they  are  in  these  soul- 
stirring  times  !  Not  a  sinner  has  been  writhing  on  their 
floor,  I'll  engage,  nor  a  wretch  transferred  into  a  saint,  in 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  by  that  parson.  Well,  we  have 
every  reason  to  be  grateful,  Mrs.  Abbott." 

"  That  we  have,  for  most  glorious  have  been  our  privi- 
leges !  To  be  sure  that  is  a  sinful  pride  that  can  puff  up  a 
wretched,  sinful  being  like  Eve  Effingham  to  such -a  pass 
of  conceit,  as  to  induce  her  to  think  she  is  raised  above 
thinking  of  and  taking  an  interest  in  the  affairs  of  her 
neighbors.  Now,  for  my  part,  conversion  has  so  far  opened 
my  heart,  that  I  do  actually  feel  as  if  I  wanted  to  know  all 
about  the  meanest  creature  in  Templeton." 

"  That's  the  true  spirit,  Mrs.  Abbott ;  stick  to  that,  and 
your  redemption  is  secure.  I  only  edit  a  newspaper,  by 
way  of  showing  an  interest  in  mankind." 

"  I  hope,  Mr.  Dodge,  the  press  does  not  mean  to  let  this 
matter  of  the  Point  sleep  ;  the  press  is  the  true  guardian 
of  the  public  rights,  and  I  can  tell  you  the  whole  commun- 
ity looks  to  it  for  support  in  this  crisis." 

"  We  shall  not  fail  to  do  our  duty,"  said  Mr.  Dodge,  look- 
ing over  his  shoulder,  and  speaking  lower.  "What  !  shall 
one  insignificant  individual,  who  has  not  a  single  right 
above  that  of  the  meanest  citizen  in  the  county,  oppress 
this  great  and  powerful  community  !  What  if  Mr.  Effing- 
ham  does  own  this  point  of  land — 

"  But  he  does  not  own  it,"  interrupted  Mrs.  Abbott. 
"  Ever  since  I  have  known  Templeton  the  public  has 
owned  it.  The  public,  moreover,  says  it  owns  it,  and  what 
the  public  says  in  this  happy  country  is  law." 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  223 

"  But,  allowing  that  the  public  does  not  own " 

"  It  does  own  it,  Mr.  Dodge,"  the  nameless  repeated 
positively. 

"  Well,  ma'am,  own  or  no  own,  this  is  not  a  country  in 
whicH  the  press  ought  to  be  silent,  when  a  solitary  individ- 
ual undertakes  to  trample  on  the  public.  Leave  that 
matter  to  us,  Mrs.  Abbott ;  it  is  in  good  hands,  and  shall 
be  well  taken  care  of." 

"  I'm  piously  glad  of  it !  " 

"  I  mention  this  to  you  as  to  a  friend,"  continued  Mr. 
Dodge,  cautiously  drawing  from  his  pocket  a  manuscript, 
which  he  prepared  to  read  to  his  companion,  who  sat  with 
a  devouring  curiosity,  ready  to  listen. 

The  manuscript  of  Mr.  Dodge  contained  a  professed  ac- 
count of  the  affair  of  the  Point.  It  was  written  obscurely, 
and  was  not  without  its  contradictions,  but  the  imagination 
of  Mrs.  Abbott  supplied  all  the  vacuums,  and  reconciled 
all  the  contradictions.  The  article  was  so  liberal  of  its 
professions  of  contempt  for  Mr.  Effingham,  that  every  ra- 
tional man  was  compelled  to  wonder  why  a  quality  that  is 
usually  so  passive,  should,  in  this  particular  instance  be 
aroused  to  so  sudden  and  violent  activity.  In  the  way  of 
facts  not  one  was  faithfully  stated  ;  and  there  were  several 
deliberate,  unmitigated  falsehoods,  which  went  essentially 
to  color  the  whole  account. 

"  I  think  this  will  answer  the  purpose,"  said  Steadfast, 
"and  we  have  taken  means  to  see  that  it  shall  be  well  cir- 
culated." 

"This  will  do  them  good,"  cried  Mrs.  Abbott,  almost 
breathless  with  delight.  "  I  hope  folks  will  believe  it." 

"  No  fear  of  that.  If  it  were  a  party  thing,  now,  one 
half  would  believe  it,  as  a  matter  of  course,  and  the  other 
half  would  not  believe  it,  as  a  matter  of  course  ;  but  in  a 
private  matter,  Lord  bless  you,  ma'am,  people  are  always 
ready  to  believe  anything  that  will  give  them  something  to 
talk  about." 

Here  the  tete-a-tete  was  interrupted  by  the  return  of  Mrs. 
Abbott's  different  messengers,  all  of  whom,  unlike  the  dove 
sent  forth  from  the  ark,  brought  back  something  in  the 
way  of  hopes.  The  Point  was  a  general  theme,  and 
though  the  several  accounts  flatly  contradicted  each  other,, 
Mrs.  Abbott,  in  the  general  benevolence  of  her  pious  heart, 


«24  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

found  the  means  to  extract  corroboration  of  her  wishes 
from  each. 

Mr.  Dodge  was  as  good  as  his  word,  and  the  account  ap- 
peared. The  press,  throughout  the  country,  seized  with 
avidity  on  anything  that  helped  to  fill  its  columns.  No 
one  appeared  disposed  to  inquire  into  the  truth  of  the  ac- 
count, or  after  the  character  of  the  original  authority.  It 
was  in  print,  and  that  struck  the  great  majority  of  the 
editors  and  their  readers,  as  a  sufficient  sanction.  Few, 
indeed  were  they,  who  lived  so  much  under  a  proper  self- 
control  as  to  hesitate  ;  and  this  rank  injustice  was  done  a 
private  citizen,  as  much  without  moral  restraint  as  without 
remorse,  by  those  who,  to  take  their  own  accounts  of  the 
matter,  were  the  regular  and  habitual  champions  of  human 
rights  ! 

John  Effingham  pointed  out  this  extraordinary  scene  of 
reckless  wrong  to  his  wondering  cousin,  with  the  cool  sar- 
casm with  which  he  was  apt  to  assail  the  weaknesses  and 
crimes  of  the  country.  His  firmness,  united  to  that  of  his 
cousin,  however,  put  a  stop  to  the  publication  of  the  reso- 
lutions of  Aristabulus's  meeting,  and  when  a  sufficient  time 
had  elapsed  to  prove  that  these  prurient  denouncers  of  their 
fellow-citizens  had  taken  wit  in  their  anger,  he  procured 
them,  and  had  them  published  himself,  as  the  most  effect- 
ual means  of  exposing  the  real  character  of  the  senseless 
mob,  that  had  thus  disgraced  liberty,  by  assuming  its  pro- 
fessions and  its  usages. 

To  an  observer  of  men,  the  end  of  this  affair  presented 
several  strong  points  for  comment.  As  soon  as  the  truth 
became  generally  known  in  reference  to  the  real  ownership, 
and  the  public  came  to  ascertain  that  instead  of  hitherto 
possessing  a  right,  it  had,  in  fact,  been  merely  enjoying  a 
favor,  those  who  had  committed  themselves  by  their  arro- 
gant assumptions  of  facts,  and  their  indecent  outrages,  fell 
back  on  their  self-love,  and  began  to  find  excuses  for  their 
conduct  in  that  of  the  other  party.  Mr.  Effingham  was 
loudly  condemned  for  not  having  done  the  very  thing,  he, 
in  truth,  had  done,  viz.,  telling  the  public  it  did  not  own 
his  property  ;  and  when  this  was  shown  to  be  an  absurdity, 
the  complaint  followed  that  what  he  had  done,  had  been 
-done  in  precisely  such  a  mode,  although  it  was  the  mode 
constantly  used  by  every  one  else.  From  these  vague  and 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  225 

indefinite  accusations,  those  most  implicated  in  the  wrong 
began  to  deny  all  their  own  original  assertions,  by  insisting 
that  they  had  known  all  along  that  Mr.  Effingham  owned 
the  property,  but  they  did  not  chose  he  or  any  other  man 
should  presume  to  tell  them  what  they  knew  already.  In 
short,  the  end  of  this  affair  exhibited  human  nature  in  its 
usual  aspects  of  prevarication,  untruth,  contradiction,  and 
inconsistency,  notwithstanding  the  high  profession  of  lib- 
erty made  by  those  implicated  ;  and  they  who  had  been  the 
most  guilty  of  wrong  were  loudest  in  their  complaints,  as 
if  they  alone  had  suffered. 

"  This  is  not  exhibiting  the  country  to  us,  certainly,  after 
so  long  an  absence,  in  its  best  appearance,"  said  Mr.  Effing- 
ham,  "  I  must  admit  John  ;  but  error  belongs  to  all  regions, 
and  to  all  classes  of  institutions." 

"  Ay,  Ned,  make  the  best,  of  it  as  usual  ;  but,  if  you  do 
not  come  round  to  my  way  of  thinking,  before  you  are  a 
twelvemonth  older,  I  shall  renounce  prophesying.  I  wish 
we  could  get  at  the  bottom  of  Miss  Effingham's  thoughts 
on  this  occasion." 

"  Miss  Effingham  has  been  grieved,  disappointed,  nay, 
shocked,"  said  Eve,  "  but  still  she  will  not  despair  of  the 
Republic.  None  of  our  respectable  neighbors,  in  the  first 
place,  have  shared  in  this  transaction,  and  that  is  some- 
thing ;  though  I  confess  I  feel  some  surprise  that  any  con- 
siderable portion  of  a  community,  that  respects  itself, 
should  quietly  allow  an  ignorant  fragment  of  its  own  num- 
bers to  misrepresent  it  so  grossly,  in  an  affair  that  so  nearly 
touches  its  own  character  for  common-sense  and  justice." 

"  You  have  yet  to  learn,  Miss  Effingham,  that  men  can  get 
to  be  so  saturated  with  liberty,  that  they  become  insensible 
to  the  nicer  feelings.  The  grossest  enormities  are  constant- 
ly committed  in  this  good  Republic  of  ours,  under  the  pre- 
tence of  being  done  by  the  public,  and  for  the  public.  The 
public  have  got  to  bow  to  that  bugbear,  quite  as  submissive- 
ly as  Gesler  could  have  wished  the  Swiss  to  bow  to  his  own 
cap,  as  to  the  cap  of  Rodolph's  substitute.  Men  will  have 
idols,  and  the  Americans  have  merely  set  up  themselves." 

"  And  yet,  Cousin  Jack,  you  would  be  wretched  were  you 
doomed  to  live  under  a  system  less  free.  I  fear  you  have 
the  affectation  of  sometimes  saying  that  which  you  do  not 
exactly  feel." 


V 
226  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

CHAPTER   XVII. 

"Come,  these  are  no  times  to  think  of  dreams — 
We'll  talk  of  dreams  hereafter." — SHAKESPEARE. 

THE  day  succeeding  that  in  which  the  conversation  just 
mentioned  occurred,  was  one  of  great  expectation  and 
delight  in  the  Wigwam.  Mrs.  Hawker  and  the  Bloomfields 
were  expected,  and  the  morning  passed  away  rapidly,  under 
the  gay  buoyancy  of  the  feelings  that  usually  accompany 
such  anticipations  in  a  country-house.  The  travellers  were 
to  leave  town  the  previous  evening,  and,  though  the  dis- 
tance was  near  two  hundred  and  thirty  miles,  they  were 
engaged  to  arrive  at  the  usual  dinner  hour.  In  speed,  the 
Americans,  so  long  as  they  follow  the  great  routes,  are  un- 
surpassed ;  and  even  Sir  George  Templemore,  coming,  as 
he  did,  from  a  country  of  macadamized  roads  and  excellent 
posting,  expressed  his  surprise,  when  given  to  understand 
that  a  journey  of  this  length,  near  a  hundred  miles  of  which 
were  by  land  moreover,  was  to  be  performed  in  twenty-four 
hours,  the  stops  included. 

"  One  particularly  likes  this  rapid  travelling,"  he  re- 
marked, "  when  it  is  to  bring  us  such  friends  as  Mrs. 
Hawker." 

"And  Mrs.  Bloomfield,"  added  Eve,  quickly.  "I  rest 
the  credit  of  the  American  females  on  Mrs.  Bloomfield." 

"  More  so  than  on  Mrs.  Hawker,  Miss  Effingham  ?  " 

"Not  in  all  that  is  amiable,  respectable,  feminine,  and 
lady-like  ;  but  certainly  more  so  in  the  way  of  mind.  I 
know,  Sir  George  Templemore,  as  a  European,  what  your 
opinion  is  of  our  sex  in  this  country." 

"  Good  heaven,  my  dear  Miss  Effingham  ! — My  opinion 
of  your  sex,  in  America  !  It  is  impossible  for  any  one  to 
entertain  a  higher  opinion  of  your  countrywomen — as  I 
hope  to  show — as,  I  trust,  my  respect  and  admiration  have 
always  proved  ;  nay,  Powis,  you,  as  an  American,  will  ex- 
onerate me  from  this  want  of  taste — judgment — feel- 
ing  " 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  227 

Paul  laughed,  but  told  the  embarrassed  and  really  dis 
tressed  baronet,  that  he  should  leave  him  in  the  very  ex 
cellent  hands  into  which  he  had  fallen. 

"  You  see  that  bird,  that  is  sailing  so  prettily  above  the 
roofs  of  the  village,"  said  Eve,  pointing  with  her  parasol 
in  the  direction  she  meant  ;  for  the  three  were  walking  to- 
gether on  the  little  lawn,  in  waiting  for  the  appearance  of 
the  expected  guests  ;  "  and  I  dare  say  you  are  ornithol- 
ogist enough  to  tell  its  vulgar  name." 

"  You  are  in  the  humor  to  be  severe  this  morning — the 
bird  is  but  a  common  swallow." 

"One  of  which  will  not  make  a  summer,  as  every  one 
knows.  Our  cosmopolitism  is  already  forgotten,  and  with 
it,  I  fear,  our  frankness." 

"  Since  Powis  has  hoisted  his  national  colors,  I  do  not 
feel  as  free  on  such  subjects  as  formerly,"  returned  Sir 
George,  smiling.  "  When  I  thought  I  had  a  secret  ally  in 
him,  I  was  not  afraid  to  concede  a  little  in  such  things, 
but  his  avowal  of  his  country  has  put  me  on  my  guard. 
In  no  case,  however,  shall  I  admit  my  insensibility  to  the 
qualities  of  your  countrywomen.  Powis,  as  a  native,  may 
take  that  liberty  ;  but,  as  for  myself,  I  shall  insist  they  are 
at  least  the  equals  of  any  females  that  I  know." 

"  In  naivete,  prettiness,  delicacy  of  appearance,  simplic- 
ity, and  sincerity — 

"  In  sincerity,  think  you,  dear  Miss  Effingham  ?  " 

"  In  sincerity,  above  all  things,  dear  Sir  George  Tem- 
plemore.  Sincerity — nay,  frankness  is  the  last  quality  I 
should  think  of  denying  them." 

"  But  to  return  to  Mrs.  Bloomfield — she  is  clever,  ex- 
ceedingly clever,  I  allow  ;  in  what  is  her  cleverness  to  be 
distinguished  from  that  of  one  of  her  sex  on  the  other  side 
of  the  ocean  ? " 

"  In  nothing,  perhaps,  did  there  exist  no  differences  in 
national  characteristics.  Naples  and  New  York  are  in  the 
same  latitude,  and  yet,  I  think  you  will  agree  with  me  that 
there  is  little  resemblance  in  their  populations." 

"  I  confess  I  do  not  understand  the  allusion — are  you 
quicker  witted,  Powis  ?" 

"  I  will  not  say  that,"  answered  Paul  ;  "but  I  think  I  do 
comprehend  Miss  Effingham's  meaning.  You  have  trav- 
elled enough  to  know  that,  as  a  rule,  there  is  more  aptitude 


228  HOME   AS  FOUND. 

m  ;i  southern  than  in  a  northern  people.  They  receive  im- 
pressions more  readily,  and  are  quicker  in  all  their  per- 
ceptions." 

"  I  believe  this  to  be  true  ;  but  then,  you  will  allow 
that  they  are  less  constant,  and  have  less  perseverance  ?  " 

"In  that  we  are  agreed,  Sir  George  Templemore,"  re- 
sumed Eve,  "  though  we  might  differ  as  to  the  cause.  The 
inconstancy  of  which  you  speak,  is  more  connected  with 
moral  than  physical  causes,  perhaps,  and  we,  of  this  re- 
gion, might  claim  an  exemption  from  some  of  them.  But 
Mrs.  Bloomfield  is  to  be  distinguished  from  her  European 
rivals  by  a  frame  so  singularly  feminine  as  to  appear  frag- 
ile ;  a  delicacy  of  exterior  that,  were  it  not  for  that  illum- 
ined face  of  hers,  might  indicate  a  general  feebleness  ;  a 
sensitiveness  and  quickness  of  intellect  that  amount  almost 
to  inspiration  ;  and  yet  all  is  balanced  by  a  practical  com- 
mon sense  that  renders  her  as  safe  a  counsellor  as  she  is 
a  warm  friend.  This  latter  quality  causes  you  sometimes 
to  doubt  her  genius,  it  is  so  very  homely  and  available. 
Now  it  is  in  this  that  I  think  the  American  woman,  when 
she  does  rise  above  mediocrity,  is  particularly  to  be  dis- 
tinguished from  the  European.  The  latter,  as  a  genius,  is 
almost  always  in  the  clouds,  whereas  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  in 
her  highest  flights,  is  either  all  heart  or  all  good  sense. 
The  nation  is  practical,  and  the  practical  qualities  get  to 
be  imparted  even  to  its  highest  order  of  talents." 

u  The  English  women  are  thought  to  be  less  excitable, 
and  not  so  much  under  the  influence  of  sentimentalism, 
as  some  of  their  continental  neighbors." 

"  And  very  justly — but  — 

"  But  what,  Miss  Effingham — there  is  in  all  this  a  slight 
return  to  the  cosmopolitism,  that  reminds  me  of  our  days 
of  peril  and  adventure.  Do  not  conceal  a  thought,  if  you 
wish  to  preserve  that  character." 

"  Well,  to  be  sincere,  I  shall  say  that  your  women  live 
under  a  system  too  sophisticated  and  factitious  to  give  fair 
play  to  common  sense,  at  all  times.  What,  for  instance, 
can  be  the  habitual  notions  of  one  who,  professing  the 
doctrines  of  Christianity,  is  accustomed  to  find  money 
placed  so  very  much  in  the  ascendant,  as  to  see  it  daily 
exacted  in  payment  for  the  very  first  of  the  sacred  offices 
of  the  church  ?  It  would  be  as  rational  to  contend  that  a 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  22g 

mirror  which  had  been  cracked  into  radii  by  a  bullet,  like 
those  we  have  so  often  seen  in  Paris,  would  reflect  faith- 
fully, as  to  suppose  a  mind  familiarized  to  such  abuses 
would  be  sensitive  on  practical  and  common  sense  things." 

"  But,  my  dear  Miss  Effingham,  that  is  all  habit." 

"  I  know  it  is  all  habit,  Sir  George  Templemore,  and  a 
very  bad  habit  it  is.  Even  your  devoutest  clergymen  get 
so  accustomed  to  it,  as  not  to  see  the  capital  mistake  they 
make.  I  do  not  say  it  is  absolutely  sinful,  where  there  is 
no  compulsion  ;  but  I  hope  you  agree  with  me,  Mr.  Powis, 
when  I  say  I  think  a  clergyman  ought  to  be  so  sensitive 
on  such  a  subject,  as  to  refuse  even  the  little  offerings  for 
baptisms  that  it  is  the  practice  of  the  wealthy  of  this 
country  to  make." 

11 1  agree  with  you  entirely,  for  it  would  denote  a  more 
just  perception  of  the  nature  of  the  office  they  are  per- 
forming ;  and  they  who  wish  to  give  can  always  make 
occasions." 

"  A  hint  might  be  taken  from  Franklin,  who  is  said  to 
have  asked  his  father  to  ask  a  blessing  on  the  pork-barrel, 
by  way  of  condensation,"  put  in  John  Effingham,  who 
joined  them  as  he  spoke,  and  who  had  heard  a  part  of  the 
conversation.  "  In  this  instance,  an  average  might  be 
struck  in  the  marriage  fee,  that  should  embrace  all  future 
baptisms.  But  here  comes  neighbor  Howel  to  favor  us 
with  his  opinion.  Do  you  like  the  usages  of  the  English 
church,  as  respects  baptisms,  Howel  ?  " 

"  Excellent,  the  best  in  the  world,  John  Effingham." 

"  Mr.  Howel  is  so  true  an  Englishman,"  said  Eve,  shak- 
ing hands  cordially  with  their  well-meaning  neighbor, 
"  that  he  would  give  a  certificate  in  favor  of  polygamy,  if 
it  had  a  British  origin." 

"  And  is  not  this  a  more  natural  sentiment  for  an  Amer- 
ican than  that  which  distrusts  so  much,  merely  because  it 
comes  from  that  little  island  ? "  asked  Sir  George,  re- 
proachfully. 

"  That  is  a  question  I  shall  leave  Mr.  Howel  himself  to 
answer." 

"  Why,  Sir  George,"  observed  the  gentleman  alluded  to, 
"  I  do  not  attribute  my  respect  for  your  country,  in  the 
least,  to  origin.  I  endeavor  to  keep  myself  free  from  all 
sorts  of  prejudices.  My  admiration  of  England  arises 


230 


HOME  AS  FOUND. 


from  conviction,  and  I  watch  all  her  movements  with  the 
utmost  jealousy,  in  order  to  see  if  I  cannot  find  her  trip- 
ping, though  I  feel  bound  to  say  I  have  never  yet  detected 
her  in  a  single  error.  What  a  very  different  picture, 
France — I  hope  your  governess  is  not  within  hearing,  Miss 
Eve  ;  it.  is  not  her  fault  she  was  born  a  French  woman, 
and  we  would  not  wish  to  hurt  her  feelings — but  what  a 
different  picture  France  presents  !  I  have  watched  her 
narrowly  too,  these  forty  years,  I  may  say,  and  I  have 
never  yet  found  her  right  ;  and  this,  you  must  allow,  is  a 
great  deal  to  be  said  by  one  who  is  thoroughly  impartial." 

"  This  is  a  terrible  picture,  indeed,  Howel,  to  come  from 
an  unprejudiced  man,"  said  John  Effingham  ;  "  and  I  make 
no  doubt  Sir  George  Templemore  will  have  a  better  opin- 
ion of  himself  for  ever  after — he  for  a  valiant  lion,  and  you 
for  a  true  prince.  But  yonder  is  the  '  exclusive  extra,' 
which  contains  our  party." 

The  elevated  bit  of  lawn  on  which  they  were  walking 
commanded  a  view  of  the  road  that  led  into  the  village, 
and  the  travelling  vehicle  engaged  by  Mrs.  Hawker  and 
her  friends  was  now  seen  moving  along  at  a  rapid  pace. 
Eve  expressed  her  satisfaction,  and  then  all  resumed  their 
walk,  as  some  minutes  must  still  elapse  previously  to  their 
arrival. 

"  Exclusive  extra ! "  repeated  Sir  George;  "  that  is  a  pecu- 
liar phrase,  and  one  that  denotes  anything  but  democracy." 

"In  any  other  part  of  the  world  a  thing  would  be  suffi- 
ciently marked  by  being  'extra,'  but  here  it  requires  the 
addition  of  '  exclusive,'  in  order  to  give  it  the  ftower 
stamp,'  "  said  John  Effingham,  with  a  curl  of  his  handsome 
lip.  "  Anything  may  be  as  exclusive  as  it  please,  provided 
it  bear  the  public  impress.  A  stage-coach  being  intended 
for  everybody,  why,  the  more  exclusive  it  is,  the  better. 
The  next  thing  we  shall  hear  of  will  be  exclusive  steam- 
boats, exclusive  railroads,  and  both  for  the  uses  of  the  ex- 
clusive people." 

Sir  George  now  seriously  asked  an  explanation  of  the 
meaning  of  the  term,  when  Mr.  Howel  informed  him  that 
an  "  extra,"  in  America,  meant  a  supernumerary  coach,  to 
carry  any  excess  of  the  ordinary  number  of  passengers ; 
whereas  an  "  exclusive  extra  "  meant  a  coach  expressly  en« 
gaged  by  a  particular  individual. 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  231 

"The  latter,  then,  is  American  posting,"  observed  Sii 
George. 

"  You  have  got  the  best  idea  of  it  that  can  be  given," 
said  Paul.  "  It  is  virtually  posting  with  a  coachman,  in- 
stead of  postillions,  few  persons  in  this  country,  where  so 
much  of  the  greater  distances  is  done  by  steam,  using  their 
own  travelling  carriages.  The  American  '  exclusive  extra ' 
is  not  only  posting,  but,  in  many  of  the  older  parts  of  the 
country,  is  posting  of  a  very  good  quality." 

"  I  dare  say,  now,  this  is  all  wrong,  if  we  only  knew  it," 
said  the  simple-minded  Mr.  Howel.  "  There  is  nothing 
exclusive  in  England,  ha,  Sir  George  ? " 

Everybody  laughed  except  the  person  who  put  this  ques- 
tion, but  the  rattling  of  wheels  and  the  tramping  of  horses 
on  the  village  bridge,  announced  the  near  approach  of  the 
travellers.  By  the  time  the  party  had  reached  the  great 
door  in  front  of  the  house,  the  carriage  was  already  in  the 
grounds,  and  at  the  next  moment  Eve  was  in  the  arms  of 
Mrs.  Bloomfield.  It  was  apparent,  at  a  glance,  that  more 
than  the  expected  number  of  guests  was  in  the  vehicle  ; 
and  as  its  contents  were  slowly  discharged,  the  spectators 
stood  around  it  with  curiosity,  to  observe  who  would  ap- 
pear. 

The  first  person  that  descended,  after  the  exit  of  Mrs. 
Bloomfield,  was  Captain  Truck,  who,  however,  instead  of 
saluting  his  friends,  turned  assiduously  to  the  door  he  had 
just  passed  through,  to  assist  Mrs.  Hawker  to  alight.  Not 
until  this  office  had  been  done,  did  he  even  look  for  Eve  ; 
for,  so  profound  was  the  worthy  captain's  admiration  and 
respect  for  this  venerable  lady,  that  she  actually  had  got 
to  supplant  our  heroine,  in  some  measure,  in  his  heart. 
Mr.  Bloomfield  appeared  next,  and  an  exclamation  of  sur- 
prise and  pleasure  proceeded  from  both  Paul  and  the  baro- 
net, as  they  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  face  of  the  last  of  the 
travellers  that  got  out. 

"  Ducie  !  "  cried  Sir  George.  "  This  is  even  better  than 
we  expected." 

"  Ducie  !  "  added  Paul ;  "  you  are  several  days  before  the 
expected  time,  and  in  excellent  company." 

The  explanation,  however,  was  very  simple.  Captain 
Ducie  had  found  the  facilities  for  rapid  motion  much 
greater  than  he  had  expected,  and  he  reached  Fort  Plain. 


232  HOME  AS  FOtTND. 

in  the  eastward  cars,  as  the  remainder  of  the  party  arrived 
in  the  westward.  Captain  Truck,  who  had  met  Mrs. 
Hawker's  party  in  the  river  boat,  had  been  intrusted  with 
the  duty  of  making  arrangements,  and  recognizing  Cap- 
tain Ducie,  to  their  mutual  surprise,  while  engaged  in 
this  employment,  and  ascertaining  his  destination,  the 
latter  was  very  cordially  received  into  the  "  exclusive  ex- 
tra." 

Mr.  Effingham  welcomed  all  his  guests  with  the  hospi- 
tality and  kindness  for  which  he  was  distinguished.  We 
are  no  great  admirers  of  the  pretension  to  peculiar  na- 
tional virtues,  having  ascertained,  to  our  own  satisfaction,  by 
tolerably  extensive  observation,  that  the  moral  difference 
between  men  is  of  no  great  amount  ;  but  we  are  almost 
tempted  to  say,  on  this  occasion,  that  Mr.  Effingham  re- 
ceived his  guests  with  American  hospitality  ;  for  if  there 
be  one  quality  that  this  people  can  claim  to  possess  in  a 
higher  degree  than  that  of  most  other  Christian  nations,  it 
is  that  of  a  simple,  sincere,  confiding  hospitality.  For 
Mrs.  Hawker,  in  common  with  all  who  knew  her,  the 
owner  of  the  Wigwam  entertained  a  profound  respect; 
and  though  his  less  active  mind  did  not  take  as  much 
pleasure  as  that  of  his  daughter  in  the  almost  intuitive  in- 
telligence of  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  he  also  felt  for  this  lady  a 
very  friendly  regard.  It  gave  him  pleasure  to  see  Eve 
surrounded  by  persons  of  her  own  sex,  of  so  high  a  tone  of 
thought  and  breeding  ;  a  tone  of  thought  and  breeding, 
moreover,  that  was  as  far  removed  as  possible  from  any- 
thing strained  or  artificial ;  and  his  welcomes  were  cordial 
in  proportion.  Mr.  Bloomfield  was  a  quiet,  sensible,  gentle- 
man-like man,  whom  his  wife  fervently  loved,  without  mak- 
ing any  parade  of  her  attachment,  and  he  also  was  one  who 
had  the  good  sense  to  make  himself  agreeable  wherever  he 
went.  Captain  Ducie,  who,  Englishman-like,  had  required 
some  urging  to  be  induced  to  present  himself  before  the 
precise  hour  named  in  his  own  letter,  and  who  had  seri- 
ously contemplated  passing  several  days  in  a  tavern, 
previous  to  showing  himself  at  the  Wigwam,  was  agree* 
ably  disappointed  at  a  reception,  that  would  have  been  just 
as  frank  and  warm,  had  he  come  without  any  notice  at  all ; 
for  the  Effinghams  knew  that  the  uses  which  sophistica- 
tion and  a  crowded  population  perhaps  render  necessary 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  233 

in  older  countries,  were  not  needed  in  their  own  ;  and  then 
the  circumstance  that  their  quondam  pursuer  was  so  near 
a  kinsman  of  Paul  Powis,  did  not  fail  to  act  essentially  in 
his  favor. 

"We  can  offer  but  little  in  these  retired  mountains,  to 
interest  a  traveller  and  a  man  of  the  world,  Captain 
Bucie,"  said  Mr.  Effingham,  when  he  went  to  pay  his  com- 
pliments more  particularly,  after  the  whole  party  was  in 
the  house;  "but  there  is  a  common  interest  in  our  past 
adventures  to  talk  about,  after  all  other  topics  fail.  When 
we  met  on  the  ocean,  and  you  deprived  us  so  unexpectedly 
of  our  friend  Powis,  we  did  not  know  that  you  had  the 
better  claim  of  affinity  to  his  company." 

Captain  Ducie  colored  slightly,  but  he  made  his  answer 
with  a  proper  degree  of  courtesy  and  gratitude. 

"  It  is  very  true,"  he  added,  "  Powis  and  myself  are  rela- 
tives, and  I  shall  place  all  my  claims  to  your  hospitality  to 
his  account ;  for  I  feel  that  I  have  been  the  unwilling 
cause  of  too  much  suffering  to  your  party  to  bring  with 
me  any  very  pleasant  recollections,  notwithstanding  your 
kindness  in  including  me  as  a  friend,  in  the  adventures  of 
which  you  speak." 

"  Dangers  that  are  happily  past  seldom  bring  very  un- 
pleasant recollections,  more  especially  when  they  were  con- 
nected with  scenes  of  excitement.  I  understand,  sir,  that 
the  unhappy  young  man  who  was  the  principal  cause  of  all 
that  passed,  anticipated  the  sentence  of  the  law  by  destroy- 
ing himself." 

"  He  was  his  own  executioner,  and  the  victim  of  a  silly 
weakness  that,  I  should  think,  your  state  of  society  was  yet 
too  young  and  simple  to  encourage.  The  idle  vanity  of 
making  an  appearance — a  vanity,  by  the  way,  that  seldom 
besets  gentlemen,  or  the  class  to  which  it  may  be  thought 
more  properly  to  belong — ruins  hundreds  of  young  men  in 
England,  and  this  poor  creature  was  of  the  number.  I 
never  was  more  rejoiced  than  when  he  quitted  my  ship, 
for  the  sight  of  so  much  weakness  sickened  one  of  human 
nature.  Miserable  as  his  fate  proved  to  be,  and  pitiable  as 
his  condition  really  was,  while  in  my  charge,  his  case  has 
the  alleviating  circumstance  with  me,  of  having  made  me 
acquainted  with  those  whom  it  might  not  otherwise  have 
been  my  good  fortune  to  meet !  " 


234  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

This  civil  speech  was  properly  acknowledged,  and  Mr. 
Effingham  addressed  himself  to  Captain  Truck,  to  whom, 
in  the  hurry  of  the  moment,  he  had  not  yet  said  half  that 
his  feelings  dictated. 

"I  am  rejoiced  to  see  you  under  my  roof,  my  worthy 
friend,"  taking  the  rough  hand  of  the  old  seaman  between 
his  own  whiter  and  more  delicate  fingers,  and  shaking  it 
with  cordiality  ;  "  for  this  is  being  under  my  roof,  while 
those  town  residences  have  less  the  air  of  domestication 
and  familiarity.  You  will  spend  many  of  your  holidays 
here,  I  trust  ;  and  when  we  get  a  few  years  older  we 
will  begin  to  prattle  about  the  marvels  we  have  seen  in 
company." 

The  eye  of  Captain  Truck  glistened,  and  as  he  returned 
the  shake  by  another  of  twice  the  energy,  and  the  gentle 
pressure  of  Mr.  Effingham  by  a  squeeze  like  that  of  a  vise, 
he  said,  in  his  honest  off-hand  manner — 

"The  happiest  hour  I  ever  knew,  was  that  in  which  I 
discharged  the  pilot,  the  first  time  out,  as  a  ship -master  ; 
the  next  great  event  of  my  life,  in  the  way  of  happiness, 
was  the  moment  I  found  myself  on  the  deck  of  the  Mon- 
tauk,  after  we  had  given  those  greasy  Arabs  a  hint  that 
their  room  was  better  than  their  company  ;  and  I  really 
think  this  very  instant  must  be  set  down  as  the  third.  I 
never  knew,  my  dear  sir,  how  much  I  truly  loved  you  and 
your  daughter,  until  both  were  out  of  sight." 

"That  is  so  kind  and  gallant  a  speech  that  it  ought  not 
to  be  lost  on  the  person  most  concerned.  Eve,  my  love, 
our  worthy  friend  has  just  made  a  declaration  which  will 
be  a  novelty  to  you,  who  have  not  been  much  in  the  way 
of  listening  to  speeches  of  this  nature." 

Mr.  Effingham  then  acquainted  his  daughter  with  what 
Captain  Truck  had  just  said. 

"  This  is  certainly  the  first  declaration  of  the  sort  I  ever 
heard,  and  with  the  simplicity  of  an  unpractised  young 
woman,  I  here  avow  that  the  attachment  is  reciprocal," 
said  the  smiling  Eve.  "  If  there  is  an  indiscretion  in  this 
hasty  acknowledgment  it  must  be  ascribed  to  surprise,  and 
to  the  suddenness  with  which  I  have  learned  my  power,  for 
your  parvenues  are  not  always  perfectly  regulated." 

"  I  hope  Ma'mselle  V.  A.  V.  is  well,"  returned  the  cap- 
tain, cordially  shaking  the  hand  the  young  lady  had  given 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  235 

him,  "  and  that  she  enjoys  herself  to  her  liking  in  this  out- 
landish country  ?  " 

"  Mademoiselle  Viefville  will  return  you  her  thanks  in 
person,  at  dinner  ;  and  I  believe  she  does  not  yet  regret 
la  belle  France  unreasonably  ;  as  I  regret  it  myself,  in  many 
particulars,  it  would  be  unjust  not  to  permit  a  native  of  the 
country  some  liberty  in  that  way." 

"  I  perceive  a  strange  face  in  the  room — one  of  the  fam- 
ily, my  dear  young  lady  ?  " 

"  Not  a  relative,  but  a  very  old  friend.  Shall  I  have  the 
pleasure  of  introducing  you,  captain  ? " 

"  I  hardly  dared  to  ask  it,  for  I  know  you  must  have  been 
overworked  in  this  way  lately,  but  I  confess  I  should  like 
an  introduction  ;  I  have  neither  introduced  nor  been  intro- 
duced since  I  left  New  York,  with  the  exception  of  the 
case  of  Captain  Ducie,  whom  I  made  properly  acquainted 
with  Mrs.  Hawker  and  her  party,  as  you  may  suppose. 
They  know  each  other  regularly  now,  and  you  are  saved 
the  trouble  of  going  through  the  ceremony  yourself." 

"And  how  is  it  with  you  and  the  Bloomfields  ?  Did 
Mrs.  Hawker  name  you  to  them  properly?  " 

"  That  is  the  most  extraordinary  thing  of  the  sort  I  ever 
knew  !  Not  a  word  was  said  in  the  way  of  introduction, 
and  yet  I  slid  into  an  acquaintance  with  Mrs.  Bloomfield 
so  easily,  that  I  could  not  tell  you  how  it  was  done,  if  my 
life  depended  on  it.  But  this  very  old  friend  of  yours, 
my  dear  young  lady — 

"Captain  Truck,  Mr.  Howel ;  Mr.  Howel,  Captain  Truck," 
said  Eve,  imitating  the  most  approved  manner  of  the  in- 
troductory spirit  of  the  day  with  admirable  self-possession 
and  gravity.  "  I  am  fortunate  in  having  it  in  my  power  to 
make  two  persons  whom  I  so  much  esteem,  acquainted." 

"  Captain  Truck  is  the  gentleman  who  commands  the 
Montauk  ? "  said  Mr.  Howel,  glancing  at  Eve,  as  much  as 
to  say,  "am  I  right?" 

"  The  very  same  ;  and  the  brave  seaman  to  whom  we 
are  all  indebted  for  the  happiness  of  standing  here  at  this 
moment." 

"You  are  to  be  envied,  Captain  Truck  ;  of  all  the  men 
in  your  calling  you  are  exactly  the  one  I  should  most  wish 
to  supplant.  I  understand  you  actually  go  to  England 
twice  every  year  ? " 


236  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  Three  times,  sir,  when  the  winds  permit.  I  have  even 
seen  the  old  island  four  times,  between  January  and  Janu- 
ary." 

"  What  a  pleasure  !  It  must  be  the  very  acme  of  navi- 
gation to  sail  between  America  and  England  !  " 

"  It  is  not  unpleasant,  sir,  from  April  to  November,  but 
the  long  nights,  thick  weather,  and  heavy  winds  knock  off 
a  good  deal  of  the  satisfaction  for  the  rest  of  the  year." 

"  But  I  speak  of  the  country  ;  of  old  England  itself  ;  not 
of  the  passages." 

"Well,  England  has  what  I  call  a  pretty  fair  coast.  It 
is  high,  and  great  attention  is  paid  to  the  lights  ;  but  of 
what  account  is  either  coast  or  lights,  if  the  weather  is  so 
thick  you  cannot  see  the  end  of  your  flying-jib-boom  ! " 

"Mr.  Howel  alludes  more  particularly  to  the  country, 
inland,"  said  Eve  ;  "to  the  towns,  the  civilization,  and  the 
other  proofs  of  cultivation  and  refinement.  To  the  govern- 
ment especially." 

"In  my  judgment,  sir,  the  government  is  much  too  par- 
ticular about  tobacco,  and  some  other  trifling  things  I  could 
name.  Then  it  restricts  pennants  to  King's  ships,  whereas, 
to  my'notion,  my  dear  young  lady,  a  New  York  packet  is 
as  worthy  of  wearing  a  pennant  as  any  vessel  that  floats. 
I  mean,  of  course,  ships  of  the  regular  European  lines, 
and  not  the  Southern  traders." 

"  But  these  are  merely  spots  on  the  sun,  my  good  sir," 
returned  Mr.  Howel.  "  Putting  a  few  such  trifles  out  of 
the  question,  I  think  you  will  allow  that  England  is  the 
most  delightful  country  in  the  world  ? " 

"  To  be  frank  with  you,  Mr.  Howel,  there  is  a  good  deal 
of  hang-dog  weather  along  in  October,  November,  and 
December.  I  have  known  March  anything  but  agreeable, 
and  then  April  is  just  like  a  young  girl  with  one  of  your 
melancholy  novels,  now  smiling  and  now  blubbering." 

"  But  the  morals  of  the  country,  my  dear  sir  ;  the  moral 
features  of  England  must  be  a  source  of  never-dying  de- 
light to  a  true  philanthropist,"  resumed  Mr.  Howel,  as  Eve, 
who  perceived  that  the  discourse  was  likely  to  be  long, 
went  to  join  the  ladies.  "  An  Englishman  has  most  reason 
to  be  proud  of  the  moral  excellences  of  his  country!  " 

"Why,  to  be  frank  with  you,  Mr.  Howel,  there  are  some 
of  the  moral  features  of  London  that  arc  anything  but 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  237 

very  beautiful.  If  you  could  pass  twenty-four  hours  in 
the  neighborhood  of  St.  Catharine's,  you  would  see  sights 
that  would  throw  Templeton  into  fits.  The  English  are  a 
handsome  people,  I  allow ;  but  their  morality  is  none  of 
the  best  featured." 

"  Let  us  be  seated,  sir  ;  I  am  afraid  we  are  not  exactly 
agreed  on  our  terms,  and,  in  order  that  we  may  continue  this 
subject,  I  beg  you  will  let  me  take  a  seat  next  you  at  table." 

To  this  Captain  Truck  very  cheerfully  assented,  and 
then  the  two  took  chairs,  continuing  the  discourse  very 
much  in  the  blind  and  ambiguous  manner  in  which  it  had 
been  commenced.  The  one  party  insisting  on  seeing 
everything  through  the  medium  of  an  imagination  that 
had  got  to  be  diseased  on  such  subjects,  or  with  a  species 
of  monomania  ;  while  the  other  seemed  obstinately  deter- 
mined to  consider  the  entire  country  as  things  had  been 
presented  to  his  limited  and  peculiar  experience,  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  docks. 

"  We  have  had  a  very  unexpected  and  a  very  agreeable 
attendant  in  Captain  Truck,"  said  Mrs.  Hawker,  when  Eve 
had  placed  herself  by  her  side,  and  respectfully  taken  one 
of  her  hands.  "  I  really  think  if  I  were  to  suffer  shipwreck, 
or  to  run  the  hazard  of  captivity,  I  should  choose  to  have 
both  to  occur  in  his  good  company." 

"  Mrs.  Hawker  makes  so  many  conquests,"  observed 
Mrs.  Bloomfield,  "that  we  are  to  think  nothing  of  her 
success  with  this  merman  ;  but  what  will  you  say,  Miss 
Effingham,  when  you  learn  that  I  am  also  in  favor,  in  the 
same  high  quarter.  I  shall  think  the  better  of  masters, 
and  boatswains,  and  Trinculos  and  Stephanos,  as  long  as 
I  live,  for  this  specimen  of  their  craft." 

"  Not  Trinculos  and  Stephanos,  dear  Mrs.  Bloomfield  ; 
for,  a  r exception  prls  de  Saturday  nights,  and  sweethearts 
and  wives,  a  more  exemplary  person  in  the  way  of  liba- 
tions does  not  exist  than  our  excellent  Captain  Truck. 
He  is  much  too  religious  and  moral  for  so  vulgar  an  ex- 
cess as  drinking." 

"  Religious  !"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  in  surprise. 
"  This  is  a  merit  to  which  I  did  not  know  he  possessed  the 
smallest  claims.  One  might  imagine  a  little  superstition, 
and  some  short-lived  repentances  in  gales  of  wind  ;  but 
scarcely  anything  as  much  like  a  trade  wind,  as  religion  !  " 


238  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  Then  you  do  not  know  him  ;  for  a  more  sincerely  de. 
vout  man,  though  I  acknowledge  it  is  after  a  fashion  that 
is  perhaps  peculiar  to  the  ocean,  is  not  often  met  with. 
At  any  rate,  you  found  him  attentive  to  our  sex  ?  " 

"  The  pink  of  politeness  ;  and,  not  to  embellish,  there 
is  a  manly  deference  about  him  that  is  singularly  agree- 
able to  our  frail  vanity.  This  comes  of  his  packet-train- 
ing, I  suppose,  and  we  may  thank  you  for  some  portion 
of  his  merit  His  tongue  never  tires  in  your  praises,  and 
did  I  not  feel  persuaded  that  your  mind  is  made  up 
never  to  be  the  wife  af  any  republican  American,  I  should 
fear  this  visit  exceedingly.  Notwithstanding  the  remark 
I  made  concerning  my  being  in  favor,  the  affair  lies 
between  Mrs.  Hawker  and  yourself.  I  know  it  is  not 
your  habit  to  trifle  even  on  that  very  popular  subject  with 
young  ladies,  matrimony  ;  but  this  case  forms  so  com- 
plete an  exception  to  the  vulgar  passion,  that  I  trust  you 
will  overlook  the  indiscretion.  Our  golden  captain,  for 
copper  he  is  not,  protests  that  Mrs.  Hawker  is  the  most 
delightful  old  lady  he  ever  knew,  and  that  Miss  Eve 
Effingham  is  the  most  delightful  young  lady  he  ever  knew. 
Here,  then,  each  may  see  the  ground  she  occupies,  and 
play  her  cards  accordingly.  I  hope  to  be  forgiven  for 
touching  on  a  subject  so  delicate." 

"  In  the  first  place,"  said  Eve,  smiling,  "  I  should  wish  to 
hear  Mrs.  Hawker's  reply." 

"  I  have  no  more  to  say,  than  to  express  my  perfect 
gratitude,"  answered  that  lady,  "  to  announce  a  determina- 
tion not  to  change  my  condition,  on  account  of  extreme 
youth,  and  a  disposition  to  abandon  the  field  to  my  younger, 
if  not  fairer  rival." 

"  Well,  then,"  resumed  Eve,  anxious  to  change  the  sub- 
ject, for  she  saw  that  Paul  was  approaching  their  group, 
"  I  believe  it  will  be  wisest  in  me  to  suspend  a  decision, 
circumstances  leaving  so  much  at  my  disposal.  Time  must 
show  what  that  decision  will  be." 

"  Nay,"  said  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  who  saw  no  feeling  involved 
in  the  trifling,  "  this  is  unjustifiable  coquetry,  and  I  feel 
bound  to  ascertain  how  the  land  lies.  You  will  remember 
I  am  the  Captain's  confidante,  and  you  know  the  fearful 
responsibility  of  a  friend  in  an  affair  of  this  sort ;  that  of 
a  friend  in  the  duello  being  insignificant  in  comparison, 


HOME   AS  FOUND.  239 

That  I  may  have  a  testimony  at  need,  Mr.  Powis  shall  be 
made  acquainted  with  the  leading  facts.  Captain  Truck 
is  a  devout  admirer  of  this  young  lady,  sir,  and  I  am  en- 
deavoring to  discover  whether  he  ought  to  hang  himself 
on  her  father's  lawn  this  evening,  as  soon  as  the  moon  rises, 
or  live  another  week.  In  order  to  do  this,  I  shall  pursue 
the  categorical  and  inquisitorial  method,  and  so  defend 
yourself,  Miss  Effingham.  Do  you  object  to  the  country 
of  your  admirer  ?  " 

Eve,  though  inwardly  vexed  at  the  turn  this  pleasantry 
had  taken,  maintained  a  perfectly  composed  manner ;  for 
she  knew  that  Mrs.  Bloomfield  had  too  much  feminine  pro- 
priety to  say  anything  improper,  or  anything  that  might 
seriously  embarrass  her. 

"  It  would,  indeed,  be  extraordinary,  should  I  object  to  a 
country  which  is  not  only  my  own,  but  which  has  so  long 
been  that  of  my  ancestors,"  she  answered,  steadily.  "  On 
this  score  my  knight  has  nothing  to  fear." 

"  I  rejoice  to  hear  this,"  returned  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  glanc- 
ing her  eyes,  unconsciously  to  herself,  however,  toward 
Sir  George  Templemore,  "  and,  Mr.  Powis,  you,  who  I  be- 
lieve are  a  European,  will  learn  humility  in  the  avowal. 
Do  you  object  to  your  swain  that  he  is  a  seaman  ? " 

Eve  blushed,  notwithstanding  a  strong  effort  to  appear 
composed,  and,  for  the  first  time  since  their  acquaintance, 
she  felt  provoked  with  Mrs.  Bloomfield.  She  hesitated  be- 
fore she  answered  in  the  negative,  and  this  too  in  a  way  to 
give  more  meaning  to  her  reply,  although  nothing  could 
be  further  from  her  intentions. 

"The  happy  man  may  then  be  an  American  and  a  seaman! 
Here  is  great  encouragement  !  Do  you  object  to  sixty?" 

"  In  any  other  man  I  should  certainly  consider  it  a  blem- 
ish, as  my  own  dear  father  is  but  fifty." 

Mrs.  Bloomfield  was  struck  with  the  tremor  in  the  voice, 
and  with  the  air  of  embarrassment,  in  one  who  usually  was 
so  easy  and  collected  ;  and  with  feminine  sensitiveness  she 
adroitly  abandoned  the  subject,  though  she  often  recurred 
to  this  stifled  emotion  in  the  course  of  the  day,  and  from 
that  moment  she  became  a  silent  observer  of  Eve's  deport- 
ment with  all  her  father's  guests. 

"  This  is  hope  enough  for  one  day,"  she  said,  rising.; 
"the  profession  and  the  flag  must  counterbalance  the  years 


240  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

as  best  they  may,  and  the  Truck  lives  another  revolution  of 
the  sun  !  Mrs.  Hawker,  we  shall  be  late  at  dinner,  I  see 
by  the  clock,  unless  we  retire  soon." 

Both  the  ladies  now  went  to  their  rooms  ;  Eve,  who  was 
already  dressed  for  dinner,  remaining  in  the  drawing-room. 
Paul  still  stood  before  her,  and,  like  herself,  he  seemed 
embarrassed. 

"  There  are  men  who  would  be  delighted  to  hear  even 
the  little  that  has  fallen  from  your  lips  in  this  trifling,"  he 
said,  as  soon  as  Mrs.  Bloomfield  was  out  of  hearing.  "  To 
be  an  American  and  a  seaman,  then,  are  not  serious  defects 
in  your  eyes  ?  " 

"Am  I  to  be  made  responsible  for  Mrs.  Bloomfield's  ca- 
prices and  pleasantries  ? " 

"  By  no  means  ;  but  I  do  think  you  hold  yourself  respon- 
sible for  Miss  Effingham's  truth  and  sincerity.  I  can  con- 
ceive of  your  silence,  when  questioned  too  far,  but  scarcely 
of  any  direct  declaration,  that  shall  not  possess  both  these 
high  qualities." 

Eve  looked  up  gratefully,  for  she  saw  that  profound  re- 
spect for  her  character  dictated  the  remark  ;  but  rising, 
she  observed — 

"  This  is  making  a  little  badinage  about  our  honest,  lion- 
hearted  old  captain,  a  very  serious  affair.  And  now,  to 
show  you  that  I  am  conscious  of,  and  thankful  for,  your 
own  compliments,  I  shall  place  you  on  the  footing  of  a 
friend  to  both  the  parties,  and  request  you  will  take  Cap- 
tain Truck  into  your  especial  care,  while  he  remains  here. 
My  father  and  cousin  are  both  sincerely  his  friends,  but 
their  habits  are  not  so  much  those  of  their  guests,  as  yours 
will  probably  be  ;  and  to  you,  then,  I  commit  him,  with  a 
request  that  he  may  miss  his  ship  and  the  ocean  as  little 
as  possible." 

UI  would  I  knew  how  to  take  this  charge,  Miss  Effing- 
ham  !  To  be  a  seaman  is  not  always  a  recommendation 
with  the  polished,  intelligent,  and  refined." 

"  But  when  one  is  polished,  intelligent,  and  refined,  to 
be  a  seaman  is  to  add  one  other  particular  and  useful 
branch  of  knowledge  to  those  which  are  more  familiar.  I 
feel  certain  Captain  Truck  will  be  in  good  hands,  and  now 
I  will  go  and  do  my  devoirs  to  my  own  especial  charges, 
the  ladies." 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  241 

Eve  bowed  as  she  passed  the  young  man,  and  she  left 
the  room  with  as  much  haste  as  at  all  became  her.  Paul 
stood  motionless  quite  a  minute  after  she  had  vanished, 
nor  did  he  awaken  from  his  reverie,  until  aroused  by  an 
appeal  from  Captain  Truck,  to  sustain  him,  in  some  of  his 
matter-of-fact  opinions  concerning  England,  against  the 
visionary  and  bookish  notions  of  Mr.  Howel. 

"Who  is  this  Mr.  Powis  ? "  asked  Mrs.  Bloomfield  of 
Eve,  when  the  latter  appeared  in  her  dressing-room,  with 
an  unusual  impatience  of  manner. 

"  You  know,  my  dear  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  that  he  was  our 
fellow-passenger  in  the  Montauk,  and  that  he  was  of  infi- 
nite service  to  us  in  escaping  from  the  Arabs." 

"All  this  I  know,  certainly  ;  but  he  is  a  European,  is  he 
not  ? " 

Eve  scarcely  ever  felt  more  embarrassed  than  in  answer- 
ing this  simple  question. 

"  I  believe  not  ;  at  least,  I  think  not ;  we  thought  so 
when  we  met  him  in  Europe,  and  even  until  quite  lately  ; 
but  he  has  avowed  himself  a  countryman  of  our  own,  since 
his  arrival  at  Templeton." 

"  Has  he  been  here  long  ?" 

"  We  found  him  in  the  village  on  reaching  home.  He 
was  from  Canada,  and  has  been  in  waiting  for  his  cousin, 
Captain  Ducie,  who  came  with  you." 

"  His  cousin  !  He  has  English  cousins,  then  !  Mr. 
Ducie  kept  this  to  himself,  with  true  English  reserve. 
Captain  Truck  whispered  something  of  the  latter's  having 
taken  out  one  of  his  passengers,  the  Mr.  Powis,  the  hero 
of  the  rocks,  but  I  did  not  know  of  his  having  found  his 
way  back  to  our — to  his  country.  Is  he  as  agreeable  as 
Sir  George  Templemore  ?  " 

"  Nay,  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  I  must  leave  you  to  judge  of 
that  for  yourself.  I  think  them  both  agreeable  men  ;  but 
there  is  so  much  caprice  in  a  woman's  tastes,  that  I  decline 
thinking  for  others." 

"  He  is  a  seaman,  I  believe,"  observed  Mrs.  Bloomfield, 
with  an  abstracted  manner  ;  "  he  must  have  been,  to  have 
manoeuvred  and  managed  as  I  have  been  told  he  did. 
Powis — Powis —  that  is  not  one  of  our  names,  either — I 
should  think  he  must  be  from  the  south." 

Here  Eve's  habitual  truth  and  dignity  of  mind  did  her 
16 


S42  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

good  service,  and  prevented  any  further  betrayal  of  embar- 
rassment. 

u  We  do  not  know  his  family,"  she  steadily  answered. 
"  That  he  is  a  gentleman,  we  see  ;  but  of  his  origin  and 
connections  he  never  speaks." 

"  His  profession  would  have  given  him  the  notions  of  a 
gentleman,  for  he  was  in  the  navy,  I  have  heard,  although 
I  had  thought  it  the  British  navy.  I  do  not  know  of  any 
Powises  in  Philadelphia,  or  Baltimore,  or  Richmond,  or 
Charleston  ;  he  must  surely  be  from  the  interior." 

Eve  could  scarcely  condemn  her  friend  for  a  curiosity 
that  had  not  a  little  tormented  herself,  though  she  would 
gladly  have  changed  the  discourse. 

"Mr.  Powis  would  be  much  gratified  did  he  know  what 
a  subject  of  interest  he  was  suddenly  become  with  Mrs. 
Bloomfield,"  she  said,  smiling. 

"  I  confess  it  all  ;  to  be  very  sincere,  I  think  him  the 
most  distinguished  young  man,  in  air,  appearance,  and  ex- 
pression of  countenance,  I  ever  saw.  When  this  is  coupled 
with  what  I  have  heard  of  his  gallantry  and  coolness,  my 
dear,  I  should  not  be  woman  to  feel  no  interest  in  him.  I 
would  give  the  world  to  know  of  what  State  he  is  a  native 
— if  native,  in  truth,  he  be." 

"  For  that  we  have  his  own  word.  He  was  born  in  this 
country,  and  was  educated  in  our  own  marine." 

"  And  yet  from  the  little  that  fell  from  him,  in  our  first 
short  conversation,  he  struck  me  as  being  educated  above 
his  profession." 

"  Mr.  Powis  has  seen  much  as  a  traveller  ;  when  we  met 
him  in  Europe,  it  was  in  a  circle  particularly  qualified  to 
improve  both  his  mind  and  his  manners." 

"  Europe!  Your  acquaintance  did  not  then  com- 
mence, like  that  with  Sir  George  Templemore,  in  the 
packet?" 

"  Our  acquaintance  with  neither  commenced  in  the  pack- 
et. My  father  had  often  seen  both  these  gentlemen,  during 
our  residence  in  different  parts  of  Europe." 

"  And  your  father's  daughter  ?  " 

"  My  father's  daughter,  too,"  said  Eve,  laughing.  "  With 
Mr.  Powis,  in  particular,  we  were  acquainted  under  circum- 
stances that  left  a  vivid  recollection  of  his  manliness  and 
professional  skill.  He  was  of  almost  as  much  service  to  us 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  243 

on  one  of  the  Swiss  lakes,  as  he  has  subsequently  been  on 
the  ocean." 

All  this  was  news  to  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  and  she  looked  as 
if  she  thought  the  intelligence  interesting.  At  this  moment 
the  dinner-bell  rang,  and  all  the  ladies  descended  to  the 
drawing-room.  The  gentlemen  were  already  assembled, 
and  as  Mr.  Effingham  led  Mrs.  Hawker  to  the  table,  Mrs. 
Bloomfield  gaily  took  Eve  by  the  arm,  protesting  that  she 
felt  herself  privileged,  the  first  day,  to  take  a  seat  near  the 
young  mistress  of  the  Wigwam. 

"  Mr.  Powis  and  Sir  George  Templemore  will  not  quarrel 
about  the  honor,"  she  said,  in  a  low  voice,  as  they  proceeded 
toward  the  table. 

"Indeed  you  are  in  error,  Mrs.  Bloomfield  ;  Sir  George 
Templemore  is  much  better  pleased  with  being  at  liberty 
to  sit  next  my  cousin  Grace." 

"  Can  this  be  so  !"  returned  the  other,  looking  intently 
at  her  young  friend. 

"  Indeed  it  is  so,  and  I  am  very  glad  to  be  able  to  affirm 
it.  How  far  Miss  Van  Cortlandt  is  pleased  that  it  is  so, 
time  must  show  ;  but  the  baronet  betrays  every  day,  and 
all  day,  how  much  he  is  pleased  with  her." 

"  He  is  then  a  man  of  less  taste,  and  judgment,  and  in- 
telligence, than  I  had  thought  him." 

"  Nay,  dearest  Mrs.  Bioomfield,  this  is  not  necessarily 
true  ;  or,  if  true,  need  it  be  so  openly  said  ?  " 

"  Se  non  e  veroy  e  ben  trovato" 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

"  Thine  for  a  space  are  they — 

Yet  shalt  thou  yield  thy  treasures  up  at  last ; 
Thy  gates  shall  yet  give  way, 

Thy  bolts  shall  fall,  inexorable  past." — BRYANT. 

CAPTAIN  DUCIE  had  retired  for  the  night,  and  was  sitting 
reading,  when  a  low  tap  at  the « door  roused  him  from  a 
brown  study.  He  gave  the  necessary  permission,  and  the 
door  opened. 

"  I  hope,  Ducie,  you  have  not  forgotten  the  secretaire  I 


244  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

left  among  your  effects,"  said  Paul,  entering  the  room, 
"and  concerning  which  I  wrote  to  you  when  you  were 
still  at  Quebec."" 

Captain  Ducie  pointed  to  the  case  which  was  standing 
among  his  other  luggage,  on  the  floor  of  the  room. 

"Thank  you  for  this  care,"  said  Paul,  taking  the  secre- 
taire under  his  arm,  and  retiring  toward  the  door  ;  "it  con- 
tains papers  of  much  importance  to  myself,  and  some  that 
I  have  reason  to  think  are  of  importance  to  others." 

"  Stop,  Powis — a  word  before  you  quit  me.  Is  Temple- 
more  de  tropt" 

"  Not  at  all  ;  I  have  a  sincere  regard  for  Templemore, 
and  should  be  sorry  to  see  him  leave  us." 

"  And  yet  I  think  it  singular  a  man  of  his  habits  should 
be  rusticating  among  these  hills,  when  I  know  that  he  is 
expected  to  look  at  the  Canadas,  with  a  view  to  report  their 
actual  condition  at  home." 

u  Is  Sir  George  really  intrusted  with  a  commission  of 
that  sort  ? "  inquired  Paul,  with  interest. 

"  Not  with  any  positive  commission,  perhaps,  for  none 
was  necessary.  Templemore  is  a  rich  fellow,  and  has  no 
need  of  appointments  ;  but  it  is  hoped  and  understood 
that  he  will  look  at  the  provinces,  and  report  their  condi- 
tion to  the  government.  I.  dare  say  he  will  not  be  im- 
peached for  his  negligence,  though  it  may  occasion  sur- 
prise." 

"  Good  night,  Ducie  ;  Templemore  prefers  a  wigwam  to 
your  walled  Quebec,  and  natives  to  colonists  ;  that  is  all." 

In  a  minute,  Paul  was  at  the  door  of  John  Effingham's 
room,  where  he  again  tapped,  and  was  again  told  to  enter. 

"  Ducie  has  not  forgotten  my  request,  and  this  is  the 
secretaire  that  contains  poor  Mr.  Monday's  papers,"  he  re- 
marked, as  he  laid  his  load  on  a  toilet-table,  speaking  in  a 
way  to  show  that  his  visit  was  expected.  "  We  have,  in- 
deed, neglected  this  duty  too  long,  and  it  is  to  be  hoped 
no  injustice,  or  wrong  to  any,  will  be  the  consequence." 

"  Is  that  the  package  ? "  demanded  John  Effingham,  ex- 
tending a  hand  to  receive  a  bundle  of  papers  that  Paul  had 
taken  from  the  secretaire.  "  We  will  break  the  seals  this 
moment,  and  ascertain  what  ought  to  be  done  before  we 
sleep.* 

"  These  are  papers  of  my  own,  and  very  precious  are 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  245 

they,"  returned  the  young  man,  regarding  them  a  moment 
with  interest,  before  he  laid  them  on  the  toilet.  "  Here  are 
the  papers  of  Mr.  Monday." 

John  Effingham  received  the  package  from  his  young 
friend,  placed  the  lights  conveniently  on  the  table,  put  on 
his  spectacles,  and  invited  Paul  to  be  seated.  The  gentle- 
men were  placed  opposite  each  other,  the  duty  of  break- 
ing the  seals,  and  first  casting  an  eye  at  the  contents  of  the 
different  documents,  devolving,  as  a  matter  of  course,  on 
the  senior  of  the  two,  who,  in  truth,  had  alone  been  in- 
trusted with  it. 

"  Here  is  something  signed  by  poor  Monday  himself,  in 
the  way  of  a  general  certificate,"  observed  John  Effingham, 
who  first  read  the  paper,  and  then  handed  it  to  Paul.  It 
was,  in  form,  an  unsealed  letter  ;  and  it  was  addressed  "  to 
all  whom  it  may  concern."  The  certificate  itself  was  in 
the  following  words  : 

"  I/John  Monday,  do  declare  and  certify,  that  all  the  ac- 
companying letters  and  documents  are  genuine  and  au- 
thentic. Jane  Dowse,  to  whom  and  from  whom,  are  so 
many  letters,  was  my  late  mother,  she  having  intermarried 
with  Peter  Dowse,  the  man  so  often  named,  and  who  led 
her  into  acts  for  which  I  know  she  has  since  been  deeply 
repentant.  In  committing  these  papers  to  me,  my  poor 
mother  left  me  the  sole  judge  of  the  course  I  was  to  take, 
and  I  have  put  them  in  this  form,  in  order  that  they  may 
yet  do  good,  should  I  be  called  suddenly  away.  All  de- 
pends on  discovering  who  the  person  called  Bright  actual- 
ly is,  for  he  was  never  known  to  my  mother  by  any  other 
name.  She  knows  him  to  have  been  an  Englishman,  how- 
ever, and  thinks  he  was,  or  has  been,  an  upper  servant  in 
a  gentleman's  family.  JOHN  MONDAY." 

This  paper  was  dated  several  years  back,  a  sign  that  the 
disposition  to  do  right  had  existed  some  time  in  Mr.  Mon- 
day ;  and  all  the  letters  and  other  papers  had  been  care- 
fully preserved.  The  latter  also  appeared  to  be  regularly 
numbered,  a  precaution  that  much  aided  the  investigations 
of  the  two  gentlemen.  The  original  letters  spoke  for  them- 
selves, and  the  copies  had  been  made  in  a  clear,  strong, 
mercantile  hand,  and  with  the  method  of  one  accustomed 
to  business.  In  short,  so  far  as  the  contents  of  the  differ- 


*46  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

ent  papers  would  allow,  nothing  was  wanting  to  render 
the  whole  distinct  and  intelligible. 

John  Effingham  read  the  paper  No.  i,  with  deliberation, 
though  not  aloud  ;  and  when  he  had  done,  he  handed  it  to 
his  young  friend,  coolly  remarking  : 

"  That  is  the  production  of  a  deliberate  villain." 

Paul  glanced  his  eye  over  the  document,  which  was  an 
original  letter  signed  "David  Bright,"  and  addressed  to 
"  Mrs.  Jane  Dowse."  It  was  written  with  exceeding  art, 
made  many  professions  of  friendship,  spoke  of  the  writer's 
knowledge  of  the  woman's  friends  in  England,  and  of  her 
first  husband  in  particular,  and  freely  professed  the  writer's 
desire  to  serve  her,  while  it  also  contained  several  ambigu- 
ous allusions  to  certain  means  of  doing  so,  which  should  be 
revealed  whenever  the  person  to  whom  the  letter  was  ad- 
dressed should  discover  a  willingness  to  embark  in  the 
undertaking.  This  letter  was  dated  Philadelphia,  was  ad- 
dressed to  one  in  New  York,  and  it  was  old. 

"  This  is,  indeed,  a  rare  specimen  of  villainy,"  said  Paul, 
as  he  laid  down  the  paper,  "  and  has  been  written  in  some 
such  spirit  as  that  employed  by  the  Devil  when  he  tempted 
our  common  mother.  I  think  I  never  read  a  better  speci- 
men of  low,  wily  cunning." 

"  And  judging  by  all  that  we  already  know,  it  would  seem 
to  have  succeeded.  In  this  letter  you  will  find  the  gentle- 
man a  little  more  explicit  ;  and  but  a  little ;  though  he  is 
evidently  encouraged  by  the  interest  and  curiosity  be- 
trayed by  the  woman  in  this  copy  of  the  answer  to  his  first 
epistle." 

Paul  read  the  letter  just  named,  and  then  he  laid  it  down 
to  wait  for  the  next,  which  was  still  in  the  hands  of  hi? 
companion. 

"  This  is  likely  to  prove  a  history  of  unlawful  love,  and 
of  its  miserable  consequences,"  said  John  Effingham  in  his 
cool  manner,  as  he  handed  the  answers  to  letter  No.  i  and 
letter  No.  2  to  Paul.  "  The  world  is  full  of  such  unfortu- 
nate adventures,  and  I  should  think  the  parties  English, 
by  a  hint  or  two  you  will  find  in  this  very  honest  and  con- 
scientious communication.  Strongly  artificial,  social,  and 
political  distinctions  render  expedients  of  this  nature  more 
frequent,  perhaps,  in  Great  Britain  than  in  any  other  coun- 
try. Youth  is  the  season  of  the  passions,  and  many  a  man, 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  247 

in  the  thoughtlessness  of  that  period,  lays  the  foundation 
of  bitter  regret  in  after  life." 

As  John  Effingham  raised  his  eyes,  in  the  act  of  extend- 
ing his  hand  toward  his  companion,  he  perceived  that  the 
fresh  ruddy  hue  of  his  embrowned  cheek  deepened,  until 
the  color  diffused  itself  over  the  whole  of  his  fine  brow.  At 
first  an  unpleasant  suspicion  flashed  on  John  Effingham, 
and  he  admitted  it  with  regret,  for  Eve  and  her  future  hap- 
piness had  got  to  be  closely  associated  in  his  mind  with 
the  character  and  conduct  of  the  young  man  ;  but  when 
Paul  took  the  papers  steadily,  and  by  an  effort  seemed  to 
subdue  all  unpleasant  feelings,  the  calm  dignity  with  which 
he  read  them  completely  effaced  the  disagreeable  distrust. 
It  was  then  John  Effingham  remembered  that  he  had  once 
believed  Paul  himself  might  be  the  fruits  of  the  heartless 
indiscretion  he  condemned.  Commiseration  and  sympathy 
instantly  took  the  place  of  the  first  impression,  and  he  was 
so  much  absorbed  with  these  feelings  that  he  had  not  taken 
up  the  letter  which  was  to  follow,  when  Paul  laid  down  the 
paper  he  had  last  been  required  to  read, 

"  This  does,  indeed,  sir,  seem  to  foretell  one  of  those  pain- 
ful histories  of  unbridled  passion,  with  the  still  more  pain- 
ful consequences,"  said  the  young  man,  with  the  steadiness 
of  one  who  was  unconscious  of  having  a  personal  connection 
with  any  events  of  a  nature  so  unpleasant.  "  Let  us  ex- 
amine further." 

John  Effingham  felt  emboldened  by  these  encouraging 
signs  of  unconcern,  and  he  read  the  succeeding  letters 
aloud,  so  that  they  learned  their  contents  simultaneously. 
The  next  six  or  eight  communications  betrayed  nothing 
distinctly,  beyond  the  fact  that  the  child  which  formed  the 
subject  of  the  whole  correspondence  was  to  be  received 
by  Peter  Dowse  and  his  wife,  and  to  be  retained  as  their 
own  offspring,  for  the  consideration  of  a  considerable  sum, 
with  an  additional  engagement  to  pay  an  annuity.  It  ap- 
peared by  these  letters  also,  that  the  child,  which  was  hy- 
pocritically alluded  to  under  the  name  of  the  "pet,"  had 
been  actually  transferred  to  the  keeping  of  Jane  Dowse, 
and  that  several  years  passed  after  this  arrangement  before 
the  correspondence  terminated.  Most  of  the  later  letters 
referred  to  the  payment  of  the  annuity,  although  they  con- 
tained cold  inquiries  after  the  "  pet,"  and  answers  so  vague 


248  HOME   AS  FOUND. 

and  general  as  sufficiently  to  prove  that  the  term  was  singu- 
larly misapplied.  In  the  whole,  .there  where  some  thirty  or 
forty  letters,  each  of  which  had  been  punctually  answered, 
and  their  dates  covered  a  space  of  near  twelve  years.  The 
perusal  of  all  these  papers  consumed  more  than  an  hour, 
and  when  John  Effingham  laid  his  spectacles  on  the  table, 
the  village  clock  had  struck  the  hour  of  midnight. 

"As  yet,"  he  observed,  "we  have  learned  little  more 
than  the  fact  that  a  child  was  made  to  take  a  false  charac- 
ter, without  possessing  any  other  clew  to  the  circumstan- 
ces than  is  given  in  the  names  of  the  parties,  all  of  whom 
are  evidently  obscure,  and  one  of  the  most  material  of 
whom,  we  are  plainly  told,  must  have  borne  a  fictitious 
name.  Even  poor  Monday,  in  possession  of  so  much  col- 
lateral testimony  that  we  want,  could  not  have  known 
what  was  the  precise  injustice  done,  if  any,  or  certainly, 
with  the  intentions  he  manifests,  he  would  not  have  left 
that  important  particular  in  the  dark." 

"  This  is  likely  to  prove  a  complicated  affair,"  returned 
Paul,  "and  it  is  not  very  clear  that  we  can  be  of  any  im- 
mediate service.  As  you  are  probably  fatigued,  we  may 
without  impropriety  defer  the  further  examination  to  an- 
other time." 

To  this  John  Effingham  assented,  and  Paul,  during  the 
short  conversation  that  followed,  brought  the  secretaire 
from  the  toilet  to  the  table,  along  with  the  bundle  of  im- 
portant papers  that  belonged  to  himself,  to  which  he  had 
alluded,  and  busied  himself  in  replacing  the  whole  in  the 
drawer  from  which  they  had  been  taken. 

"  All  the  formalities  about  the  seals,  that  we  observed 
when  poor  Monday  gave  us  the  packet,  would  now  seem 
to  be  unnecessary,"  he  remarked,  while  thus  occupied, 
"and  it  will  probably  be  sufficient  if  I  leave  the  secretaire 
in  your  room,  and  keep  the  keys  myself." 

"  One  never  knows,"  returned  John  Effingham,  with  the 
greater  caution  of  experience  and  age.  "  We  have  not 
read  all  the  papers,  and  there  are  wax  and  lights  before 
you  ;  each  has  his  watch  and  seal,  and  it  will  be  the  work 
of  a  minute  only,  to  replace  everything  as  we  left  the 
package  originally.  When  this  is  done,  you  may  leave  the 
secretaire,  or  remove  it  at  your  own  pleasure." 

"  I  will  leave  it  ;  for  though  it  contains  so  much  that  J 


HO  AIR   AS  FOUND. 


249 


prize,  and  which  is  really  of  great  importance  to  myself, 
it  contains  nothing  for  which  I  shall  have  immediate  oc- 
casion." 

"In  that  case  it  were  better  that  I  place  the  package  in 
which  we  have  a  common  interest  in  an  armoire,  or  in  my 
secretaire,  and  that  you  keep  your  precious  effects  more 
immediately  under  your  own  eye." 

"  It  is  immaterial,  unless  the  case  will  inconvenience 
you,  for  I  do  not  know  that  I  am  not  happier  when  it  is 
out  of  my  sight,  so  long  as  I  feel  certain  of  its  security, 
than  when  it  is  constantly  before  my  eyes." 

Paul  said  this  with  a  forced  smile,  and  there  was  a  sad- 
ness in  his  countenance  that  excited  the  sympathy  of  his 
companion.  The  latter,  however,  merely  bowed  his  assent, 
and  the  papers  were  replaced,  and  the  secretaire  was 
locked  and  deposited  in  an  armoire  in  silence.  Paul  was 
then  about  to  wish  the  other  good  night,  when  John 
Effingham  seized  his  hand,  and  by  a  gentle  effort  induced 
him  to  resume  his  seat.  An  embarrassing,  but  short  pause 
succeeded,  when  the  latter  spoke. 

"  We  have  suffered  enough  in  company,  and  have  seen 
each  other  in  situations  of  sufficient  trial,  to  be  friends," 
he  said.  "  I  should  feel  mortified  did  I  believe  you  could 
think  me  influenced  by  an  improper  curiosity,  in  wishing 
to  share  more  of  your  confidence  than  perhaps  you  are 
willing  to  bestow  ;  I  trust  you  will  attribute  to  its  right 
motive  the  liberty  I  am  now  taking.  Age  makes  some 
difference  between  us,  and  the  sincere  and  strong  interest 
I  feel  in  your  welfare  ought  to  give  me  a  small  claim  not 
to  be  treated  as  a  total  stranger.  So  jealous  and  watchful 
has  this  interest  been,  I  might  with  truth  call  it  affection, 
that  I  have  discovered  you  are  not  situated  exactly  as 
other  men  in  your  condition  of  life  are  situated,  and  I  feel 
persuaded  that  the  sympathy,  perhaps  the  advice,  of  one 
so  many  years  older  than  yourself  might  be  useful.  You 
have  already  said  so  much  to  me  on  the  subject  of  your 
personal  situation,  that  I  almost  feel  a  right  to  ask  for 
more." 

John  Effingham  uttered  this  in  his  mildest  and  most  win- 
ning manner  ;  and  few  men  could  carry  with  them,  on  such 
an  occasion,  more  of  persuasion  in  their  voices  and  looks. 
Paul's  features  worked,  and  it  was  evident  to  his  compan- 


250  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

ion  that  he  was  moved,  while,  at  the  same  time,  he  was  not 
displeased. 

"  I  am  grateful,  deeply  grateful,  sir,  for  this  interest  in 
mv  happiness,"  Paul  answered,  "  and  if  I  knew  the  partic- 
ular points  on  which  you  feel  any  curiosity,  there  is  noth- 
ing that  I  can  desire  to  conceal.  Have  the  further  kindness 
to  question  me,  Mr.  Effingham,  that  I  need  not  touch  on 
things  you  do  not  care  to  hear." 

"  All  that  really  concerns  your  welfare,  would  have  in- 
terest with  me.  You  have  been  the  agent  of  rescuing  not 
only  myself,  but  those  whom  I  most  love,  from  a  fate  worse 
than  death  ;  and,  a  childless  bachelor  myself,  I  have  more 
than  once  thought  of  attempting  to  supply  the  places  of 
those  natural  friends  that  I  fear  you  have  lost.  Your  par- 
ents  " 

"Are  both  dead.  I  never  knew  either,"  said  Paul,  who 
spoke  huskily,  "and  will  most  cheerfully  accept  your  gen- 
erous offer,  if  you  will  allow  me  to  attach  to  it  a  single  con- 
dition." 

"Beggars  must  not  be  choosers,"  returned  John  Effing- 
ham,  "and  if  you  will  allow  me  to  feel  this  interest  in  you, 
and  occasionally  to  share  in  the  confidence  of  a  father,  I 
shall  not  insist  on  any  unreasonable  terms.  What  is  your 
condition  ?" 

"That  the  word  money  may  be  struck  out  of  our  vocab- 
ulary, and  that  you  leave  your  will  unaltered.  Were  the 
world  to  be  examined,  you  could  not  find  a  worthier  or  a 
lovelier  heiress  than  the  one  you  have  already  selected, 
and  whom  Providence  itself  has  given  you.  Compared 
with  yourself,  I  am  not  rich  ;  but  I  have  a  gentleman's  in- 
come, and  as  I  shall  probably  never  marry,  it  will  suffice 
for  all  my  wants." 

John  Effingham  was  more  pleased  than  he  cared  to  ex- 
press with  this  frankness,  and  with  the  secret  sympathy 
that  had  existed  between  them  ;  but  he  smiled  at  the  in- 
junction ;  for,  with  Eve's  knowledge,  and  her  father's  entire 
approbation,  he  had  actually  made  a  codicil  to  his  will,  in 
which  their  young  protector  was  left  one-half  of  his  large 
fortune. 

"The  will  may  remain  untouched,  if  you  desire  it,"  he 
answered,  evasively,  "  and  that  condition  is  disposed  of.  I 
am  glad  to  learn  so  directly  from  yourself,  what  your  man- 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  251 

ner  of  living  and  the  reports  of  others  had  prepared  me  to 
hear,  that  you  are  independent.  This  fact  alone  will  place 
us  solely  on  our  mutual  esteem,  and  render  the  friendship 
that  I  hope  is  now  brought  within  a  covenant,  if  not  now 
first  established,  more  equal  and  frank.  You  have  seen 
much  of  the  world,  Powis,  for  your  years  and  profession  ?" 

"  It  is  usual  to  think  that  men  of  my  profession  see  much 
of  the  world,  as  a  consequence  of  their  pursuits  ;  though  I 
agree  with  you,  sir,  that  this  is  seeing  the  world  only  in  a 
very  limited  circle.  It  is  now  several  years  since  circum- 
stances, I  might  almost  say  the  imperative  order  of  one 
whom  I  was  bound  to  obey,  induced  me  to  resign,  and 
since  that  time  I  have  done  little  else  but  travel.  Owing 
to  certain  adventitious  causes,  I  have  enjoyed  an  access  to 
European  society  that  few  of  our  countrymen  possess,  and 
I  hope  the  advantage  has  not  been  entirely  thrown  away. 
It  was  as  a  traveller  on  the  continent  of  Europe  that  I  had 
the  pleasure  of  first  meeting  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Effingham. 
I  was  much  abroad,  even  as  a  child,  and  owe  some  little 
skill  in  foreign  languages  to  that  circumstance. 

"  So  my  cousin  has  informed  me.  You  have  set  the  ques- 
tion of  country  at  rest,  by  declaring  that  you  are  an  Ameri- 
can, and  yet  I  find  you  have  English  relatives.  Captain 
Ducie,  I  believe,  is  a  kinsman  ? " 

"  He  is.  We  are  sisters'  children,  though  our  friend- 
ship has  not  always  been  such  as  the  connection  wrould  in- 
fer. When  Ducie  and  myself  met  at  sea,  there  was  an 
awkwardness,  if  not  a  coolness,  in  the  interview,  that, 
coupled  with  my  sudden  return  to  England,  I  fear  did  not 
make  the  most  favorable  impression  on  those  who  wit- 
nessed what  passed." 

"We  had  confidence  in  your  principles,"  said  John 
Effingham,  with  a  frank  simplicity,  "and  though  the  first 
surmises  were  not  pleasant,  perhaps,  a  little  reflection  told 
us  that  there  was  no  just  ground  for  suspicion." 

"  Ducie  is  a  fine,  manly  fellow,  and  has  a  seaman's  gen- 
erosity and  sincerity.  I  had  last  parted  from  him  on  the 
field  where  we  met  as  enemies,  and  the  circumstance  ren- 
dered the  unexpected  meeting  awkward.  Our  wounds 
no  longer  smarted,  it  is  true  ;  but  perhaps,  we  both  felt 
ihame  and  sorrow  that  they  had  ever  been  inflicted." 

"  It  should  be  a  very  serious  quarrel  that  could  arm  sis- 


252  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

ters'  children  against  each  other,"  said  John  Effingham, 
gravely. 

"  I  admit  as  much.  But,  at  that  time,  Captain  Ducie 
was  not  disposed  to  admit  the  consanguinity,  and  the  of- 
fence grew  out  of  an  intemperate  resentment  of  some  im- 
putations on  my  birth  ;  between  two  military  men,  the 
issue  could  scarcely  be  avoided.  Ducie  challenged,  and  I 
was  not  then  in  the  humor  to  balk  him.  A  couple  of  flesh- 
wounds  happily  terminated  the  affair.  But  an  interval  of 
three  years  had  enabled  my  enemy  to  discover  that  he  had 
not  done  me  justice  ;  that  I  had  been  causelessly  provoked 
to  the  quarrel,  and  that  we  ought  to  be  firm  friends.  The 
generous  desire  to  make  suitable  expiation  urged  him  to 
seize  the  first  occasion  of  coming  to  America  that  offered  ; 
and  when  ordered  to  chase  the  Montauk,  by  a  telegraphic 
communication  from  London,  he  was  hourly  expecting  to 
sail  for  our  seas,  where  he  wished  to  come,  expressly  that 
we  might  meet.  You  will  judge,  therefore,  how  happy  he 
was  to  find  me  unexpectedly  in  the  vessel  that  contained 
his  principal  object  of  pursuit,  thus  killing,  as  it  might 
be,  two  birds  with  one  stone." 

"And  did  he  carry  you  away  with  him  with  any  such 
murderous  intention  ?  "  demanded  John  Effingham,  smil- 
ing. 

**  By  no  means.  Nothing  could  be  more  amicable  than 
Ducie  and  myself  got  to  be,  when  we  had  been  a  few  hours 
together  in  his  cabin.  As  often  happens,  when  there  have 
been  violent  antipathies  and  unreasonable  prejudices,  a 
nearer  view  of  each  other's  character  and  motives  removed 
every  obstacle  ;  and  long  before  we  reached  England,  two 
warmer  friends  could  not  be  found,  or  a  more  frank  in- 
tercourse between  relatives  could  not  be  desired.  You  are 
aware,  sir,  that  our  English  cousins  do  not  often  view  their 
cisatlantic  relatives  with  the  most  lenient  eyes." 

"This  is  but  too  true,"  said  John  Effingham  proudly, 
though  his  lip  quivered  as  he  spoke,  "  and  it  is,  in  a  great 
measure,  the  fault  of  that  miserable  mental  bondage  which 
has  left  this  country,  after  sixty  years  of  nominal  inde- 
pendence, so  much  at  the  mercy  of  a  hostile  opinion.  It 
is  necessary  that  we  respect  ourselves  in  order  that  others 
respect  us." 

"  I  agree  with  you,  sir,  entirely.     In  my  case,  however 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  253 

previous  injustice  disposed  my  relatives  to  receive  me  bet- 
ter, perhaps,  than  might  otherwise  have  been  the  case.  I 
had  little  to  ask  in  the  way  of  fortune,  and  feeling  no  dis- 
position to  raise  a  question  that  might  disturb  the  peerage 
of  the  Ducies,  I  became  a  favorite." 

"  A  peerage  !     Both  your  parents,  then,  were  English  ?" 

"  Neither,  I  believe  ;  but  the  connection  between  the  two 
countries  was  so  close,  that  it  can  occasion  no  surprise  a 
right  of  this  nature  should  have  passed  into  the  colonies. 
My  mother's  mother  became  the  heiress  of  one  of  those 
ancient  baronies  that  pass  to  the  heirs-general,  and,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  deaths  of  two  brothers,  these  rights,  which, 
however,  were  never  actually  possessed  by  any  of  the  pre- 
vious generation,  centred  in  my  mother  and  my  aunt.  The 
former  being  dead,  as  was  contended,  without  issue " 

"  You  forget  yourself  !  " 

"  Lawful  issue,"  added  Paul,  reddening  to  the  temples, 
"  I  should  have  added  ;  Mrs.  Ducie  who  was  married  to 
the  younger  son  of  an  English  nobleman,  claimed  and  ob- 
tained the  rank.  My  pretension  would  have  left  the  peer- 
age in  abeyance,  and  I  probably  owq  some  little  of  the  op- 
position I  found  to  that  circumstance.  But,  after  Ducie's 
generous  conduct,  I  could  not  hesitate  about  joining  in  the 
application  to  the  crown,  that,  by  its  decision,  the  abey- 
ance might  be  determined  in  favor  of  the  person  who  was 
in  possession  ;  and  Lady  Dunluce  is  now  quietly  confirmed 
in  her  claim." 

"  There  are  many  young  men  in  this  country  who  would 
cling  to  the  hopes  of  a  British  peerage  with  greater  te- 
nacity ! " 

"  It  is  probable  there  are  ;  but  my  self-denial  is  not  of  a 
very  high  order,  for  it  could  scarcely  be  expected  the  Eng- 
lish ministers  would  consent  to  give  the  rank  to  a  foreign- 
er who  did  not  hesitate  about  avowing  his  principles  and 
national  feelings.  I  shall  not  say  I  did  not  covet  this  peer- 
age, for  it  would  be  supererogatory  ;  but  I  am  born  an 
American,  and  will  die  an  American  ;  and  an  American 
who  swaggers  about  such  a  claim  is  like  the  daw  among 
the  peacocks.  The  least  that  is  said  about  it  the  better." 

"  You  are  fortunate  to  have  escaped  the  journals,  which 
most  probably  would  have  begraced  JQ\\,  by  elevating  you 
at  once  to  the  rank  of  a  duke." 


254  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  Instead  of  which  I  had  no  other  station  than  that  of  a 
dog  in  the  manger.  If  it  makes  my  aunt  happy  to  be  called 
Lady  Dunluce,  I  am  sure  she  is  welcome  to  the  privilege  ; 
and  when  Ducie  succeeds  her,  as  will  one  day  be  the  case, 
an  excellent  fellow  will  be  a  peer  of  England.  Voila  tout ! 
You  are  the  only  countryman,  sir,  to  whom  I  have  ever 
spoken  of  the  circumstance,  and  with  you,  I  trust,  it  will 
remain  a  secret." 

"What !  am  I  precluded  from  mentioning  the  facts  in 
my  own  family  ?  I  am  not  the  only  sincere,  the  only  warm 
friend  you  have  in  this  house,  Powis." 

"  In  that  respect,  I  leave  you  to  act  your  pleasure,  my 
dear  sir.  If  Mr.  Effingham  feels  sufficient  interest  in  my 
fortunes,  to  wish  to  hear  what  I  have  told  you,  let  there  be 
no  silly  mysteries — or — or  Mademoiselle  Viefville " 

"  Or  Nanny  Sidley,  or  Annette,"  interrupted  John  Effing- 
ham,  with  a  kind  smile.  "  Well,  trust  to  me  for  that ;  but, 
before  we  separate  for  the  night,  I  wish  to  ascertain  be- 
yond question  one  other  fact,  although  the  circumstances 
you  have  stated  scarce  leave  a  doubt  of  the  reply." 

"  I  understand  you,  sir,  and'did  not  intend  to  leave  you 
in  any  uncertainty  on  that  important  particular.  If  there 
can  be  a  feeling  more  painful  than  all  others,  with  a  man 
of  any  pride,  it  is  to  distrust  the  purity  of  his  mother. 
Mine  was  beyond  reproach,  thank  God,  and  so  it  was  most 
clearly  established  or  I  could  certainly  have  had  no  legal 
claim  to  the  peerage. 

"  Or  your  fortune,"  added  John  Effingham,  drawing  a 
long  breath,  like  one  suddenly  relieved  from  an  unpleas- 
ant suspicion. 

"  My  fortune  comes  from  neither  parent,  but  from  one 
of  those  generous  dispositions,  or  caprices,  if  you  will, 
that  sometimes  induce  men  to  adopt  those  who  are  alien 
to  their  blood.  My  guardian  adopted  me,  took  me  abroad 
with  him,  and  placed  me,  quite  young,  in  the  navy,  and 
dying,  he  finally  left  me  all  he  possessed.  As  he  was  a  bach- 
elor, with  no  near  relative,  and  had  been  the  artisan  of 
his  own  fortune,  I  could  have  no  hesitation  about  accept- 
ing the  gift  he  so  liberally  bequeathed.  It  was  coupled 
with  the  condition  that  I  should  retire  from  the  service, 
travel  for  five  years,  return  home,  and  marry.  There  is 
no  silly  forfeiture  exacted  in  either  case,  but  such  is  the 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  255 

general  course  solemnly  advised  by  a  man  who  showed 
himself  my  true  friend  for  so  many  years." 

"  I  envy  him  the  opportunity  he  enjoyed  of  serving  you. 
I  hope  he  would  have  approved  of  your  national  pride, 
for  I  believe  we  must  put  that  at  the  bottom  of  your  dis- 
interestedness in  the  affairs  of  the  peerage." 

"  He  would,  indeed  ;  although  he  never  knew  anything 
of  the  claim  which  arose  out  of  the  death  of  the  two  lords 
who  preceded  my  aunt,  and  who  were  the  brothers  of  my 
grandmother.  My  guardian  was  in  all  respects  a  man, 
and  in  nothing  more  than  in  manly  national  pride.  While 
abroad  a  decoration  was  offered  him,  and  he  declined  it 
with  the  character  and  dignity  of  one  who  felt  that  dis- 
tinctions which  his  country  repudiated  every  gentleman 
belonging  to  that  country  ought  to  reject ;  and  yet  he  did 
it  with  a  respectful  gratitude  for  the  compliment  that  was 
due  to  the  government  from  which  the  offer  came." 

"  I  almost  envy  that  man,"  said  John  Effingham,  with 
warmth.  "  To  have  appreciated  you,  Powis,  was  a  mark 
of  a  high  judgment  ;  but  it  seems  he  properly  appreciated 
himself,  his  country,  and  human  nature." 

"And  yet  he  was  little  appreciated  in  his  turn.  That 
man  passed  years  in  one  of  our  largest  towns,  of  no  more 
apparent  account  among  its  population  than  any  one  of 
its  commoner  spirits,  and  of  not  half  as  much  as  one  of 
its  bustling  brokers  or  jobbers." 

"  In  that  there  is  nothing  surprising.  The  class  of  the 
chosen  few  is  too  small  everywhere  to  be  very  numerous 
at  any  given  point,  in  a  scattered  population  like  that  of 
America.  The  broker  will  as  naturally  appreciate  the 
broker  as  the  dog  appreciates  the  dog,  or  the  wolf  the  wolf. 
Least  of  all  is  the  manliness  you  have  named  likely  to  be 
valued  among  a  people  who  have  been  put  into  men's 
clothes  before  they  are  out  of  leading-strings.  I  am  older 
than  you,  my  dear  Paul  " — it  was  the  first  time  John  Effing- 
ham  ever  used  so  familiar  an  appellation,  and  the  young 
man  thought  it  sounded  kindly — "  I  am  older  than  you, 
my  dear  Paul,  and  will  venture  to  tell  you  an  important 
fact  that  may  hereafter  lessen  some  of  your  own  mortifi- 
cations. In  most  nations  there  is  a  high  standard  to  which 
man  at  least  affects  to  look  ;  and  arts  are  extolled  and 
seemingly  appreciated  for  their  naked  merits.  Little  of 


256  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

this  exists  in  America,  where  no  man  is  much  praised  for 
himself,  but  for  the  purposes  of  party,  or  to  feed  national 
vanity.  In  the  country  in  which,  of  all  others,  political 
opinion  ought  to  be  the  freest,  it  is  the  most  persecuted, 
and  the  community-character  of  the  nation  induces  every 
man  to  think  he  has  a  right  of  property  in  all  its  fame. 
England  exhibits  a  great  deal  of  this  weakness  and  in- 
justice, which,  it  is  to  be  feared,  is  a  vicious  fruit  of 
liberty  ;  for  it  is  certain  that  the  sacred  nature  of  opinion 
is  most  appreciated  in  those  countries  in  which  it  has  the 
least  efficiency.  We  are  constantly  deriding  those  govern- 
ments which  fetter  opinion,  and  yet  I  know  of  no  nation  in 
which  the  expression  of  opinion  is  so  certain  to  attract 
persecution  and  hostility  as  our  own,  though  it  may  be, 
and  is,  in  one  sense,  free." 

"  This  arises  from  its  potency.  Men  quarrel  about  opin- 
ion here,  because  opinion  rules.  It  is  but  one  mode  of 
struggling  for  power.  But  to  return  to  my  guardian  ;  he 
was  a  man  to  think  and  act  for  himself,  and  as  far  from  the 
magazine  and  newspaper  existence  that  most  Americans,  in 
a  moral  sense,  pass,  as  any  man  could  be." 

"  It  is  indeed  a  newspaper  and  magazine  existence,"  said 
John  Effingham,  smiling  at  Paul's  terms,  "  to  know  life  only 
through  such  mediums!  It  is  as  bad  as  the  condition  of 
those  English  who  form  their  notions  of  society  from  novels 
written  by  men  and  women  who  have  no  access  to  it,  and 
from  the  records  of  the  court  journal.  I  thank  you  sin- 
cerely, Mr.  Powis,  for  this  confidence,  which  has  not  been 
idly  solicited  on  my  part,  and  which  shall  not  be  abused. 
At  no  distant  day  we  will  break  the  seals  again,  and  renew 
our  investigations  into  this  affair  of  the  unfortunate  Monday, 
which  is  not  yet,  certainly,  very  promising  in  the  way  of 
revelations." 

The  gentlemen  shook  hands  cordially,  and  Paul,  lighted 
by  his  companion,  withdrew.  When  the  young  man  was 
at  the  door  of  his  own  room  he  turned,  and  saw  John  Effing- 
ham  following  him  with  his  eye.  The  latter  then  renewed 
the  good  night,  with  one  of  those  winning  smiles  that  ren- 
dered his  face  so  brilliantly  handsome,  and  each  retired. 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  257 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


"Item,  a  capon,  2s.  2d. 
Item,  sauce,  4^. 
Item,  sack,  two  gallons,  5^.  &/. 
Item,  bread,  a  half-penny." — SHAKESPEARE. 

THE  next  day  John  Effingham  made  no  allusion  to  the 
conversation  of  the  previous  night,  though  the  squeeze  of 
the  hand  he  gave  Paul  when  they  met,  was  an  assurance 
that  nothing  was  forgotten.  As  he  had  a  secret  pleasure  in 
obeying  any  injunction  of  Eve's,  the  young  man  himself 
sought  Captain  Truck  even  before  they  had  breakfasted  ; 
and  as  he  had  made  an  acquaintance  with  "  the  commodore  " 
on  the  lake,  previously  to  the  arrival  of  the  Effinghams, 
that  worthy  was  summoned,  and  regularly  introduced  to 
the  honest  ship-master.  The  meeting  between  these  two 
distinguished  men  was  grave,  ceremonious,  arid  dignified, 
each  probably  feeling  that  he  was  temporarily  the  guardian 
of  a  particular  portion  of  an  element  that  was  equally  dear 
to  both.  After  a  few  minutes  passed,  as  it  might  be,  in  the 
preliminary  points  of  etiquette,  a  better  feeling  and  more 
confidence  was  established,  and  it  was  soon  settled  that 
they  should  fish  in  company  the  rest  of  the  day,  Paul  prom- 
ising to  row  the  ladies  out  on  the  lake,  and  to  join  them  in 
the  course  of  the  afternoon. 

As  the  party  quitted  the  breakfast-table,  Eve  took  an 
occasion  to  thank  the  young  man  for  his  attention  to  their 
common  friend,  who,  it  was  reported,  had  taken  his  morn- 
ing's repast  at  an  early  hour,  and  was  already  on  the  lake, 
the  day  by  this  time  having  advanced  within  two  hours  of 
noon. 

"  I  have  dared  even  to  exceed  your  instructions,  Miss 
Effingham,"  said  Paul,  "  for  I  have  promised  the  captain  to 
endeavor  to  persuade  you,  and  as  many  of  the  ladies  as  pos- 
sible, to  trust  yourselves  to  my  seamanship,  and  to  submit 
to  be  rowed  out  to  the  spot  where  we  shall  find  him  and  his 
friend,  the  commodore,  riding  at  anchor." 

"An  engagement  that  my  influence  shall  be* used  to  see 


258  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

fulfilled.  Mrs.  Bloomfield  has  already  expressed  a  desire 
to  go  on  the  Otsego-Water,  and  I  make  no  doubt  I  shall 
find  other  companions.  Once  more  let  me  thank  you  for 
this  little  attention,  for  I  too  well  know  your  tastes  not  to 
understand  that  you  might  find  a  more  agreeable  ward." 

"  Upon  my  word  I  feel  a  sincere  regard  for  our  old  cap- 
tain, and  could  often  wish  for  no  better  companion.  Were 
he,  however,  as  disagreeable  as  I  find  him,  in  truth,  pleas- 
ant and  frank,  your  wishes  would  conceal  all  his  faults." 

"  You  have  learned,  Mr.  Powis,  that  small  attentions  are 
as  much  remembered  as  important  services,  and  after  hav- 
ing saved  our  lives,  wish  to  prove  that  you  can  discharge 
les  petits  devoirs  socials,  as  well  as  perform  great  deeds.  I 
trust  you  will  persuade  Sir  George  Templemore  to  be  of 
our  party,  and  at  four  we  shall  be  ready  to  accompany  you  ; 
until  then  I  am  contracted  to  a  gossip  with  Mrs.  Bloom- 
field,  in  her  dressing-room." 

We  shall  now  leave  the  party  on  the  land,  and  follow 
those  who  have  already  taken  boat,  or  the  fishermen.  The 
beginning  of  the  intercourse  between  the  salt-water  navi- 
gator and  his  fresh-water  companion  was  again  a  little  con- 
strained and  critical.  Their  professional  terms  agreed  as 
ill  as  possible,  for  when  the  captain  used  the  expression 
"ship  the  oars,"  the  commodore  understood  just  the  re- 
verse of  what  it  had  been  intended  to  express ;  and  once, 
when  he  told  his  companion  to  "give  way,"  the  latter  took 
the  hint  so  literally  as  actually  to  cease  rowing.  All  these 
professional  niceties  induced  the  worthy  ship-master  to 
undervalue  his  companion,  who,  in  the  main,  was  very 
skilful  in  his  particular  pursuit,  though  it  was  a  skill  that 
he  exerted  after  the  fashions  of  his  own  lake,  and  not  after 
the  fashions  of  the  ocean.  Owing  to  several  contretemps  of 
this  nature,  by  the  time  they  reached  the  fishing-ground 
the  captain  began  to  entertain  a  feeling  for  the  commo- 
dore that  ill  comported  with  the  deference  due  to  his  titu- 
lar rank. 

"  I  have  come  out  with  you,  commodore,"  said  Captain 
Truck,  when  they  had  got  to  their  station,  and  laying  a  pe- 
culiar emphasis  on  the  appellation  he  used,  "in  order  to 
enjoy  myself,  and  you  will  confer  an  especial  favor  on  me 
by  not  using  such  phrases  as  ''cable-rope,'  '  casting-anchor/ 
and  '  titivating.'  As  for  the  two  first,  no  seaman  ever  uses 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  259 

them,  and  I  never  heard  such  a  word  on  board  a  ship  as 

the  last.  D e,  sir,  if  I  believe  it  is  to  be  found  in  the 

dictionary,  even." 

"You  amaze  me,  sir !  *  Casting  anchor  '  and  t  cable-rope* 
are  both  Bible  phrases,  and  they  must  be  right." 

"That  follows  by  no  means,  commodore,  as  I  have  some 
reason  to  know  ;  for  my  father  having  been  a  parson  and  I 
being  a  seaman,  we  may  be  said  to  have  the  whole  subject, 
as  it  were,  in  the  family.  St.  Paul — you  have  heard  of  such 
a  man  as  St.  Paul,,  commodore  ?  " 

"  I  know  him  almost  by  heart,  Captain  Truck  ;  but  St. 
Peter  and  St.  Andrew  were  the  men  most  after  my  heart. 
Ours  is  an  ancient  calling,  sir,  and  in  those  two  instances 
you  see  to  what  a  fisherman  can  rise.  I  do  not  remember 
to  have  ever  heard  of  a  sea-captain  who  was  converted  into 
a  saint." 

"  Aye,  aye,  there  is  always  too  much  to  do  on  board  ship 
to  have  time  to  be  much  more  than  a  beginner  in  religion. 
There  was  my  mate,  v'y'ge  before  last,  Tom  Leach,  who  is 
now  master  of  a  ship  of  his  own,  had  he  been  brought  up 
to  it  properly,  he  would  have  made  as  conscientious  a  par- 
son as  did  his  grandfather  before  him.  Such  a  man  would 
have  been  a  seaman  as  well  as  a  parson.  I  have  little  to 
say  against  St.  Peter  or  St.  Andrew,  but,  in  my  judgment, 
they  were  none  the  better  saints  for  having  been  fishermen  ; 
and  if  the  truth  were  known,  I  dare  say  they  were  at  the 
bottom  of  introducing  such  lubberly  phrases  into  the  Bible 
as  *  casting-anchor  '  and  '  cable-rope.'  " 

"  Pray,  sir,"  asked  the  commodore,  with  dignity,  "  what 
are  you  in  the  practice  of  saying  when  you  speak  of  such 
matters  ?  for  to  be  frank  with  you,  we  always  use  these 
terms  on  these  lakes." 

"  Aye,  aye,  there  is  a  fresh-water  smell  about  them.  We 
say  *  anchor,'  or  *  let  go  the  anchor,'  or  '  dropped  the 
anchor,'  or  some  such  reasonable  expression,  and  not  '  cast 
anchor,'  as  if  a  bit  of  iron,  weighing  two  or  three  tons,  is 
to  be  jerked  about  like  a  stone  big  enough  to  kill  a  bird 
with.  As  for  the  *  cable-rope,'  as  you  call  it,  we  say  the 
'cable,'  or  'the  chain,'  or  'the  ground  tackle,'  according 
to  reason  and  circumstances.  You  never  hear  a  real  'salt' 
flourishing  his  '  cable-ropes,'  and  his  '  casting-anchors/ 
which  are-  altogether  too  sentimental  and  particular  for 


260  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

his  manner  of  speaking.  As  for  'ropes,'  I  suppose  you 
have  not  got  to  be  a  commodore,  and  need  being  told  how 
many  there  are  in  a  ship." 

"  I  do  not  pretend  to  have  counted  them,  but  I  have  seen 
a  ship,  sir,  and  one  under  full  sail,  too,  and  I  know  there 
were  as  many  ropes  about  her  as  there  are  pines  on  the 
Vision." 

"  Are  there  more  than  seven  of  these  trees  on  your  moun- 
tain ?  for  that  is  just  the  number  of  ropes  in  a  merchant- 
man ;  though  a  man-of-war's-man  counts  one  or  two  more." 

"You  astonish  me,  sir  !  But  seven  ropes  in  a  ship  ? — I 
should  have  said  there  are  seven  hundred  !  " 

"I  dare  say,  I  dare  say  ;  that  is  just  the  way  in  which  a 
landsman  pretends  to  criticise  a  vessel.  As  for  the  ropes, 
I  will  now  give  you  their  names,  and  then  you  can  lay  ath- 
wart hawse  of  these  canoe  gentry  by  the  hour,  and  teach 
them  ragging  and  modesty  both  at  the  same  time.  In  the 
first  place,"  continued  the  captain,  jerking  at  his  line,  and 
then  beginning  to  count  on  his  fingers — "there  is  the  'man- 
rope  ;'  then  come  the  'bucket-rope,'  the  'tiller-rope,'  the 
'  bolt-rope,'  the  '  foot-rope/  the  '  top-rope,'  and  the  '  limber- 
rope.'  I  have  followed  the  seas,  now,  more  than  half  a  cen- 
tury, and  never  yet  heard  of  a  '  cable-rope,'  from  any  one 
who  could  hand,  reef,  and  steer." 

"  Well,  sir,  every  man  to  his  trade,"  said  the  commodore, 
who  just  then  pulled  in  a  fine  pickerel,  which  was  the  third 
he  had  taken,  while  his  companion  rejoiced  in  no  more 
than  a  few  fruitless  bites.  "You  are  more  expert  in  ropes 
than  in  lines,  it  would  seem.  I  shall  not  deny  your  experi- 
ence and  knowledge  ;  but  in  the  way  of  fishing,  you  will 
at  least  allow  that  the  sea  is  no  great  school.  I  dare  say, 
now,  if  you  were  to  hook  the  'sogdollager,'  we  should 
have  you  jumping  into  the  lake  to  get  rid  of  him.  Quite 
probably,  sir,  you  never  before  heard  of  that  celebrated 
fish  ? " 

Notwithstanding  the  many  excellent  qualities  of  Captain 
Truck,  he  had  a  weakness  that  is  rather  peculiar  to  a  class 
of  men  who,  having  seen  so  much  of  this  earth,  are  unwil- 
ling to  admit  they  have  not  seen  it  all.  The  little  brush 
in  which  he  was  now  engaged  with  the  commodore  he 
conceived  due  to  his  own  dignity,  and  his  motive  was  duly 
to  impress  his  companion  with  his  superiority,  which  be- 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  261 

ing  fairly  admitted,  he  would  have  been  ready  enough  to 
acknowledge  that  the  other  understood  pike-fishing  much 
better  than  himself.  But  it  was  quite  too  early  in  the  dis- 
cussion to  make  any  such  avowal,  and  the  supercilious  re- 
mark of  the  commodore  putting  him  on  his  mettle,  he  was, 
ready  to  affirm  that  he  had  eaten  "  sogdollagers  "  for  break- 
fast, a  month  at  a  time,  had  it  been  necessary. 

"  Pooh  !  pooh  !  man,"  returned  the  captain,  with  an  air 
of  cool  indifference,  "  you  do  not  surely  fancy  that  you  have 
anything  in  a  lake  like  this  that  is  not  to  be  found  in  the 
ocean  !  If  you  were  to  see  a  whale's  flukes  thrashing  your 
puddle,  every  cruiser  among  you  would  run  for  a  port ;  and 
as  for  '  sogdollagers/  we  think  little  of  them  in  salt  water  ; 
the  flying-fish,  or  even  the  dry  dolphin,  being  much  the  best 
eating." 

"  Sir,"  said  the  commodore,  with  some  heat,  and  a  great 
deal  of  emphasis,  "there  is  but  one  i sogdollager '  in  the 
world,  and  he  is  in  this  lake.  No  man  has  ever  seen  him 
but  my  predecessor,  the  'Admiral/  and  myself." 

"Bah  !"  ejaculated  the  captain,  "they  are  as  plenty  as 
soft  clams  in  the  Mediterranean,  and  the  Egyptians  use 
them  as  a  pan-fish.  In  the  East  they  catch  them  to  bait 
with,  for  halibut  and  other  middling  sized  creatures,  that 
are  particular  about  their  diet.  It  is  a  good  fish,  I  own, 
as  is  seen  in  this  very  circumstance." 

"  Sir,"  repeated  the  commodore,  flourishing  his  hand, 
and  waxing  warm  with  earnestness,  "  there  is  but  one 
'sogdollager'  in  the  universe,  and  that  is  in  Lake  Otsego. 
A  *  sogdollager '  is  a  salmon  trout,  and  not  a  species  ;  a  sort 
of  father  to  all  the  salmon  trout  in  this  part  of  the  world  ; 
a  scaly  patriarch." 

"  I  make  no  doubt  your  '  sogdollager'  is  scaly  enough  ; 
but  what  is  the  use  in  wasting  words  about  such  a  trifle  ? 
A  whale  is  the  only  fish  fit  to  occupy  a  gentleman's  thoughts. 
As  long  as  I  have  been  at  sea,  I  have  never  witnessed  the 
taking  of  more  than  three  whales." 

This  allusion  happily  preserved  the  peace  ;  for,  if  there 
were  anything  in  the  world  for  which  the  commodore  en- 
tertained a  profound  but  obscure  reverence,  it  was  for  a 
whale.  He  even  thought  better  of  a  man  for  having  actually 
seen  one  gambolling  in  the  freedom  of  the  ocean  ;  and  his 
mind  became  suddenly  oppressed  by  the  glory  of  a  mariner, 


262  HOME   AS  FOUND. 

who  had  passed  his  life  among  such  gigantic  animals, 
Shoving  back  his  cap,  the  old  man  gazed  steadily  at  the 
captain  a  minute,  and  all  his  displeasure  about  the  "sog- 
dollagers"  vanished,  though,  in  his  inmost  mind,  he  set 
down  all  that  the  other  had  told  him  on  that  particular  sub- 
ject as  so  many  parts  of  a  regular  "  fish-story." 

"Captain  Truck,"  he  said,  with  solemnity,  "I  acknowl- 
edge myself  to  be  but  an  ignorant  and  inexperienced  man, 
one  who  has  passed  his  life  on  this  lake,  which,  broad  and 
beautiful  as  it  is,  must  seem  a  pond  in  the  eyes  of  a  seaman 
like  yourself,  who  have  passed  your  days  on  the  A'lan- 
tic 

"  Atlantic  !  "  interrupted  the  captain,  contemptuously  ; 
"  I  should  have  but  a  poor  opinion  of  myself,  had  I  seen 
nothing  but  the  Atlantic  !  Indeed,  I  never  can  believe  I 
am  at  sea  at  all  on  the  Atlantic,  the  passages  between  New 
York  and  Portsmouth  being  little  more  than  so  much  canal- 
ing  along  a  tow-path.  If  you  wish  to  say  anything  about 
oceans,  talk  of  the  Pacific  or  of  the  Great  South  Sea,  where 
a  man  may  run  a  month  with  a  fair  wind,  and  hardly  go 
from  isfend  to  island.  Indeed,  that  is  an  ocean  in  which 
there  is  a  manufactory  of  islands,  for  they  turn  them  off 
in  lots  to  supply  the  market,  and  of  a  size  to  suit  cus- 
tomers." 

"  A  manufactory  of  islands  !  "  repeated  the  commodore, 
who  began  to  entertain  an  awe  of  his  companion  that  he 
never  expected  to  feel  for  any  human  being  on  Lake  Otse- 
go  ;  "  are  you  certain,  sir,  there  is  no  mistake  in  this  ? " 

"  None  in  the  least  ;  not  only  islands,  but  whole  archi- 
pelagos are  made  annually  by  the  sea  insects  in  that  quar- 
ter of  the  world  ;  but,  then,  you  are  not  to  form  your 
notions  of  an  insect  in  such  an  ocean  by  the  insects  you 
see  in  such  a  bit  of  water  as  this." 

"  As  big  as  our  pickerel,  or  salmon  trout,  I  dare  say  ?  " 
returned  the  commodore,  in  the  simplicity  of  his  heart ;  for 
by  this  time  his  local  and  exclusive  conceit  wras  thoroughly 
humbled,  and  he  was  almost  ready  to  believe  anything. 

"  I  say  nothing  of  their  size,  for  it  is  to  their  numbers 
and  industry  that  I  principally  allude  now.  A  solitary 
shark,  I  dare  say,  would  set  your  whole  lake  in  commo- 
tion ?" 

"  I  think  WQ  might  rnanage  a  shark,  sir,     I  once  saw 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  263 

one  of  those  animals,  and  I  do  really  believe  the  sogdolla- 
ger  would  outweigh  him.  I  do  think  we  might  manage  a 
shark,  sir." 

"  Aye,  you  mean  an  in-shore,  high-latitude  fellow.  But 
what  would  you  say  to  a  shark  as  long  as  one  of  those 
pines  on  the  mountain  ? " 

"  Such  a  monster  would  take  in  a  man,  whole  !  " 

"A  man!  He  would  take  in  a  platoon,  Indian  file.  1 
dare  say  one  of  those  pines,  now,  may  be  thirty  or  forty 
feet  high ! " 

A  gleam  of  intelligence  and  of  exultation  shot  across 
the  weather-beaten  face  of  the  old  fisherman,  for  he  de- 
tected a  weak  spot  in  the  other's  knowledge.  The  worthy 
captain,  with  that  species  of  exclusiveness  which  accompa- 
nies excellence  in  any  one  thing,  was  quite  ignorant  of 
most  matters  that  pertain  to  the  land.  That  there  should 
be  a  tree,  so  far  inland,  that  was  larger  than  his  main-yard, 
he  did  not  think  probable,  although  that  yard  itself  was 
made  of  part  of  a  tree  ;  and,  in  the  laudable  intention  of 
duly  impressing  his  companion  with  the  superiority  of  a 
real  seaman  over  a  mere  fresh- water  navigator,  he  had  in- 
advertently laid  bare  a  weak  spot  in  his  estimate  of  heights 
and  distances,  that  the  commodore  seized  upon  with  some 
such  avidity  as  the  pike  seizes  the  hook.  This  accidental 
mistake  alone  saved  the  latter  from  an  abject  submission, 
for  the  cool  superiority  of  the  captain  had  so  far  deprived 
him  of  his  conceit,  that  he  was  almost  ready  to  acknowl- 
edge himself  no  better  than  a  dog,  when  he  caught  a 
glimpse  of  light  through  this  opening. 

"  There  is  not  a  pine,  that  can  be  called  of  age,  on  all 
the  mountain,  which  is  not  more  than  a  hundred  feet  high, 
and  many  are  nearer  two,"  he  cried  in  exultation,  flourish- 
ing his  hand.  "  The  sea  may  have  its  big  monsters,  cap- 
tain, but  our  hills  have  their  big  trees.  Did  you  ever  see  a 
shark  half  that  length  ? " 

Now,  Captain  Truck  was  a  man  of  truth,  although  so 
much  given  to  occasional  humorous  violations  of  its  laws, 
and,  withal,  a  little  disposed  to  dwell  upon  the  marvels  of 
the  great  deep  in  the  spirit  of  exaggeration,  and  he  could 
not  in  conscience  affirm  anything  so  extravagant  as  this. 
He  was  accordingly  obliged  to  admit  his  mistake,  and  from 
this  moment  the  conversation  was  carried  on  with  a  greater 


264  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

regard  to  equality.  They  talked,  as  they  fished,  of  politicsv 
religion,  philosophy,  human  nature,  the  useful  arts,  abol- 
ition, and  most  other  subjects  that  would  be  likely  to  in 
terest  a  couple  of  Americans  who  had  nothing  to  do  but 
to  twitch,  from  time  to  time,  at  two  lines  dangling  in  the 
water.  Although  few  people  possess  less  of  the  art  of  con- 
versation than  our  own  countrymen,  no  other  nation  takes 
as  wide  a  range  io  its  discussions.  He  is  but  a  very  indif- 
ferent Americap  that  does  not  know,  or  thinks  he  knows, 
a  little  of  everything,  and  neither  of  our  worthies  was  in 
the  least  backward  in  supporting  the  claims  of  the  national 
character  in  this  respect.  This  general  discussion  com- 
pletely restored  amity  between  the  parties  ;  for,  to  confess 
the  truth,  our  old  friend  the  captain  was  a  little  rebuked 
about  the  affair  of  the  tree.  The  only  peculiarity  worthy 
of  notice,  that  occurred  in  the  course  of  their  various  di- 
gressions, was  the  fact  that  the  commodore  insensibly  be- 
gan to  style  his  companion  "  General  ;  "  the  courtesy  of  the 
country,  in  his  eyes,  appearing  to  require  that  a  man  who 
had  seen  so  much  more  than  himself,  should  at  least 
enjoy  a  title  equal  to  his  own  in  rank,  and  that  of  Admiral 
being  proscribed  by  the  sensitiveness  of  Republican  prin- 
ciples. After  fishing  a  few  hours,  the  old  laker  pulled  the 
skiff  up  to  the  Point  so  often  mentioned,  where  he  lighted 
a  fire  on  the  grass,  and  prepared  a  dinner.  When  every- 
thing was  ready,  the  two  seated  themselves,  and  began  to 
enjoy  the  fruits  of  their  labors  in  a  way  that  will  be  un- 
derstood by  all  sportsmen, 

"  I  have  never  thought  of  asking  you,  general,"  said  the 
commodore,  as  he  began  to  masticate  a  perch,  "  whether 
you  are  an  aristocrat  or  a  democrat.  We  have  had  the 
government  pretty  much  upside-down,  too,  this  morning, 
but  this  question  has  escaped  me." 

"  As  we  are  here  by  ourselves  under  these  venerable 
oaks,  and  talking  like  two  old  messmates,"  returned  the 
general,  "I  shall  just  own  the  truth,  and  make  no  bones  of 
it.  I  have  been  captain  of  my  own  ship  so  long,  that  I 
have  a  most  thorough  contempt  for  all  equality.  It  is  a 
vice  that  I  deprecate,  and,  whatever  may  be  the  laws  of 
this  country,  I  am  of  opinion  that  equality  is  nowhere 
borne  out  by  the  Law  of  Nations ;  which,  after  all,  com- 
modore, is  the  only  true  law  for  a  gentleman  to  live  under." 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  265 

"  That  is  the  law  of  the  strongest,  if  I  understand  the 
matter,  general." 

"  Only  reduced  to  rules.  The  Law  of  Nations,  to  own 
the  truth  to  you,  is  full  of  categories,  and  this  will  give  an 
enterprising  man  an  opportunity  to  make  use  of  his  knowl- 
edge. Would  you  believe,  commodore,  that  there  are 
countries  in  which  they  lay  taxes  on  tobacco  ?  " 

"  Taxes  on  tobacco  !  Sir,  I  never  heard  of  such  an  act 
of  oppression  under  the  forms  of  law  !  What  has  tobacco 
done,  that  any  one  should  think  of  taxing  it  ?  " 

"  I  believe,  commodore,  that  its  greatest  offence  is  being 
so  general  a  favorite.  Taxation,  I  have  found,  differs  from 
most  other  things,  generally  attacking  that  which  men 
most  prize." 

"  This  is  quite  new  to  me,  general  ;  a  tax  on  tobacco  ! 
The  law-makers  in  those  countries  cannot  chew.  I  drink 
to  your  good  health,  sir,  and  to  many  happy  returns  of 
such  banquets  as  this." 

Here  the  commodore  raised  a  large  silver  punch-bowl, 
which  Pierre  had  furnished,  to  his  lips,  and  fastening  his 
eyes  on  the  boughs  of  a  gnarled  oak,  he  looked  like  a  man 
who  was  taking  an  observation,  for  near  a  minute.  All 
this  time,  the  captain  regarded  him  with  a  sympathetic 
pleasure,  and  when  the  bowl  was  free,  he  imitated  his  ex- 
ample, levelling  his  own  eye  at  a  cloud  that  seemed  float- 
ing at  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees  above  him,  expressly 
for  that  purpose. 

" There  is  a  lazy  cloud!"  exclaimed  the  general,  as  he 
let  go  his  hold  to  catch  breath  ;  "  I  have  been  watching  it 
some  time,  and  it  has  not  moved  an  inch." 

u  Tobacco  !"  repeated  the  commodore,  drawing  along 
breath,  as  if  he  was  just  recovering  the  play  of  his  lungs, 
"  I  should  as  soon  think  of  laying  a  tax  on  punch.  The 
country  that  pursues  such  a  policy  must  sooner  or  later 
meet  with  a  downfall.  I  never  knew  good  to  come  of  per- 
secution." 

"  I  find  you  are  a  sensible  man,  commodore,  and  regret 
I  did  not  make  your  acquaintance  earlier  in  life.  Have 
you  yet  made  up  your  mind  on  the  subject  of  religious 
faith  ? " 

"  Why,  my  dear  general,  not  to  be  nibbling,  like  a  sucker 
with  a  sore  mouth,  with  a  person  of  your  liberality,  I  shall 


266  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

give  you  a  plain  history  of  my  adventures,  in  the  way  ol 
experiences,  that  you  may  judge  for  yourself.  I  was  born 
an  Episcopalian,  if  one  can  say  so,  but  was  converted  to 
Presbyterianism  at  twenty.  I  stuck  to  this  denomination 
about  five  years,  when  I  thought  I  would  try  the  Baptists, 
having  got  to  be  fond  of  the  water  by  this  time.  At 
thirty-two  I  fished  awhile  with  the  Methodists ;  since  which 
conversion,  I  have  chosen  to  worship  God  pretty  much  by 
myself,  out  here  on  the  lake." 

"  Do  you  consider  it  any  harm  to  hook  a  fish  of  a  Sun- 
day ? " 

"  No  more  than  it  is  to  eat  a  fish  of  a  Sunday.  I  go  al- 
together by  faith  in  my  religion,  general,  for  they  talk  so 
much  to  me  of  the  uselessness  of  works,  that  I've  got  to  be 
very  unparticular  as  to  what  I  do.  Your  people  who  have 
been  converted  four  or  five  times  are  like  so  many  pick- 
erel, which  strike  at  every  hook." 

"  This  is  very  much  my  case.  Now,  on  the  river — of 
course  you  know  where  the  river  is  ?" 

"Certain,"  said  the  commodore  ;  "it  is  at  the  foot  of 
the  lake." 

"  My  dear  commodore,  when  we  say  '  the  river,'  we  al- 
ways mean  the  Connecticut  ;  and  I  am  surprised  a  man  of 
your  sagacity  should  require  to  be  told  this.  There  are 
people  on  the  river  who  contend  that  a  ship  should  heave- 
to  of  a  Sunday.  They  did  talk  of  getting  up  an  Anti-Sun- 
day-Sailing-Society, but  the  ship-masters  were  too  many 
for  them,  since  they  threatened  to  start  a  society  to  put 
down  the  growing  of  inyens  (the  captain  would  sometimes 
use  this  pronunciation)  except  of  week-days.  Well,  I 
started  in  life  on  the  platform  tack,  in  the  way  of  religion, 
and  I  believe  I  shall  stand  on  the  same  course  till  orders 
come  to  *  cast  anchor,'  as  you  call  it.  With  you,  I  hold 
out  for  faith,  as  the  one  thing  needful.  Pray,  my  good 
friend,  what  are  your  real  sentiments  concerning  '  Old 
Hickory '  ? " 

"  Tough,  sir  ;  tough  as  a  day  in  February  on  this  lake. 
All  fins,  and  gills,  and  bones." 

"  That  is  the  justest  character  I  have  yet  heard  of  the 
old  gentleman  ;  and  then  it  says  so  much  in  a  few  words; 
no  category  about  it.  I  hope  the  punch  is  to  your 
liking  ? " 


ffOME  AS  FOUND.  267 

On  this  hint  the  old  fisherman  raised  the  bowl  a  second 
time  to  his  lips,  and  renewed  the  agreeable  duty  of  letting 
its  contents  flow  down  his  throat  in  a  pleasant  stream. 
This  time  he  took  aim  at  a  gull  that  was  sailing  over  his 
head,  only  relinquishing  the  draught  as  the  bird  settled 
into  the  water.  The  "  general  "  was  more  particular  ;  for 
selecting  a  stationary  object  in  the  top  of  an  oak  that  grew 
on  the  mountain  near  him,  he  studied  it  with  an  admi- 
rable abstruseness  of  attention,  until  the  last  drop  was 
drained.  As  soon  as  this  startling  fact  was  mentioned, 
however,  both  the  convives  set  about  repairing  the  accident, 
by  squeezing  lemons,  sweetening  water,  and  mixing  liq- 
uors, secundum  artem.  At  the  same  time,  each  lighted  a 
cigar,  and  the  conversation,  for  some  time,  was  carried  on 
between  their  teeth. 

"  We  have  been  so  frank  with  each  other  to-day,  my  ex- 
cellent commodore,"  said  Captain  Truck,  "  that  did  I 
know  your  true  sentiments  concerning  Temperance  Soci- 
eties, I  should  look  on  your  inmost  soul  as  a  part  of  myself. 
By  these  free  communications  men  get  really  to  know 
each  other." 

"  If  liquor  is  not  made  to  be  drunk,  for  what  is  it  made  ? 
Any  one  may  see  that  this  lake  was  made  for  skiffs  and 
fishing  ;  it  has  a  length,  breadth,  and  depth  suited  to  such 
purposes.  Now,  here  is  liquor  distilled,  bottled,  and 
corked,  and  I  ask  if  all  does  not  show  it  was  made  to  be 
drunk.  I  dare  say  your  temperance  men  are  ingenious, 
but  let  them  answer  that  if  they  can." 

"  I  wish  from  my  heart,  my  dear  sir,  we  had  known  each 
other  fifty  years  since.  That  would  have  brought  you  ac- 
quainted with  salt-water,  and  left  nothing  to  be  desired  in 
your  character.  We  think  alike,  I  believe,  in  everything 
but  on  the  virtues  of  fresh-water.  If  these  temperance 
people  had  their  way,  we  should  all  be  turned  into  so 
many  Turks,  who  never  taste  wine,  and  yet  marry  a  dozen 
wives." 

"  One  of  the  great  merits  of  fresh-water,  general,  is  what 
I  call  its  mixable  quality." 

"  There  would  be  an  end  to  Saturday  nights,  too,  which 
are  the  seamen's  tea-parties." 

*'  I  question  if  many  of  them  fish  in  the  rain  from  sunrise 
to  sunset." 


268  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  Or  stand  their  watches  in  wet  pea-jackets  from  sunset 
to  sunrise.  Splicing  the  main-brace  at  such  times  is  the 
very  quintessence  of  human  enjoyments." 

"  If  liquors  were  not  made  to  be  drunk,"  put  in  the  com- 
modore, logically,  "  I  would  again  ask  for  what  are  they 
made  ?  Let  the  temperance  men  get  over  that  difficulty  if 
they  can." 

"  Commodore,  I  wish  you  twenty  more  good  hearty  years 
of  fishing  in  this  lake,  which  grows,  each  instant,  more 
beautiful  in  my  eyes,  as  I  confess  does  the  whole  earth  ; 
and  to  show  you  that  I  say  no  more  than  I  think,  I  will 
clench  it  with  a  draught." 

Captain  Truck  now  brought  his  right  eye  to  bear  on  the 
new  moon,  which  happened  to  be  at  a  convenient  height, 
closed  the  left  one,  and  continued  in  that  attitude  until  the 
commodore  began  seriously  to  think  he  was  to  get  nothing 
besides  the  lemon-seeds  for  his  share.  This  apprehension, 
however,  could  only  arise  from  ignorance  of  his  compan- 
ion's character,  than  whom  a  juster  man,  according  to  the 
notions  of  ship-masters,  did  not  live  ;  and  had  one  measured 
the  punch  that  was  left  in  the  bowl  when  this  draught  was 
ended,  he  wTould  have  found  that  precisely  one-half  of  it 
was  still  untouched,  to  a  thimbleful.  The  commodore  now 
had  his  turn  ;  and  before  he  got  through  the  bottom  of  the 
vessel  was  as  much  uppermost  as  the  butt  of  a  clubbed 
firelock.  When  the  honest  fisherman  took  breath  after  this 
exploit,  and  lowered  his  cup  from  the  vault  of  heaven  to 
the  surface  of  the  earth,  he  caught  a  view  of  a  boat  cross- 
ing the  lake,  coming  from  the  Silent  Pine,  to  that  Point 
on  which  they  were  en  joying  so  many  agreeable  hallucina- 
tions on  the  subject  of  temperance. 

"  Yonder  is  the  party  from  the  Wigwam,"  he  said,  "  and 
they  will  be  just  in  time  to  become  converts  to  our  opin- 
ions, if  they  have  any  doubts  on  the  subject  we  have  dis- 
cussed. Shall  we  give  up  the  ground  to  them,  by  taking 
to  the  skiff,  or  do  you  feel  disposed  to  face  the  women  ?  " 

"  Under  ordinary  circumstances,  commodore,  I  should 
prefer  your  society  to  all  the  petticoats  in  the  State,  but 
there  are  two  ladies  in  that  party,  either  of  whom  I  would 
marry,  any  day,  at  a  minute's  warning." 

"  Sir,"  said  the  commodore,  with  atone  of  warning,  "  we 
who  have  lived  bachelors  so  long,  and  are  wedded  to  the 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  269 

water,  ought  never  to  speak  lightly  on  so  grave  a  sub- 
ject." 

"Nor  do  I.  Two  women,  one  of  whom  is  twenty,  and 
the  other  seventy — and  hang  me  if  I  know  which  I  prefer." 

"You  would  soonest  be  rid  of  the  last,  my  dear  general, 
and  my  advice  is  to  take  her." 

"  Old  as  she  is,  sir,  a  king  would  have  to  plead  hard  to 
get  her  consent.  We  will  make  them  some  punch,  that 
they  may  see  we  were  mindful  of  them  in  their  absence." 

To  work  these  worthies  now  went  in  earnest,  in  order  to 
anticipate  the  arrival  of  the  party,  and  as  the  different  com- 
pounds were  in  the  course  of  mingling,  the  conversation 
did  not  flag.  By  this  time  both  the  salt-water  and  the 
fresh-water  sailor  were  in  that  condition  when  men  are  apt 
to  think  aloud,  and  the  commodore  had  lost  all  his  awe  of 
his  companion. 

"  My  dear  sir,"  said  the  former,  "  I  am  a  thousand  times 
sorry  you  came  from  that  river,  for,  to  tell  you  my  mind 
without  any  concealment,  my  only  objection  to  you  is  that 
you  are  not  of  the  Middle  States.  I  admit  the  good  quali- 
ties of  the  Yankees,  in  a  general  way,  and  yet  they  are  the 
very  worst  neighbors  that  a  man  can  have." 

"This  is  a  new  character  of  them,  commodore,  as  they 
generally  pass  for  the  best  in  their  own  eyes.  I  should  like 
to  hear  you  explain  your  meaning." 

"  I  call  him  a  bad  neighbor  who  never  remains  long 
enough  in  a  place  to  love  anything  but  himself.  Now,  sir, 
I  have  a  feeling  for  every  pebble  on  the  shore  of  this  lake, 
a  sympathy  with  every  wave  " — here  the  commodore  began 
to  twirl  his  hand  about,  with  the  fingers  standing  apart, 
like  so  many  spikes  in  a  chevaux-de-frise — "  and  each  hour, 
as  I  row  across  it,  I  find  I  like  it  better  ;  and  yet,  sir,  would 
you  believe  me,  I  often  go  away  of  a  morning  to  pass  the 
day  on  the  water,  and,  on  returning  home  at  night,  find 
half  the  houses  filled  with  new  faces." 

"  What  becomes  of  the  old  ones  ? "  demanded  Captain 
Truck  ;  for  this,  it  struck  him,  was  getting  the  better  of 
him  with  his  own  weapons.  "  Do  you  mean  that  the  peo- 
ple come  and  go  like  the  tides  ?  " 

"  Exactly  so,  sir  ;  just  as  it  used  to  be  with  the  herrings 
in  the  Otsego,  before  the  Susquehanna  was  dammed,  and 
is  still,  with  the  swallows." 


270  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"Well,  well,  my  good  friend,  take  consolation.  You'll 
meet  all  the  faces  you  ever  saw  here,  one  day,  in  heaven." 

"  Never  !  Not  a  man  of  them  will  stay  there,  if  there 
be  such  a  thing  as  moving.  Depend  on  it,  sir,"  added  the 
commodore,  in  the  simplicity  of  his  heart,  "  heaven  is  no 
place  for  a  Yankee,  if  he  can  get  further  west,  by  hook  or 
by  crook.  They  are  all  too  uneasy  for  any  steady  occupa- 
tion. You,  who  are  a  navigator,  must  know  something 
concerning  the  stars.  Is  there  such  a  thing  as  another 
world,  that  lies  west  of  this  ?  " 

"  That  can  hardly  be,  commodore,  since  the  points  of  the 
compass  only  refer  to  objects  on  this  earth.  You  know,  I 
suppose,  that  a  man  starting  from  this  spot,  and  travelling 
due  west,  would  arrive  in  time  at  this  very  point,  coming  in 
from  the  east.  So  that  what  is  west  to  us,  in  the  heavens, 
on  this  side  of  the  world,  is  east  to  those  on  the  other." 

"  This  I  confess  I  did  not  know,  general.  I  have  under- 
stood that  what  is  good  in  one  man's  eyes,  will  be  bad  in 
another's  ;  but  never  before  have  I  heard  that  what  is  west 
to  one  man  lies  east  to  another.  I  am  afraid,  general,  that 
there  is  a  little  of  the  sogdollager  bait  in  this  ? " 

"  Not  enough,  sir,  to  catch  the  merest  fresh-water  gud- 
geon that  swims.  No,  no  ;.  there  is  neither  east  nor  west 
off  the  earth,  nor  any  up  and  down  ;  and  so  we  Yankees 
must  try  and  content  ourselves  with  heaven.  Now,  com- 
modore, hand  me  the  bowl,  and  we  will  get  it  ready  down 
to  the  shore,  and  offer  the  ladies  our  homage.  And  so  you 
have  become  a  laker  in  your  religion,  my  dear  commo- 
dore," continued  the  general,  between  his  teeth,  while  he 
smoked  and  squeezed  a  lemon  at  the  same  time,  "  and  do 
your  worshipping  on  the  water  ?" 

"  Altogether  of  late,  and  more  especially  since  my 
dream  ? " 

"  Dream  !  My  dear  sir,  I  should  think  you  altogether 
too  innocent  a  man  to  dream  ?  " 

"  The  best  of  us  have  our  failings,  general.  I  do  some- 
times dream,  I  own,  as  well  as  the  greatest  sinner  of  them 
all." 

"  And  what  did  you  dream — the  sogdollager  ? " 

"  I  dreamt  of  death." 

"  Of  slipping  the  cable  !  "  cried  the  general,  looking  up 
suddenly.  "  Well,  what  was  the  drift  ?" 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  27.' 

"  Why,  sir,  having  no  wings,  I  went  down  below,  and 
soon  found  myself  in  the  presence  of  the  old  gentleman 
himself." 

"  That  was  pleasant.  Had  he  a  tail  ?  I  have  always 
been  curious  to  know  whether  he  really  has  a  tail  or  not." 

"  I  saw  none,  sir  ;  but  then  we  stood  face  to  face,  like 
gentlemen,  and  I  cannot  describe  what  I  did  not  see." 

"Was  he  glad  to  see  you,  commodore  ? " 

"  Why,  sir,  he  was  civilly  spoken,  but  his  .occupation 
prevented  many  compliments." 

"  Occupation  !  " 

"  Certainly,  sir  ;  he  was  cutting  out  shoes,  for  his  imps 
to  travel  about  in,  in  order  to  stir  up  mischief." 

"  And  did  he  set  you  to  work  ?  This  is  a  sort  of  state 
prison  affair,  after  all !  " 

"  No,  sir,  he  was  too  much  of  a  gentleman  to  set  me  at 
making  shoes  as  soon  as  I  arrived.  He  first  inquired  what 
part  of  the  country  I  was  from,  and  when  I  told  him,  he 
was  curious  to  know  what  most  of  the  people  were  about 
in  our  neighborhood." 

"  You  told  him,  of  course,  commodore  ?  " 

"Certainly,  sir,  I  told  him  their  chief  occupation  was 
quarrelling  about  religion — making  saints  of  themselves, 
and  sinners  of  their  neighbors.  *  Hollo  ! '  says  the  devil, 
calling  to  one  of  his  imps,  'boy,  run  and  catch  my  horse. 
I  must  be  off,  and  have  a  linger  in  that  pie.  What  denom- 
inations have  you  in  that  quarter,  commodore  ? '  So  I 
told  him,  general,  that  we  had  Baptists,  and  Quakers,  and 
Universalists,  and  Episcopalians,  and  Presbyterians,  old 

lights,  new  lights,  and  blue  lights  ;  and  Methodists . 

*  Stop/^said  the  devil,  '  that's  enough  ;  you  imp,  be  nimble 
with  that  horse.  Let  me  see,  commodore,  what  part  of  the 
country  did  you  say  you  came  from  ? '  I  told  him  the 
name  more  distinctly  this  time " 

'  The  very  spot  ?  " 

'Town  and  county." 

'  And  what  did  the  devil  say  to  that  ?" 

*  He  called  out  to  the  imp  again — *  Hollo,  you  boy,  never 
m  nd  that  horse.  These  people  will  all  be  here  before  I 
can  get  there.' " 

Here  the  commodore  and  the  general  began  to  laugh, 
until  the  arches  of  the  forest  rang  with  their  merriment. 


272  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

Three  times  they  stopped,  and  as  often  did  they  return  to 
their  glee,  until,  the  punch  being  ready,  each  took  a  fresh 
draught,  in  order  to  ascertain  if  it  were  fit  to  be  offered  to 
the  ladies. 


CHAPTER   XX. 

"O  Romeo,  Romeo,  wherefore  art  thou  Romeo?" 

ROMEO  AND  JULIET. 

THE  usual  effect  of  punch  is  to  cause  people  to  see  dou- 
ble ;  but,  on  this  occasion,  the  mistake  was  the  other  way ; 
for  two  boats  had  touched  the  strand,  instead  of  the  one 
announced  by  the  commodore,  and  they  brought  with  them 
the  whole  party  from  the  Wigwam,  Steadfast  and  Arista- 
bulus  included.  A  domestic  or  two  had  also  been  brought 
to  prepare  the  customary  repast. 

Captain  Truck  was  as  good  as  his  word,  as  respects  the 
punch,  and  the  beverage  was  offered  to  each  of  the  ladies 
m  form,  as  soon  as  her  feet  had  touched  the  green  sward 
which  covers  that  beautiful  spot.  Mrs.  Hawker  declined 
drinking,  in  a  way  to  delight  the  gallant  seaman  ;  for  so 
completely  had  she  got  the  better  of  all  his  habits  and  prej- 
udices, that  everything  she  did  seemed  right  and  gracious 
in  his  eyes. 

The  party  soon  separated  into  groups,  or  pairs,  some 
being  seated  on  the  margin  of  the  limpid  water,  enjoying 
the  light  cool  airs  by  which  it  was  fanned  ;  others  lay  off 
in  the  boats  fishing,  while  the  remainder  plunged  into  the 
woods,  that,  in  their  native  wildness,  bounded  the  little 
spot  of  verdure,  which,  canopied  by  old  oaks,  formed  the 
arena  so  lately  in  controversy.  In  this  manner  an  hour  or 
two  soon  slipped  away,  when  a  summons  was  given  for  all 
to  assemble  around  the  viands. 

The  repast  was  laid  on  the  grass,  notwithstanding  Aris- 
tabulus  more  than  hinted  that  the  public,  his  beloved  pub- 
lic, usually  saw  fit  to  introduce  rude  tables  for  that  pur 
pose.  The  Messrs.  Effingham,  however,  were  not  to  be 
taught  by  a  mere  bird  of  passage,  how  a  rustic  fete  so  pe 
culiarly  their  own  ought  to  be  conducted,  and  the  attend- 
ants were  directed  to  spread  the  dishes  on  the  turf. 


HOME   AS  FOUND.  273 

Arouncf  this  spot  rustic  seats  were  improvises,  and  the  bus- 
iness of  restauration  proceeded.  Of  all  there  assembled, 
the  Parisian  feelings  of  Mademoiselle  Viefville  were  the 
most  excited  ;  for,  to  her,  the  scene  was  one  of  pure  de- 
lights, with  the  noble  panorama  of  forest-clad  mountains, 
the  mirror-like  lake,  the  overshadowing  oaks,  and  the  tan- 
gled brakes,  of  the  adjoining  woods. 

"Mais,  vraiment  ceci  surpasse  les  Tuileries,  mcme  dans  leur 
propre  genre  !  "  she  exclaimed,  with  energy.  "  On  passerait 
volontiers  par  les  dangers  du  desert  pour  y  parvenir" 

Those  who  understood  her  smiled  at  this  characteristic 
remark,  and  most  felt  disposed  to  join  in  the  enthusiasm. 
Still,  the  manner  in  which  their  companions  expressed  the 
happiness  they  felt,  appeared  tame  and  unsatisfactory  to 
Mr.  Bragg  and  Mr.  Dodge,  these  two  persons  being  accus- 
tomed to  see  the  young  of  the  two  sexes  indulge  in  broader 
exhibitions  of  merry-making  than  those  in  which  it  com- 
ported with  the  tastes  and  habits  of  the  present  party  to 
indulge.  In  vain  Mrs.  Hawker,  in  her  quiet,  dignified  way, 
enjoyed  the  ready  wit  and  masculine  thoughts  of  Mrs. 
Bloomfield,  appearing  to  renew  her  youth  ;  or  Eve,  with 
her  sweet  simplicity  and  highly  cultivated  mind  and  im- 
proved tastes,  seemed,  like  a  highly  polished  mirror,  to 
throw  back  the  flashes  of  thought  and  memory,  that  so  con- 
stantly gleamed  before  both  ;  it  was  all  lost  on  these  thor- 
oughly matter-of-fact  utilitarians.  Mr.  Effingham,  all 
courtesy  and  mild  refinement,  was  seldom  happier,  and 
John  Effingham  was  never  more  pleasant ;  for  he  had  laid 
aside  the  severity  of  his  character,  to  appear,  what  he  ought 
always  to  have  been,  a  man  in  whom  intelligence  and  quick- 
ness of  thought  could  be  made  to  seem  secondary  to  the 
gentler  qualities.  The  young  men  were  not  behind  their 
companions  either,  each  in  his  particular  way  appearing  to 
advantage,  gay,  regulated,  and  full  of  a  humor  that  was 
rendered  so  much  the  more  agreeable,  by  drawing  its  im- 
ages from  a  knowledge  of  the  world  that  was  tempered  by 
observation  and  practice. 

Poor  Grace,  alone,  was  the  only  one  of  the  whole  party, 
always  excepting  Aristabulus  and  Steadfast,  who  for  those 
fleeting  but  gay  hours,  was  not  thoroughly  happy.  For 
the  first  time  in  her  life  she  felt  her  own  deficiencies,  that 
ready  and  available  knowledge  so  exquisitely  feminine  in 
18 


274  HOME   AS  FOUND. 

its  nature  and  exhibition,  which  escaped  Mrs.  BloomfieliQ 
and  Eve,  as  it  might  be  from  its  own  excess,  which  the 
former  possessed  almost  intuitively,  a  gift  of  Heaven, 
and  which  the  latter  enjoyed,  not  only  from  the  same  source, 
but  as  a  just  consequence  of  her  long  and  steady  self-deniai, 
application,  and  a  proper  appreciation  of  her  duty  to  her- 
self, was  denied  one  who,  in  ill-judged  compliance  with  the 
customs  of  a  society  that  has  no  other  apparent  aim  than 
the  love  of  display,  had  precluded  herself  from  enjoyments 
that  none  but  .the  intellectual  can  feel.  Still  Grace  was 
beautiful  and  attractive  ;  and  though  she  wondered  where 
her  cousin,  in  general  so  simple  and  unpretending,  had  ac- 
quired all  those  stores  of  thought,  that  in  the  abandon  and 
freedom  of  such  a  fete  escaped  her  in  rich  profusion,  em- 
bellished with  ready  allusions  and  a  brilliant  though  chas- 
tened wit,  her  generous  and  affectionate  heart  could  permit 
her  to  wonder  without  envying.  She  perceived,  for  the 
first  time  on  this  occasion,  that  if  Eve  were  indeed  a  Hajji, 
it  was  not  a  Hajji  of  a  common  school  ;  and  while  her  mod- 
esty and  self-abasement  led  her  bitterly  to  regret  the  hours 
irretrievably  wasted  in  the  frivolous  levities  so  common  to 
those  of  her  sex  with  whom  she  had  been  most  accustomed 
to  mingle,  her  sincere  regret  did  not  lessen  her  admiration 
for  one  she  began  tenderly  to  love. 

As  for  Messrs.  Dodge  and  Bragg,  they  both  determined 
in  their  own  minds  that  this  was  much  the  most  stupid 
entertainment  they  had  ever  seen  on  that  spot,  for  it  was 
entirely  destitute  of  loud  laughing,  noisy  merriment,  coarse 
witticisms,  and  practical  jokes.  To  them  it  appeared  the 
height  of  arrogance  for  any  particular  set  of  persons  to 
presume  to  come  to  a  spot  rendered  sacred  by  the  public 
suffrage  in  its  favor,  in  order  to  indulge  in  these  outland- 
ish dog-in-the-mangerisms. 

Toward  the  close  of  this  gay  repast,  and  when  the  party 
were  about  to  yield  their  places  to  the  attendants,  who 
were  ready  to  reship  the  utensils,  John  Effingham  ob- 
served— 

"  I  trust,  Mrs.  Hawker,  you  have  been  duly  warned  of 
the  catastrophe-character  of  this  point,  on  which  woman 
is  said  never  to  have  been  wooed  in  vain.  Here  are  Cap- 
tain Truck  and  myself,  ready  at  any  moment  to  use  these 
carving-knives,  faut  des  Bowiesy  in  order  to  show  our  des- 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  275 

perate  devotion  ;  and  I  deem  it  no  more  than  prudent  in 
you,  not  to  smile  again  this  day,  lest  the  cross-eyed  read- 
ings of  jealousy  should  impute  a  wrong  motive." 

"  Had  the  injunction  been  against  laughing,  sir,  I  might 
have  resisted,  but  smiles  are  far  too  feeble  to  express  one's 
approbation  on  such  a  day  as  this  ;  you  may  therefore 
trust  to  my  discretion.  Is  it  then  true,  however,  that 
Hymen  haunts  these  shades  ?  " 

u  A  bachelor  s  history  of  the  progress  of  love  may  be, 
like  the  education  of  his  children,  distrusted,  but  so  sayeth 
tradition  ;  and  I  never  put  my  foot  in  the  place  without 
making  fresh  vows  of  constancy  to  myself.  After  this  an- 
nouncement of  the  danger,  dare  you  accept  an  arm,  for  I 
perceive  signs  that  life  cannot  be  entirely  wasted  in  these 
pleasures,  great  as  they  may  prove." 

The  whole  party  arose,  and  separating  naturally,  they 
strolled  in  groups  or  pairs  again,  along  the  pebbly  strand, 
or  beneath  the  trees,  while  the  attendants  made  the  prep- 
arations to  depart.  Accident,  as  much  as  design,  left  Sir 
George  and  Grace  alone,  for  neither  perceived  the  circum- 
stance until  they  had  both  passed  a  little  rise  in  the  for- 
mation of  the  ground,  and  were  beyond  the  view  of  their 
companions.  The  baronet  was  the  first  to  perceive  how 
much  he  had  been  favored  by  fortune,  and  his  feelings 
were  touched  by  the  air  of  gentle  melancholy  that  shaded 
the  usually  bright  and  brilliant  countenance  of  the  beauti- 
ful girl. 

"  I  should  have  thrice  enjoyed  this  pleasant  day,"  he 
said,  with  an  interest  in  his  manner  that  caused  the  heart 
of  Grace  to  beat  quicker,  "  had  I  not  seen  that  to  you  it 
has  been  less  productive  of  satisfaction  than  to  most  of 
those  around  you.  I  fear  you  may  not  be  as  well  as 
usual  ? " 

"  In  health,  never  better,  though  not  in  spirits,  perhaps." 

"  I  could  wish  I  had  a  right  to  inquire  why  you,  who 
have  so  few  causes  in  general  to  be  out  of  spirits,  should 
have  chosen  a  moment  so  little  in  accordance  with  the 
common  feeling." 

"  I  have  chosen  no  moment  ;  the  moment  has  chosen 
me,  I  fear.  Not  until  this  day,  Sir  George  Templemore, 
have  I  ever  been  truly  sensible  of  my  great  inferiority  to 
my  cousin  Eve." 


376  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  An  inferiority  that  no  one  but  yourself  would  observe 
or  mention." 

"No,  1  am  neither  vain  enough  nor  ignorant  e-nough  to 
be  the  dupe  of  this  flattery,"  returned  Grace,  shaking  her 
hands  and  head,  while  she  forced  a  smile  ;  for  even  the 
delusions  those  we  love  pour  into  our  ears  are  not  with- 
out their  charms.  "  When  I  first  met  my  cousin,  after  her 
return,  my  own  imperfections  rendered  me  blind  to  her 
superiority  ;  but  she  herself  has  gradually  taught  me  to 
respect  her  mind,  her  womanly  character,  her  tact,  her 
delicacy,  principles,  breeding,  everything  that  can  make  a 
woman  estimable,  or  worthy  to  be  loved!  Oh  !  how  have 
I  wasted  in  childish  amusements  and  frivolous  vanities 
the  precious  moments  of  that  girlhood  which  can  never 
be  recalled,  and  left  myself  scarcely  worthy  to  be  an  asso- 
ciate of  Eve  Effingham  !" 

The  first  feelings  of  Grace  had  so  far  gotten  the  con- 
trol that  she  scarce  knew  what  she  said,  or  to  whom  she 
was  speaking  ;  she  even  wrung  her  hands  in  the  momen- 
tary bitterness  of  her  regrets,  and  in  a  way  to  arouse  all 
the  sympathy  of  a  lover. 

"  No  one  but  yourself  would  say  this,  Miss  Van  Cort- 
landt,  and  least  of  all  your  admirable  cousin." 

"  She  is,  indeed,  my  admirable  cousin  !  But  what  are 
we  in  comparison  with  such  a  woman  !  Simple  and  un- 
affected as  a  child,  with  the  intelligence  of  a  scholar  ;  with 
all  the  graces  of  a  woman  she  has  the  learning  and  mind 
of  a  man.  Mistress  of  so  many  languages " 

"  But  you,  too,  speak  several,  my  dear  Miss  Van  Cort- 
landt." 

"  Yes,"  said  Grace,  bitterly,  "  I  speak  them,  as  the  par- 
rot repeats  words  that  he  does  not  understand.  But  Eve 
Effingham  has  used  these  languages  as  means,  and  she 
does  not  tell  you  merely  what  such  a  phrase  or  idiom  sig- 
nifies, but  what  the  greatest  writers  have  thought  and 
written." 

"No  one  has  a  more  profound  respect  for  your  cousin 
than  myself,  Miss  Van  Cortlandt,  but  justice  to  you  re- 
quires that  I  should  say  her  great  superiority  over  your- 
self has  escaped  me." 

"This  may  be  true,  Sir  George  Templemore,  and  for  a 
long  time  it  escaped  me  too.  I  have  only  learned  to  prize 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  177 

tier  as  she  ought  to  be  prized  by  an  intimate  acquaintance  ; 
hour  by  hour,  as  it  might  be.  But  even  you  must  have 
observed  how  quick  and  intuitively  my  cousin  and  Mrs. 
Bloomfield  have  understood  each  other  to-day  .  how-  much 
extensive  reading  and  what  polished  tastes  they  have  both 
shown,  and  all  so  truly  feminine  !  Mrs.  Bloomfield  is  a 
remarkable  woman,  but  she  loves  these  exhibitions,  for 
she  knows  she  excels  in  them.  Not  so  with  Eve  Effing- 
ham,  who,  while  she  so  thoroughly  enjoys  everything  in- 
tellectual, is  content  always  to  seem  so  simple.  Now  it 
happens  that  the  conversation  turned  once  to-day  on  a 
subject  that  my  cousin,  no  later  than  yesterday,  fully  ex- 
plained to  me,  at  my  own  earnest  request  ;  and  I  observed 
that  while  she  joined  so  naturally  with  Mrs.  Bloomfield  in 
adding  to  our  pleasure,  she  kept  back  half  what  she  knew, 
lest  she  might  seem  to  surpass  her  friend.  No — no — no 
— there  is  not  such  another  woman  as  Eve  Effingham  in 
this  world  ! " 

"  So  keen  a  perception  of  excellence  in  others  denotes 
an  equal  excellence  in  yourself." 

"  I  know  my  own  great  inferiority  now,  and  no  kindness 
of  yours,  Sir  George  Templemore,  can  ever  persuade  me 
into  a  better  opinion  of  myself.  Eve  has  travelled,  seen 
much  in  Europe  that  does  not  exist  here,  and  instead  of 
passing  her  youth  in  girlish  trifling,  has  treated  the  min- 
utes as  if  they  were  all  precious,  as  she  well  knew  them  to 
be." 

"If  Europe,  then,  does  indeed  possess  these  advantages, 
why  not  yourself  visit  it,  dearest  Miss  Van  Cortlandt  ? " 

"I — I  a  Hajji  !"  cried  Grace,  with  childish  pleasure, 
though  her  color  heightened,  and  for  a  moment  Eve  and 
her  superiority  were  forgotten. 

Certainly  Sir  George  Templemore  did  not  come  out  on 
the  lake  that  day  with  an  expectation  of  offering  his  bar- 
onetcy, his  fair  estate  with  his  hand,  to  this  artless,  half- 
educated,  provincial,  but  beautiful  girl.  For  a  long  time 
he  had  been  debating  with  himself  the  propriety  of 
such  a  step,  and  it  is  probable  that  at  some  later  period 
he  would  have  sought  an  occasion,  had  not  one  now  so 
opportunely  offered,  notwithstanding  all  his  doubts  and 
reasonings  with  himself.  If  the  "  woman  who  hesitates  is 
lost,"  it  is  equally  true  that  the  man  who  pretends  to  set 


278  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

up  his  reason  alone  against  beauty,  is  certain  to  find  that 
sense  is  less  powerful  than  the  senses.  Had  Grace  Van 
Cortlandt  been  more  sophisticated,  less  natural,  her  beauty 
might  have  failed  to  make  this  conquest  ;  but  the  baronet 
found  a  charm  in  her  naivete  that  was  singularly  winning 
to  the  feelings  of  a  man  of  the  world.  Eve  had  first  at- 
tracted him  by  the  same  quality  ;  the  early  education  of 
American  females  being  less  constrained  and  artificial  than 
that  of  the  English  ;  but  in  Eve  he  found  a  mental  train- 
ing, and  acquisitions  that  left  the  quality  less  conspicuous, 
perhaps,  than  in  her  scarcely  less  beautiful  cousin  ;  though, 
had  Eve  met  his  admiration  with  anything  like  sympathy, 
her  power  over  him  would  not  have  been  easily  weakened. 
As  it  was,  Grace  had  been  gradually  winding  herself 
around  his  affections,  and  he  now  poured  out  his  love  in 
a  language  that  her  unpractised  and  already  favorably  dis- 
posed feelings  had  no  means  of  withstanding.  A  very 
few  minutes  were  allowed  to  them  before  the  summons  to 
the  boat;  but  when  this  summons  came,  Grace  rejoined 
the  party,  elevated  in  her  own  good  opinion,  as  happy  as 
a  cloudless  future  could  make  her,  and  without  another 
thought  of  the  immeasurable  superiority  of  her  cousin. 

By  a  singular  coincidence,  while  the  baronet  and  Grace 
were  thus  engaged  on  one  part  of  the  shore,  Eve  was  the 
subject  of  a  similar  proffer  of  connecting  herself  for  life 
on  another.  She  had  left  the  circle,  attended  by  Paul, 
her  father,  and  Aristabulus ;  but  no  sooner  had  they 
reached  the  margin  of  the  water  than  the  two  former  were 
called  away  by  Captain  Truck,  to  settle  some  controverted 
point  between  the  latter  and  the  commodore.  By  this 
unlooked-for  desertion,  Eve  found  herself  alone  with  Mr. 
Bragg 

"  That  was  a  funny  and  comprehensive  remark  Mr.  John 
made  about  the  '  Point,'  Miss  Eve,"  Aristabulus  com- 
menced, as  soon  as  he  found  himself  in  possession  of  the 
ground.  "  I  should  like  to  know  if  it  be  really  true  that 
no  woman  was  ever  unsuccessfully  wooed  beneath  these 
oaks  ?  If  such  be  the  case,  we  gentlemen  ought  to  be 
cautious  how  we  come  here." 

Here  Aristabulus  simpered,  and  looked,  if  possible",  more 
amiable  than  ever  ;  though  the  quiet  composure  and 
womanly  dignity  of  Eve,  who  respected  herself  too  much, 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  279 

and  too  well  knew  what  was  due  to  her  sex,  ever  to  enter 
into,  or  so  far  as  it  depended  on  her  will,  to  permit  any  of 
that  commonplace  and  vulgar  trifling  about  love  and 
matrimony,  which  formed  a  never-failing  theme  between 
the  youthful  of  the  two  sexes  in  Mr.  Bragg's  particular 
circle,  sensibly  curbed  his  ambitious  hopes.  Still  he 
thought  he  had  made  too  good  an  opening  not  to  pursue 
the  subject. 

"  Mr.  John  Effingham  sometimes  indulges  in  pleasan- 
tries," Eve  answered,  "that  would  lead  one  astray  who 
might  attempt  to  follow." 

"Love  is  a  jack-o'-lantern,"  rejoined  Aristabulus,  senti- 
mentally. "That  I  admit ;  and  it  is  no  wonder  so  many 
get  swamped  in  following  his  lights.  Have  you  ever  felt 
the  tender  passion,  Miss  Eve  ?" 

Now  Aristabulus  had  heard  this  question  put  at  the 
soiree  of  Mrs.  Houston  more  than  once,  and  he  believed 
himself  to  be  in  the  most  polite  road  for  a  regular  decla- 
ration. An  ordinary  woman,  who  felt  herself  offended  by 
this  question,  would  most  probably  have  stepped  back, 
and  raising  her  form  to  its  utmost  elevation,  answered  by 
an  emphatic  "  Sir  !  "  Not  so  with  Eve.  She  felt  the  dis- 
tance between  Mr.  Bragg  and  herself  to  be  so  great,  that 
by  no  probable  means  could  he  even  offend  her  by  any  as- 
sumption of  equality.  This  distance  was  the  result  of 
opinions,  habits,  and  education,  rather  than  of  condition, 
however ;  for  though  Eve  Effingham  could  become  the 
wife  of  a  gentleman  only,  she  was  entirely  superior  to 
those  prejudices  of  the  world  that  depend  on  purely  facti- 
tious causes.  Instead  of  discovering  surprise,  indignation, 
or  dramatic  dignity,  therefore,  at  this  extraordinary  ques- 
tion, she  barely  permitted  a  smile  to  curl  her  handsome 
mouth,  and  this  so  slightly  as  to  escape  her  companion's 
eye. 

"  I  believe  we  are  to  be  favored  with  as  smooth  water  in 
returning  to  the  village  as  we  had  in  the  morning,  while 
coming  to  this  place,"  she  simply  said.  "You  row,  some- 
times, I  think,  Mr.  Bragg?" 

"Ah  !  Miss  Eve,  such  another  opportunity  may  never 
occur  again,  for  you  foreign  ladies  are  so  difficult  of  ac* 
cess  !  Let  me  then  seize  this  happy  moment  here,  beneath 
the  hymeneal  oaks,  to  offer  you  this  faithful  hand  and  this 


28o  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

willing  heart.  Of  fortune  you  will  have  enough  for  both 
and  I  say  nothing  about  the  miserable  dross.  Reflect 
Miss  Eve,  how  happy  we  might  be,  protecting  and  sooth- 
ing the  old  age  of  your  father,  and  in  going  down  the  hill 
of  life  in  company  ;  or,  as  the  song  says,  *  and  hand  in  hand 
we'll  go,  and  sleep  thegither  at  the  foot,  John  Anderson, 
my  Joe.' " 

"  You  draw  very  agreeable  pictures,  Mr.  Bragg,  and  with 
the  touches  of  a  master  !  " 

"  However  agreeable  you  find  them,  Miss  Eve,  they  fall 
infinitely  short  of  the  truth.  The  tie  of  wedlock,  besides 
being  the  most  sacred,  is  also  the  dearest  ;  and  happy, 
indeed,  are  they  who  enter  into  the  solemn  engagement 
with  such  cheerful  prospects  as  ourselves.  Our  ages  are 
perfectly  suitable,  our  dispositions  entirely  consonant,  our 
habits  so  similar  as  to  obviate  all  unpleasant  changes,  and 
our  fortunes  precisely  what  they  ought  to  be  to  render  a 
marriage  happy,  with  confidence  on  one  side,  and  grati- 
tude on  the  other.  As  to  the  day,  Miss  Eve,  I  could  wish 
to  leave  you  altogether  the  mistress  of  that,  and  shall  not 
be  urgent." 

Eve  had  often  heard  John  Effingham  comment  on  the 
cool  impudence  of  a  particular  portion  of  the  American 
population,  with  great  amusement  to  herself  ;  but  never 
did  she  expect  to  be  the  subject  of  an  attack  like  this  in  her 
own  person.  By  way  of  rendering  the  scene  perfect,  Aris- 
tabulus  had  taken  out  his  penknife,  cut  a  twig  from  a  bush, 
and  he  now  rendered  himself  doubly  interesting  by  com- 
mencing the  favorite  occupation  of  whittling.  A  cooler 
picture  of  passion  could  not  well  have  been  drawn. 

"  You  are  bashfully  silent,  Miss  Eve  !  I  make  all  due 
allowance  for  natural  timidity,  and  shall  say  no  more  at 
present — though,  as  silence  universally  'gives  consent — 

"  If  you  please,  sir,"  interrupted  Eve,  with  a  slight  motion 
of  her  parasol,  that  implied  a  check.  "  I  presume  our  hab- 
its and  opinions,  notwithstanding  you  seem  to  think  them 
so  consonant  with  each  other,  are  sufficiently  different  to 
cause  you  not  to  see  the  impropriety  of  one,  who  is  situated 
like  yourself,  abusing  the  confidence  of  a  parent,  by  mak- 
ing such  a  proposal  to  a  daughter  without  her  father's 
knowledge  ;  and,  on  that  point,  I  shall  say  nothing.  But 
as  you  have  done  me  the  honor  of  making  me  a  very  un« 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  281 

equivocal  offer  of  your  hand,  I  wish  that  the  answer  may 
be  as  distinct  as  the  proposal.  I  decline  the  advantage  arid 
happiness  of  becoming  your  wife,  sir " 

"  Time  flies,  Miss  Eve  !  " 

"  Time  does  fly,  Mr.  Bragg,  and,  if  you  remain  much 
longer  in  the  employment  of  Mr.  Effingham,  you  may  lose 
an  opportunity  of  advancing  your  fortunes  at  the  West, 
whither  I  understand  it  has  long  been  your  intention  to 
emigrate— 

"  I  will  readily  relinquish  all  my  hopes  at  the  West  for 
your  sake." 

"No,  sir,  I  cannot  be  a  party  to  such  a  sacrifice.  I  will 
not  say  forget  me,  but  forget  your  hopes  here,  and  renew 
those  you  have  so  unreflectingly  abandoned  beyond  the 
Mississippi.  I  shall  not  represent  this  conversation  to  Mr. 
Effingham  in  a  manner  to  create  any  unnecessary  preju- 
dices against  you  ;  and  while  I  thank  you — as  every  woman 
should — for  an  offer  that  must  infer  some  portion,  at  least, 
of  your  good  opinion,  you  will  permit  me  again  to  wish  you 
all  lawful  success  in  your  western  enterprises." 

Eve  gave  Mr.  Bragg  no  further  opportunity  to  renew 
his  suit  ;  for  she  courtesied  and  left  him,  as  she  ceased 
speaking.  Mr.  Dodge,  who  had  been  a  distant  observer 
of  the  interview,  now  hastened  to  join  his  friend,  curious 
to  know  the  result ;  for  it  had  been  privately  arranged 
between  these  modest  youths,  that  each  should  try  his 
fortune  in  turn  with  the  heiress,  did  she  not  accept  the 
first  proposal.  To  the  chagrin  of  Steadfast,  and  probably 
to  the  reader's  surprise,  Aristabulus  informed  his  friend 
that  Eve's  manner  and  language  had  been  full  of  encour- 
agement. 

"She  thanked  me  for  the  offer,  Mr.  Dodge,"  he  said, 
"  and  her  wishes  for  my  future  prosperity  at  the  West  were 
warm  and  repeated.  Eve  Effingham  is,  indeed,  a  charming 
creature  !  " 

"  At  the  West !  Perhaps  she  meant  differently  from 
what  you  imagine.  I  know  her  well.  The  girl  is  full  of 
art." 

"  Art,  sir  !  she  spoke  as  plainly  as  woman  could  speak, 
and  I  repeat  that  I  feel  considerably  encouraged.  It  is 
something  to  have  had  so  plain  a  conversation  with  Eve 
Effingham." 


282  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

Mr.  Dodge  swallowed  his  discontent,  and  the  whole 
party  soon  embarked,  to  return  to  the  village,  the  com- 
modore and  general  taking  a  boat  by  themselves,  in  order 
to  bring  their  discussions  on  human  affairs  in  general,  to 
a  suitable  close. 

That  night  Sir  George  Templemore  asked  an  interview 
with  Mr.  Effingham,  when  the  latter  was  alone  in  his 
library. 

"  I  sincerely  hope  this  request  is  not  the  forerunner  of 
a  departure,"  said  the  host  kindly,  as  the  young  man  en- 
tered, "in  which  case  I  shall  regard  you  as  one  unmindful 
of  the  hopes  he  has  raised.  You  stand  pledged  by  impli- 
cation, if  not  in  words,  to  pass  another  month  with  us." 

"  So  far  from  entertaining  an  intention  so  faithless,  my 
dear  sir,  I  am  fearful  that  you  may  think  I  trespass  too 
far  on  your  hospitality." 

He  then  communicated  his  wish  to  be  allowed  to  make 
Grace  Van  Cortlandt  his  wife.  Mr.  Effingham  heard  him 
with  a  smile,  that  showed  he  was  not  altogether  unpre- 
pared for  such  a  demand,  and  his  eye  glistened  as  he 
squeezed  the  other's  hand. 

"Take  her  with  all  my  heart,  Sir  George,"  he  said,  "but 
remember,  you  are  transferring  a  tender  plant  into  a 
strange  soil.  There  are  not  many  of  your  countrymen  to 
whom  I  would  confide  such  a  trust  ;  for  I  know  the  risk 
they  run  who  make  ill-assorted  unions " 

"Ill-assorted  unions,  Mr.  Effingham!" 

"  Yours  will  not  be  one,  in  the  ordinary  acceptation  of 
the  term,  I  know  ;  for  in  years,  birth,  and  fortune  you 
and  my  dear  niece  are  as  much  on  an  equality  as  can  be 
desired  ;  but  it  is  too  often  an  ill-assorted  union  for  an 
American  woman  to  become  an  English  wife.  So  much 
depends  on  the  man,  that  with  one  in  whom  I  have  less 
confidence  than  I  have  in  you,  I  might  justly  hesitate.  I 
shall  take  a  guardian's  privilege,  though  Grace  be  her 
own  mistress,  and  give  you  one  solemn  piece  of  advice. 
Always  respect  the  country  of  the  woman  you  have 
thought  worthy  to  bear  your  name." 

"  I  hope  always  to  respect  everything  that  is  hers  ;  but 
why  this  particular  caution  ?  Miss  Van  Cortlandt  is  al- 
most English  in  her  heart." 

"  An  affectionate  wife  will  take  her  bias  in  such  matters 


HOME   AS  FOUND.  283 

generally  from  her  husband.  -  Your  country  will  be  her 
country — your  God  her  God.  Still,  Sir  George  Temple- 
more,  a  woman  of  spirit  and  sentiment  can  never  wholly 
forget  the  lano^of  her  birth.  You  love  us  not  in  England, 
and  one  who  settles  there  will  often  have  occasion  to  hear 
gibes  and  sneers  on  the  land  from  which  she  came " 

"  Good  God,  Mr.  Effingham,  you  do  not  think  I  shall 
take  my  wife  into  society  where " 

**  Bear  with  a  proser's  doubts,  Templemore.  You  will 
do  all  that  is  well-intentioned  and  proper,  I  dare  say,  in  the 
usual  acceptation  of  the  words  ;  but  I  wish  you  to  do  more : 
that  which  is  wise.  Grace  has  now  a  sincere  reverence  and 
respect  for  England,  feelings  that  in  many  particulars  are 
sustained  by  the  facts,  and  will  be  permanent ;  but,  in  some 
things,  observation,  as  it  usually  happens  with  the  young 
and  sanguine,  will  expose  the  mistakes  into  which  she  has 
been  led  by  enthusiasm  and  the  imagination.  As  she  knows 
other  countries  better,  she  will  come  to  regard  her  own  with 
more  favorable  and  discriminating  eyes,  losing  her  sensitive- 
ness on  account  of  peculiarities  she  now  esteems,  and  tak- 
ing new  views  of  things.  Perhaps  you  will  think  me  self- 
ish, but  I  shall  add,  also,  that  if  you  wish  to  cure  your  wife 
of  any  homesickness,  the  surest  mode  will  be  to  bring  her 
back  to  her  native  land." 

"Nay,  my  dear  sir,"  said  Sir  George,  laughing,  "this  is 
very  much  like  acknowledging  its  blemishes." 

"  I  am  aware  it  has  that  appearance,  and  yet  the  fact  is 
otherwise.  The  cure  is  as  certain  with  the  Englishman  as 
with  the  American  ;  and  with  the  German  as  with  either. 
It  depends  on  a  general  law,  which  causes  us  all  to  over- 
estimate bygone  pleasures  and  distant  scenes,  and  to  under- 
value those  of  the  present  moment.  You  know  I  have  .al- 
ways maintained  there  is  no  real  philosopher  short  of.  fifty, 
nor  any  taste  worth  possessing  that  is  a  dozen  years  old." 

Here  Mr.  Effingham  rang  the  bell,  and  desired  Pierre  to 
request  Miss  Van  Cortlandt  to  join  him  in  the  library, 
Grace  entered  blushing  and  shy,  but  with  a  countenance 
beaming  with  inward  peace.  Her  uncle  regarded  her  a 
moment  intently,  and  a  tear  glistened  in  his  eye  again,  as 
he  tenderly  kissed  her  burning  cheek. 

"  God  bless  you,  love,"  he  said — "  'tis  a  fearful  change 
for  your  sex,  and  yet  you  all  enter  into  it  radiant  with  hope, 


284  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

and  noble  in  your  confidence.     Take  her,  Templemore," 

fiving  her  hand  to  the  baronet,  "  and  deal  kindly  by  her. 
ou  will  not  desert  us  entirely.    I  trust  I  shall' see  you  both 
once  more  in  the  Wigwam  before  I  die." 

"  Uncle — uncle — "  burst  from  Grace,  as,  drowned  in 
tears,  she  threw  herself  into  Mr.  Effingham's  arms  ;  "  I  am 
an  ungrateful  girl  thus  to  abandon  all  my  natural  friends. 
I  have  acted  wrong " 

"  Wrong,  dearest  Miss  Van  Cortlandt !  " 

"  Selfishly,  then,  Sir  George  Templemore,"  the  simple- 
hearted  girl  ingenuously  added,  scarcely  knowing  how 
much  her  words  implied — "  Perhaps  this  matter  might  be 
reconsidered." 

"I  am  afraid  little  would  be  gained  by  that,  my  love,'y 
returned  the  smiling  uncle,  wiping  his  eyes  at  the  same  in- 
stant. "  The  second  thoughts  of  ladies  usually  confirm  the 
first  in  such  matters.  God  bless  you,  Grace  ;  Templemore, 
may  heaven  have  you,  too,  in  its  holy  keeping.  Remember 
what  I  have  said,  and  to-morrow  we  will  converse  further 
on  the  subject.  Does  Eve  know  of  this,  my  niece  ?  " 

The  color  went  and  came  rapidly  in  Grace's  cheek,  and 
she  looked  to  the  floor,  abashed. 

"We  ought  then  to  send  for  her,"  resumed  Mr.  Effing- 
ham,  again  reaching  toward  the  bell. 

"  Uncle — "  and  Grace  hurriedly  interposed,  in  time  to 
save  the  string  from  being  pulled.  "  Could  I  keep  such  an 
important  secret  from  my  dearest  cousin  !  " 

"I  find  that  I  am  the  last  in  the  secret,  as  is  generally  the 
case  with  old  fellows,  and  I  believe  I  am  even  now  de  trap" 

Mr.  Effingham  kissed  Grace  again  affectionately,  and 
although  she  strenuously  endeavored  to  detain  him,  he  left 
the  room. 

"  We  must  follow,"  said  Grace,  hastily  wiping  her  eyes, 
and  rubbing  the  traces  of  tears  from  her  cheeks — "Excuse 
me,  Sir  George  Templemore  ;  will  you  open- 
He  did,  though  it  was  not  the  door,  but  his  arms.  Grace 
seemed  like  one  that  was  rendered  giddy  by  standing  on  a 
precipice,  but  when  she  fell  the  young  baronet  was  at  han-d 
to  receive  her.  Instead  of  quitting  the  library  that  instant, 
the  bell  had  announced  the  appearance  of  the  supper-tray 
before  she  remembered  that  she  had  so  earnestly  intended 
to  do  so. 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  285 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

"This  day  no  man  thinks 
He  has  business  at  his  house." — KING  HENRY  VIII. 

THE  warm  weather,  which  was  always  a  little  behind  that 
of  the  lower  counties,  had  now  set  in  among  the  mountains, 
and  the  season  had  advanced  into  the  first  week  in  July. 
"  Independence  Day,"  as  the  fourth  of  that  month  is  termed 
by  the  Americans,  arrived  ;  and  the  wits  of  Templeton  were 
taxed  as  usual,  in  order  that  the  festival  might  be  cele- 
brated with  the  customary  intellectural  and  moral  treat. 
The  morning  commenced  with  a  parade  of  the  two  or  three 
uniformed  companies  of  the  vicinity,  much  gingerbread  and 
spruce  beer  were  consumed  in  the  streets,  no  light  pota- 
tions of  whiskey  were  swallowed  in  the  groceries,  and  a 
great  variety  of  drinks,  some  of  which  bore  very  ambitious 
names,  shared  the  same  fate  in  the  taverns. 

Mademoiselle  Viefville  had  been  told  that  this  was  the 
great  American  fete ;  the  festival  of  the  nation  ;  and  she 
appeared  that  morning  in  ga'y  ribands,  and  with  her  bright 
animated  face  covered  with  smiles  for  the  occasion.  To 
her  surprise,  however,  no  one  seemed  to  respond  to  her 
feelings  ;  and  as  the  party  rose  from  the  breakfast-table, 
she  took  an  opportunity  to  ask  an  explanation  of  Eve,  in  a 
little  "  aside." 

"  Est-ce  que  je  me  suis  trompee,  ma  chere  ?  "  demanded  the 
lively  Frenchwoman.  "  Is  not  this — la  celebration  votre  in- 
dependance  ?  " 

"  You  are  not  mistaken,  my  dear  Mademoiselle  Viefville, 
and  great  preparations  are  made  to  do  it  honor.  I  under- 
stand there  is  to  be  a  military  parade,  an  oration,  a  dinne^ 
and  fireworks." 

"  Monsieur  votre  pcre " 

"  Monsieur  mon pere  is  not  much  given  to  rejoicings,  and 
he  takes  this  annual  joy  much  as  a  valetudinarian  takes 
his  morning  draught." 

"  Et  Monsieur  Jean  Effing  ham ?  " 


286  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  Is  always  a  philosopher  ;  you  are  to  expect  no  antics 
trom  him." 

"  Mais  ces  jeunes  gens.  Monsieur  Bragg,  Monsieur  Dodge, 
et  Monsieur  Powis  meme " 

"  Se  re'jouissent  en  Ame'ricains.  I  presume  you  are  aware 
that  Mr.  Powis  has  declared  himself  to  be  an  American  ?" 

Mademoiselle  Viefville  looked  toward  the  streets,  along 
which  divers  tall,  sombre-looking  countrymen,  with  faces 
more  lugubrious  than  those  of  the  mutes  of  a  funeral, 
were  sauntering  with  a  desperate  air  of  enjoyment ;  and 
she  shrugged  her  shoulders,  as  she  muttered  to  herself, 
"  que  ces  Ame'ricains  sont  droles  !  " 

At  a  later  hour,  however,  Eve  surprised  her  father,  and 
indeed  most  of  the  Americans  of  the  party,  by  proposing 
that  the  ladies  should  walk  out  into  the  street,  and  witness 
the  "fete. 

u  My  child,  this  is  a  strange  proposition  to  come  from  a 
young  lady  of  twenty,"  said  her  father. 

"Why  strange,  dear  sir? — We  always  mingled  in  the  vil- 
lage fetes  in  Europe." 

"  Certainement, "  cried  the  delighted  Mademoiselle  Vief- 
ville ;  "  c'est  de  rigueur  mcme." 

"And  it  is  de  rigueur  here,  mademoiselle,  for  young 
ladies  to  keep  out  of  them,"  put  in  John  Effmgham.  "  I 
should  be  very  sorry  to  see  either  of  you  three  ladies  in 
the  streets  of  Templeton  to-day." 

"Why  so,  cousin  Jack  ?  Have  we  anything  to  fear  from 
the  rudeness  of  our  countrymen  ?  I  have  always  under- 
stood, on  the  contrary,  that  in  no  other  part  of  the  world 
is  woman  so  uniformly  treated  with  respect  and  kindness, 
as  in  this  very  republic  of  ours  ;  and  yet,  by  all  these  omi- 
nous faces,  I  perceive  that  it  will  not  do  for  her  to  trust 
•herself  in  the  streets  of  a  village  on  a  festa" 

"  You  are  not  altogether  wrong  in  what  you  now  say, 
Miss  Efringham,  nor  are  you  wholly  right.  Woman,  as  a 
whole,  is  w^ell  treated  in  America  ;  and  yet  it  will  not  do 
for  a  lady  to  mingle  in  scenes  like  these,  as  ladies  may  and 
do  mingle  with  them  in  Europe." 

"I  have  heard  this  difference  accounted  for,"  said  Paul 
Powis,  "  by  the  fact  that  women  have  no  legal  rank  in  this 
country.  In  those  nations  where  the  station  of  a  lady  is 
protected  by  legal  ordinances,  it  is  said  she  may  descend 


HOME  AS  FOUATD.  287 

with  impunity  ;  but  in  this,  where  all  are  equal  before  the 
law,  so  many  misunderstand  the  real  merits  of  their  posi- 
tion, that  she  is  obliged  to  keep  aloof  from  any  collisions 
with  those  who  might  be  disposed  to  mistake  their  own 
claims." 

"  But  I  wish  for  no  collisions,  no  associations,  Mr.  Powis, 
but  simply  to  pass  through  the  streets,  with  my  cousin  and 
Mademoiselle  Viefville,  to  enjoy  the  sight  of  the  rustic 
sports,  as  one  would  do  in  France,  or  Italy,  or  even  in 
republican  Switzerland,  if  you  insist  on  a  republican  ex- 
ample." 

"  Rustic  sports  ! "  repeated  Aristabulus,  with  a  fright- 
ened look  ;  "  the  people  will  not  bear  to  hear  their  sports 
called  rustic,  Miss  Effingham." 

"  Surely,  sir  " — Eve  never  spoke  to  Mr.  Bragg,  now, 
without  using  a  repelling  politeness — "  surely,  sir,  the  peo- 
ple of  these  mountains  will  hardly  pretend  that  their  sports 
are  those  of  a  capital." 

"I  merely  mean,  ma'am,  that  the  term  would  be  mon- 
strously unpopular  ;  not  do  I  see  why  the  sports  in  a  city  " 
— Aristabulus  was  much  too  peculiar  in  his  notions  to  call 
any  place  that  had  a  mayor  and  aldermen  a  town, — 
"  should  not  be  just  as  rustic  as  those  of  a  village.  The 
contrary  supposition  violates  the  principle  of  equality." 

"And  do  you  decide  against  us,  dear  sir?"  Eve  added, 
looking  at  Mr.  Effingham. 

"  Without  stopping  to  examine  causes,  my  child,  I  shall 
say  that  I  think  you  had  better  all  remain  at  home." 

"  Voila,  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  une  fete  A  mericaine  !  " 

A  shrug  of  the  shoulders  was  the  significant  reply. 

"  Nay,  my  daughter,  you  are  not  entirely  excluded  from 
the  festivities;  all  gallantry  has  not  quite  deserted  the  land." 

"A  young  lady  shall  walk  alone  with  a  young  gentle- 
man— shall  ride  alone  with  him— shall  drive  out  alone 
with  him — shall  not  move  without  him,  dans  le  monde,  mats, 
she  shall  not  walk  in  the  crowd,  to  look  at  une  fete  avec  son 
pere  /"  exclaimed  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  in  her  imperfect 
English.  u  Je  de'sespere,  vraiment,  to  understand  some  ha- 
bitudes Americaines  !  " 

"  Well,  mademoiselle,  that  you  may  not  think  us  alto- 
gether barbarians,  you  shall,  at  least,  have  the  benefit  of 
the  oration." 


288  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  You  may  well  call  it  the  oration,  Ned ;  for  I  believe 
one,  or  certainly  one  skeleton,  has  served  some  thousand 
orators  annually,  any  time  these  sixty  years." 

"  Of  this  skeleton,  then,  the  ladies  shall  have  the  benefit. 
The  procession  is  about  to  form,  I  hear  ;  and  by  getting 
ready  immediately,  we  shall  be  just  in  time  to  obtain  good 
seats." 

Mademoiselle  Viefville  was  delighted  ;  for,  after  trying 
the  theatres,  the  churches,  sundry  balls,  the  opera,  and  all 
the  admirable  gayeties  of  New  York,  she  had  reluctantly 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  America  was  a  very  good 
country  pour  s'ennuyer,  and  for  very  little  else  ;  but  here 
was  the  promise  of  a  novelty.  The  ladies  completed  their 
preparations,  and,  accordingly,  attended  by  all  the  gentle- 
men, made  their  appearance  in  the  assembly  at  the  ap- 
pointed hour. 

The  orator,  who,  as  usual,  was  a  lawyer,  was  already  in 
possession  of  the  pulpit,  for  one  of  the  village  churches 
had  been  selected  as  the  scene  of  the  ceremonies.  He 
was  a  young  man  who  had  recently -been  called  to  the  bar, 
it  being  as  much  in  rule  for  the  legal  tyro  to  take  off  the 
wire-edge  of  his  wit"  in  a  Fourth  of  July  oration,  as  it  was 
formerly  for  a  mousquetaire  to  prove  his  spirit  in  a  duel. 
The  academy,  which  formerly  was  a  servant  of  all  work  to 
the  public,  being  equally  used  for  education,  balls,  preach- 
ing, town-meetings,  and  caucuses,  had  shared  the  fate  of 
most  American  edifices  in  wood,  having  lived  its  hour  and 
been  burned  ;  and  the  collection  of  people,  whom  we  have 
formerly  had  occasion  to  describe,  appeared  to  have  also 
vanished  from  the  earth,  for  nothing  could  be  less  alike  in 
exterior,  at  least,  than  those  who  had  assembled  under  the 
ministry  of  Mr.  Grant,  and  their  successors,  who  were 
now  collected  to  listen  to  the  wisdom  of  Mr.  Writ.  Such 
a  thing  as  a  coat  of  two  generations  was  no  longer  to  be 
seen  ;  the  latest  fashion,  or  what  was  thought  to  be  the 
latest  fashion,  being  as  rigidly  respected  by  the  young 
farmer  or  the  young  mechanic,  as  by  the  more  admitted 
bucks,  the  law  student  and  the  village  shop-boy.  All  the 
red  cloaks  had  long  since  been  laid  aside  to  give  place  to 
imitation  merino  shawls,  or,  in  cases  of  unusual  modera- 
tion and  sobriety,  to  mantles  of  silk.  As  Eve  glanced  her 
eye  around  her,  she  perceived  Tuscan  hats,  bonnets  of  gay 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  289 

colors  and  flowers,  and  dresses  of  French  chintzes,  where 
fifty  years  ago  would  have  been  seen  even  men's  woollen 
hats  and  homely  English  calicoes.  It  is  true  that  the 
change  among  the  men  was  not  quite  as  striking,  for  their 
attire  admits  of  less  variety ;  but  the  black  stock  had  su- 
perseded the  check  handkerchief  and  the  bandanna  ;  gloves 
had  taken  the  place  of  mittens  ;  and  the  coarse  and  clown- 
ish shoe  of  "  cow-hide  "  was  supplanted  by  the  calf-skin 
boot. 

"  Where  are  your  peasants,  your  rustics,  your  milk  and 
dairy  maids — the  people,  in  short  " — whispered  Sir  George 
Templemore  to  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  as  they  took  their  seats  ; 
"  or  is  this  occasion  thought  to  be  too  intellectual  for  them, 
and  the  present  assembly  composed  only  of  the  elite  ?  " 

"  These  are  the  people,  and  a  pretty  fair  sample,  too,  of 
their  appearance  and  deportment.  Most  of  these  men  are 
what  you  in  England  would  call  operatives,  and  the  women 
are  their  wives,  daughters,  and  sisters." 

The  baronet  said  nothing  at  the  moment,  but  he  sat 
looking  around  him  with  a  curious  eye  for  some  time,  when 
he  again  addressed  his  companion  : 

"  I  see  the  truth  of  what  you  say,  as  regards  the  men, 
for  a  critical  eye  can  discover  the  proofs  of  their  occupa- 
tions ;  but  surely  you  must  be  mistaken  as  respects  your 
own  sex  ;  there  is  too  much  delicacy  of  form  and  feature 
for  the  class  you  mean." 

"  Nevertheless  I  have  said  naught  but  truth." 

"  But  look  at  the  hands  and  feet,  dear  Mrs.  Bloomfield. 
Those  are  French  gloves,  too,  or  I  am  mistaken." 

"  I  will  not  positively  affirm  that  the  French  gloves  actu- 
ally belong  to  the  dairy-maids,  though,  I  have  known  even 
this  prodigy  ;  but,  rely  on  it,  you  see  here  the  proper  fe 
male  counterparts  of  the  men,  and  singularly  delicate  and 
pretty  females  are  they,  for  persons  of  their  class.  This  is 
what  you  call  democratic  coarseness  and  vulgarity,  Miss 
Eflfingham  tells  me,  in  England." 

Sir  George  smiled,  but,  as  what  it  is  the  fashion  of  the 
country  to  call  "  the  exercises  "  just  then  began,  he  made 
no  other  answer. 

The  exercises  commenced  with  instrumental  music,  cer- 
tainly the  weakest  side  of  American  civilization.  That  of 
the  occasion  of  which  we  write,  had  three  essential  faults 

19 


290  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

all  of  which  are  sufficiently  general  to  be  termed  charac- 
teristic, in  a  national  point  of  view.  In  the  first  place,  the 
instruments  themselves  were  bad  ;  in  the  next  place,  they 
were  assorted  without  any  regard  to  harmony  ;  and  in  the 
last  place,  their  owners  did  not  know  how  to  use  them.  As 
in  certain  American  cities — the  word  is  well  applied  here — • 
she  is  esteemed  the  greatest  belle  who  can  contrive  to  utter 
her  nursery  sentiments  in  the  loudest  voice,  so  in  Temple- 
ton  was  he  considered  the  ablest  musician  who  could  give 
the  greatest  eclat  to  a  false  note.  In  a  word,  clamor  was 
the  one  thing  needful,  and  as  regards  time,  that  great  reg- 
ulator of  all  harmonies,  Paul  Powis  whispered  to  the  cap- 
tain that  the  air  they  had  just  been  listening  to,  resembled 
what  the  sailors  call  a  "round-robin,"  or  a  particular  mode 
of  singing  complaints  practised  by  seamen,  in  which  the 
nicest  observer  cannot  tell  which  is  the  beginning  or  which 
the  end. 

It  required  all  the  Parisian  breeding  of  Mademoiselle 
Viefville  to  preserve  her  gravity  during  this  overture, 
though  she  kept  her  bright,  animated,  French-looking  eyes 
roaming  over  the  assembly,  with  an  air  of  delight  that,  as 
Mr.  Bragg  would  say,  made  her  very  popular.  No  one 
else  in  the  party  from  the  Wigwam,  Captain  Truck  ex- 
cepted,  dared  look  up,  but  each  kept  his  or  her  eyes  riveted 
on  the  floor,  as  if  in  silent  enjoyment  of  the  harmonies. 
As  for  the  honest  old  seaman,  there  was  as  much  melody 
in  the  howling  of  a  gale  to  his  unsophisticated  ears  as  in 
anything  else,  and  he  saw  no  difference  between  this  feat 
of  theTempleton  band  and  the  sighing  of  old  Boreas  ;  and, 
to  say  the  truth,  our  nautical  critic  was  not  much  out  of 
the  way. 

Of  the  oration  it  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  much,  for 
if  human  nature  is  the  same  in  all  ages,  and  under  all  cir- 
cumstances, so  is  a  Fourth  of  July  oration.  There  were 
the  usual  allusions  to  Greece  and  Rome,  between  the  re- 
publics of  which  and  that  of  this  country  there  exists  some 
such  affinity  as  is  to  be  found  between  a  horse-chestnut 
and  a  chestnut-horse,  or  that  of  mere  words  ;  and  a  long 
catalogue  of  national  glories  that  might  very  well  have 
sufficed  for  all  the  republics,  both  of  antiquity  and  of  our 
own  time.  But  when  the  orator  came  to  speak  of  the 
American  character,  and  particularly  of  the  intelligence  of 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  391 

the  nation,  he  was  most  felicitous,  and  made  the  largest 
investments  in  popularity.  According  to  his  account  of 
the  matter,  no  other  people  possessed  a  tithe  of  the  knowl- 
edge, or  a  hundredth  part  of  the  honesty  and  virtue  of  the 
very  community  he  was  addressing;  and  after  laboring  for 
ten  minutes  to  convince  his  hearers  that  they  already  knew 
everything,  he  wasted  several  more  in  trying  to  persuade 
them  to  undertake  further  acquisitions  of  the  same  nature. 

"  How  much  better  all  this  might  be  made,"  said  Paul 
Powis,  as  the  party  returned  toward  the  Wigwam  when 
the  "  exercises  "  were  ended,  "  by  substituting  a  little  plain 
instruction  on  the  real  nature  and  obligations  of  the  insti- 
tutions, for  so  much  unmeaning  rhapsody.  Nothing  has 
struck  me  with  more  surprise  and  pain  than  to  find  how 
far,  or  it  might  be  better  to  say  how  high,  ignorance  reaches 
on  such  subjects,  and  how  few  men,  in  a  country  where  all 
depends  on  the  institutions,  have  clear  notions  concerning 
their  own  condition." 

"  Certainly  this  is  not  the  opinion  we  usually  entertain 
of  ourselves,"  observed  John  Effingham.  "And  yet  it 
ought  to  be.  I  am  far  from  underrating  the  ordinary  in- 
formation of  the  country,  which,  as  an  average  information, 
is  superior  to  that  of  almost  every  other  people  ;  nor  am  I 
one  of  those  who,  according  to  the  popular  European  no- 
tion, fancy  the  Americans  less  gifted  than  common  in  intel- 
lect ;  there  can  be  but  one  truth  in  anything,  however, 
and  it  falls  to  the  lot  of  very  few,  anywhere,  to  master  it. 
The  Americans,  moreover,  are  a  people  of  facts  and 
practices,  paying  but  little  attention  to  principles,  and  giv- 
ing themselves  the  very  minimum  of  time  for  investigations 
that  lie  beyond  the  reach  of  the  common  mind  ;  and  it  fol- 
lows that  they  know  little  of  that  which  does  not  present 
itself  in  their  every-day  transactions.  As  regards  the  prac- 
tice of  the  institutions,  it  is  regulated  here,  as  elsewhere, 
by  party,  and  party  is  never  an  honest  or  a  disinterested 
expounder." 

"Are  you  then  more  than  in  the  common  dilemma," 
asked  Sir  George,  "  or  worse  off  than  your  neighbors  ? " 

"We  are  worse  off  than  our  neighbors,  for  the  simple 
reason  that  it  is  the  intention  of  the  American  system, 
which  has  been  deliberately  framed,  and  which  is,  moreover, 
the  result  of  a  bargain,  to  carry  out  its  theory  in  practice  \ 


292  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

whereas,  in  countries  where  the  institutions  are  the  results 
of  time  and  accidents,  improvement  is  only  obtained  by 
innovations.  Party  invariably  assails  and  weakens  power. 
When  power  is  in  the  possession  of  a  few,  the  many  gain 
by  party  ;  but  when  power  is  the  legal  right  of  the  many, 
the  few  gain  by  party.  Now  as  party  has  no  ally  as  strong 
as  ignorance  and  prejudice,  a  right  understanding  of  the 
principles  of  a  government  is  of  far  more  importance  in  a 
popular  government  than  in  any  other.  In  place  of  the 
eternal  eulogies  on  facts,  that  one  hears  on  all  public  oc- 
casions in  this  country,  I  would  substitute  some  plain  and 
clear  expositions  of  principles  ;  or,  indeed,  I  might  say,  of 
facts  as  they  are  connected  with  principles." 

"Mais,  la  musique,  monsieur"  interrupted  Mademoiselle 
Viefville,  in  a  way  so  droll  as  to  raise  a  general  smile, 
"  qu  en  pensez-vous  ?  " 

"  That  it  is  music,  my  dear  mademoiselle,  in  neither  fact 
nor  principle.' 

"  It  only  proves  that  a  people  can  be  free,  mademoiselle," 
observed  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  "  and  enjoy  Fourth  of  July  ora- 
tions, without  having  very  correct  notions  of  harmony  or 
time.  But  do  our  rejoicings  end  here.  Miss  Effingham  ?  " 

"  Not  at  all — there  is  still  something  in  reserve  for  the 
day,  and  all  who  honor  it.  I  am  told  the  evening,  which 
promises  to  be  sufficiently  sombre,  is  to  terminate  with  a 
fete  that  is  peculiar  to  Templeton,  and  which  is  called 
4 The  Fun  of  Fire.'" 

"  It  is  an  ominous  name,  and  ought  to  be  a  brilliant 
ceremony." 

As  this  was  uttered,  the  whole  party  entered  the  Wig- 
wam. 

"  The  Fun  of  Fire  "  took  place,  as  a  matter  of  course,  at 
a  late  hour.  When  night  had  set  in,  everybody  appeared 
in  the  main  street  of  the  village,  a  part  of  which,  from  its 
width  and  form,  was  particularly  adapted  to  the  sports  of 
the  evening.  The  females  were  mostly  at  the  windows,  or 
on  such  elevated  stands  as  favored  their  view,  and  the 
party  from  the  Wigwam  occupied  a  large  balcony  that 
topped  the  piazza  of  one  of  the  principal  inns  of  the  place 

The  sports  of  the  night  commenced  with  rockets,  of 
which  a  few,  that  did  as  much  credit  to  the  climate  as  to 
the  state  of  the  pyrotechnics  of  the  village,  were  throwa 


HOME   AS  FOUND. 


293 


up,  as  soon  as  the  darkness  had  become  sufficiently  dense 
to  lend  them  brilliancy.  Then  followed  wheels,  crackers, 
and  serpents,  all  of  the  most  primitive  kind,  if,  indeed, 
there  be  anything  primitive  in  such  amusement.  The 
"  Fun  of  Fire  "  was  to  close  the  rejoicings,  and  it  was  cer- 
tainly worth  all  the  sports  of  that  day  united,  the  ginger- 
bread anfl  spruce  beer  included. 

A  blazing  ball  cast  from  a  shop-door  was  the  signal  for 
the  commencement  of  the  Fun.  It  was  merely  a  ball  of 
rope-yarn,  or  of  some  other  material  saturated  with  turpen- 
tine, and  it  burned  with  a  bright,  fierce  flame  until  con- 
sumed. As  the  first  of  these  fiery  meteors  sailed  into  the 
street,  a  common  shout  from  the  boys,  apprentices,  and 
young  men,  proclaimed  that  the  fun  was  at  hand.  It  was 
followed  by-  several  more,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  entire 
area  was  gleaming  with  glancing  light.  The  whole  of  the 
amusement  consisted  in  tossing  the  fire-balls  with  bold- 
ness, and  in  avoiding  them  with  dexterity,  something  like 
competition  soon  entering  into  the  business  of  the  scene. 

The  effect  was  singularly  beautiful.  Groups  of  dark 
objects  became  suddenly  illuminated,  and  here  a  portion 
of  the  throng  might  be  seen  beneath  a  brightness  like  that 
produced  by  a  bonfire,  while  all  the  background  of  per- 
sons and  faces  were  gliding  about  in  a  darkness  that  al- 
most swallowed  up  a  human  figure.  Suddenly  all  this 
would  be  changed  ;  the  brightness  would  pass  away,  and 
a  ball  alighting  in  a  spot  that  had  seemed  abandoned  to 
gloom,  it  would  be  found  peopled  with  merry  countenances 
and  active  forms.  The  constant  changes  from  bright- 
ness to  deep  darkness,  with  all  the  varying  gleams  of  light 
and  shadow,  made  the  beauty  of  the  scene,  which  soon  ex- 
torted admiration  from  all  in  the  balcony. 

"Mais,  c'est  charmcwt !  "  exclaimed  Mademoiselle  Vief- 
ville,  who  was  enchanted  at  discovering  something  like 
gayety  and  pleasure  among  the  "  tristes  Americains"  and 
who  had  never  even  suspected  them  of  being  capable  of 
so  much  apparent  enjoyment. 

"  These  are  the  prettiest  village  sports  I  have  ever  wit- 
nessed," said  Eve,  ''though  a  little  dangerous,  one  would 
think.  There  is  something  refreshing,  as  the  magazine 
writers  term  it,  to  find  one  of  these  miniature  towns  of 
ours  condescending  to  be  gay  and  happy  in  a  village  fash' 


294  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

ion.  If  I  were  to  bring  my  strongest  objection  to  Amerl 
can  country  life,  it  would  be  its  ambitious  desire  to  ape 
the  towns,  converting  the  case  and  abandon  of  a  village  into 
the  formality  and  stiffness  that  render  children  in  the 
clothes  of  grown  people  so  absurdly  ludicrous." 

"What !"  exclaimed  John  Effingham  ;  "do  you  fancy  it 
possible  to  reduce  a  freeman  so  low,  as  to  deprive  him  of 
his  stilts  !  No,  no,  young  lady  ;  you  are  now  in  a  country 
where,  if  you  have  two  rows  of  flounces  on  your  frock, 
your  maid  will  make  it  a  point  to  have  three,  by  way  of 
maintaining  the  equilibrium.  This  is  the  noble  ambition 
of  liberty." 

"Annette's  foible  is  a  love  of  flounces,  Cousin  Jack,  and 
you  have  drawn  that  image  from  your  eye  instead  of  your 
imagination.  It  is  a  French  as  well  as  an  American  ambi- 
tion, if  ambition  it  be." 

"  Let  it  be  drawn  whence  it  may,  it  is  true.  Have  you 
not  remarked,  Sir  George  Templemore,  that  the  Americans 
will  not  even  bear  the  ascendency  of  a  capital  ?  Formerly, 
Philadelphia,  then  the  largest  town  in  the  country  was  the 
political  capital  ;  but  it  was  too  much  for  any  one  commu- 
nity to  enjoy  the  united  consideration  that  belongs  to  ex- 
tent and  politics  ;  and  so  the  honest  public  went  to  work 
to  make  a  capital  that  should  have  nothing  else  in  its  fa- 
vor but  the  naked  fact  that  it  was  the  seat  of  government, 
and  I  think  it  will  be  generally  allowed  that  they  have  suc- 
ceeded to  admiration.  I  fancy  Mr.  Dodge  will  admit  that 
it  would  be  quite  intolerable,  that  country  should  not  be 
town  and  town  country." 

"  This  is  a  land  of  equal  rights,  Mr.  John  Effingham,  and 
I  confess  that  I  see  no  claim  that  New  York  possesses, 
which  does  not  equally  belong  to  Templeton." 

"Do  you  hold,  sir,"  inquired  Captain  Truck,  "that  a 
ship  is  a  brig,  and  a  brig  a  ship  ? " 

"  The  case  is  different  ;  Templeton  is  a  town,  is  it  not, 
Mr.  John  Effingham  ?  " 

"  A  town,  Mr.  Dodge,  but  not  town.  The  difference  is 
essential." 

"  I  do  not  see  it,  sir.  Now,  New  York,  to  my  notion,  is 
not  a  town,  but  a  city  " 

"Ah!  This  is  the  critical  acumen  of  the  editor!  But 
you  should  be  indulgent,  Mr.  Dodge,  to  us  laymen,  who 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  295 

pick  up  our  phrases  by  merely  wandering  about  the  world, 
or  in  the  nursery  perhaps  ;  while  you,  of  the  favored  few, 
by  living  in  the  condensation  of  a  province,  obtain  a  pre- 
cision and  accuracy  to  which  we  can  lay  no  claim." 

The  darkness  prevented  the  editor  of  the  Active  Inquirer 
from  detecting  the  general  smile,  and  he  remained  in  happy 
ignorance  of  the  feeling  that  produced  it.  To  say  the  truth, 
not  the  smallest  of  the  besetting  vices  of  Mr.  Dodge  had 
their  foundation  in  a  provincial  education  and  in  provin- 
cial notions  ;  the  invariable  tendency  of  both  being  to  per- 
suade their  subject  that  he  is  always  right,  while  all  op- 
posed to  him  in  opinion  are  wrong.  That  well-known  line 
of  Pope,  in  which  the  poet  asks,  "  What  can  we  reason, 
but  from  what  we  know  ? "  contains  the  principles  of  half 
our  foibles  and  faults,  and  perhaps  explains  fully  that  pro- 
portion of  those  of  Mr.  Dodge,  to  say  nothing  of  those  of 
no  small  number  of  his  countrymen.  There  are  limits 
to  the  knowledge,  and  tastes,  and  habits  of  every  man,  and, 
as  each  is  regulated  by  the  opportunities  of  the  individual, 
it  follows  of  necessity  that  no  one  can  have  a  standard 
much  above  his  own  experience.  That  an  isolated  and  re- 
mote people  should  be  a  provincial  people,  or,  in  other 
words,  a  people  of  narrow  and  peculiar  practices  and  opin- 
ions, is  as  unavoidable  as  that  study  should  make  a  scholar; 
though  in  the  case  of  America,  the  great  motive  for  sur- 
prise is  to  be  found  in  the  fact  that  causes  so  very  obvious 
should  produce  so  little  effect.  When  compared  with  the 
bulk  of  other  nations,  the  Americans,  though  so  remote 
and  insulated,  are  scarcely  provincial,  for  it  is  only  when 
the  highest  standard  of  this  nation  is  compared  with  the 
highest  standard  of  other  nations,  that  we  detect  the  great 
deficiency  that  actually  exists.  That  a  moral  foundation 
so  broad  should  uphold  a  moral  superstructure  so  narrow, 
is  owing  to  the  circumstance  that  the  popular  sentiment 
rules,  and  as  everything  is  referred  to  a  body  of  judges 
that,  in  the  nature  of  things,  must  be  of  very  limited  and 
superficial  attainments,  it  cannot  be  a  matter  of  wonder  to 
the  reflecting,  that  the  decision  shares  in  the  qualities  of 
the  tribunal.  In  America  the  gross  mistake  has  been 
made  of  supposing,  that,  because  the  mass  rules  in  a  polit- 
ical sense,  it  has  a  right  to  be  listened  to  and  obeyed  in  all 
other  matters — a  practical  deduction  that  can  only  lead, 


296  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

under  the  most  favorable  exercise  of  power,  to  a  very  hum* 
ble  mediocrity.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  time,  and  a  greater 
concentration  of  taste,  liberality,  and  knowledge  than  can 
well  distinguish  a  young  and  scattered  population,  will  re- 
pair this  evil,  and  that  our  children  will  reap  the  harvest 
of  the  broad  fields  of  intelligence  that  have  been  sown  by 
ourselves.  In  the  meantime,  the  present  generation  must 
endure  that  which  cannot  easily  be  cured  ;  and  among  its 
other  evils,  it  will  have  to  submit  to  a  great  deal  of  very 
questionable  information,  not  a  few  false  principles,  and  an 
unpleasent  degree  of  intolerant  and  narrow  bigotry,  that 
are  propagated  by  such  apostles  of  liberty  and  learning  as 
Steadfast  Dodge,  Esquire. 

We  have  written  in  vain,  if  it  now  be  necessary  to  point 
out  a  multitude  of  things  in  which  that  professed  instructor 
and  Mentor  of  the  public,  the  editor  of  the  Active  Inquirer 
had  made  a  false  estimate  of  himself,  as  well  as  of  his  fel- 
low-creatures. That  such  a  man  should  be  ignorant  is  to 
be  expected,  as  he  had  never  been  instructed  ;  that  he  was 
self-sufficient  was  owing  to  his  ignorance,  which  oftener 
induces  vanity  than  modesty  ;  that  he  was  intolerant  and 
bigoted,  follows  as  a  legitimate  effect  of  his  provincial  and 
contracted  habits  ;  that  he  was  a  hypocrite,  came  from  his 
homage  of  the  people  ;  and  that  one  thus  constituted 
should  be  permitted  periodically  to  pour  out  his  vapidity, 
folly,  malice,  envy,  and  ignorance,  on  his  fellow-creatures, 
in  the  columns  of  a  newspaper,  was  owing  to  a  state  of 
society  in  which  the  truth  of  the  wholesome  adage,  "  That 
what  is  every  man's  business  is  nobody's  business,"  is  ex- 
emplified not  only  daily,  but  hourly,  in  a  hundred  other 
interests  of  equal  magnitude,  as  well  as  to  a  capital  mis- 
take, that  leads  the  community  to  fancy  that  whatever  is 
done  in  their  name  is  done  for  their  good. 

As  the  "  Fun  of  Fire  "  had,  by  this  time,  exhibited  most 
of  its  beauties,  the  party  belonging  to  the  Wigwam  left  the 
balcony,  and,  the  evening  proving  mild,  they  walked  into 
the  grounds  of  the  building, where  they  naturally  broke  into 
groups,  conversing  on  the  incidents  of  the  day,  <or  of  such 
other  matters  as  came  uppermost.  Occasionally,  gleams  of 
light  were  thrown  across  them  from  afire-ball  ;  or  a  rocket's 
starry  train  was  still  seen  drawn  in  the  air,  resembling  the 
wake  of  a  ship  at  night,  as  it  wades  through  the  ocean. 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  297 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

"Gentle  Octavia, 

Let  your  best  love  draw  to  that  point,  which  seeks 
But  to  preserve  it." — ANTONY  AND  CLEOPATRA. 

WE  shall  not  say  it  was  an  accident  that  brought  Paul 
and  Eve  side  by  side,  and  a  little  separated  from  the  others  ; 
for  a  secret  sympathy  had  certainly  exercised  its  influence 
over  both,  and  probably  contributed  as  much  as  anything 
else  toward  bringing  about  the  circumstance.  Although 
the  Wigwam  stood  in  the  centre  of  the  village,  its  grounds 
covered  several  acres,  and  were  intersected  with  winding 
walks,  and  ornamented  with  shrubbery,  in  the  well  known 
English  style,  improvements  also  of  John  Effingham  ;  for, 
while  the  "climate  and  forests  of  America  offer  so  many 
inducements  to  encourage  landscape  gardening,  it  is  the 
branch  of  art  that,  of  all  the  other  ornamental  arts,  is  per- 
haps the  least  known  in  this  country.  It  is  true  time  had 
not  yet  brought  the  labors  of  the  projector  to  perfection 
in  this  instance  ;  but  enough  had  been  done  to  afford  very 
extensive,  varied,  and  pleasing  walks.  The  grounds  were 
broken,  and  John  Effingham  had  turned  the  irregularities 
to  good  account,  by  planting  and  leading  paths  among 
them,  to  the  great  amusement  of  the  lookers-on,  however, 
who,  like  true  disciples  of  the  Manhattanese  economy,  had 
already  begun  to  calculate  the  cost  of  what  they  termed 
grading  the  lawns,  it  being  with  them  as  much  a  matter  of 
course  to  bring  pleasure-grounds  down  to  a  mathematical 
surface,  as  to  bring  a  railroad  route  down  to  the  proper 
level. 

Through  these  paths,  and  among  the  irregularities, 
groves,  and  shrubberies  just  mentioned,  the  party  began 
to  stroll  ;  one  group  taking  a  direction  eastward,  another 
south,  and  a  third  westward,  in  a  way  soon  to  break  them 
up  into  five  or  six  different  divisions.  These  several  por- 
tions of  the  company  ere  long  got  to  move  in  opposite 
directions,  by  taking  the  various  paths,  and  while  they 
frequently  met,  they  did  not  often  reunite.  As  has  been 


298  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

already  intimated,  Eve  and  Paul  were  alone,  for  the  first 
time  in  their  lives,  under  circumstances  that  admitted  of 
an  uninterrupted  confidential  conversation.  Instead  of 
profiting  immediately,  however,  by  this  unusual  occur- 
rence, as  many  of  our  readers  may  anticipate,  the  young 
man  continued  the  discourse  in  which  the  whole  party 
had  been  engaged  when  they  entered  the  gate  that  com- 
municated with  the  street. 

"  I  know  not  whether  you  felt  the  same  embarrassment 
as  myself,  to-day,  Miss  Effingham,"  he  said,  "when  the 
orator  was  dilating  on  the  glories  of  the  republic,  and  on 
the  high  honors  that  accompany  the  American  name. 
Certainly,  though  a  pretty  extensive  traveller,  I  have  never 
yet  been  able  to  discover  that  it  is  any  advantage  abroad 
to  be  one  of  the  '  fourteen  millions  of  freemen.'  " 

"Are  we  to  attribute  the  mystery  that  so  long  hung 
over  your  birthplace  to  this  fact  ? "  Eve  asked,  a  little 
pointedly. 

"  If  I  have  made  any  seeming  mystery  as  to  the  place  of 
my  birth,  it  has  been  involuntary  on  my  part,  Miss  Effing- 
ham,  so  far  as  you  at  least  have  been  concerned.  I  may 
not  have  thought  myself  authorized  to  introduce  my  own 
history  into  our  little  discussions,  but  I  am  not  conscious 
of  aiming  at  any  unusual  concealments.  At  Vienna,  and 
in  Switzerland,  we  met  as  travellers  ;  and  now  that  you 
appear  disposed  to  accuse  me  of  concealment,  I  may  re- 
tort, and  say  that  neither  you  nor  your  father  ever  ex- 
pressly stated  in  my  presence  that  you  were  Americans." 

"  Was  that  necessary,  Mr.  Powis  ?  " 

"  Perhaps  not ;  and  I  am  wrong  to  draw  a  comparison 
between  my  own  insignificance,  and  the  Mat  that  attended 
you  and  your  movements." 

"  Nay,"  interrupted  Eve,  "  do  not  misconceive  me.  My 
father  felt  an  interest  in  you,  quite  naturally,  after  what 
had  occurred  on  the  Lake  of  Lucerne,  and  I  believe  he 
was  desirous  of  making  you  out  a  countryman — a  pleas- 
ure that  he  has  at  length  received." 

"  To  own  the  truth,  I  was  never  quite  certain,  until  my 
last  visit  to  England,  on  which  side  of  the  Atlantic  I  was 
actually  born,  and  to  this  uncertainty,  perhaps,  may  be  at- 
tributed some  of  that  cosmopolitism  to  which  I  made  so 
many  high  pretensions  in  our  late  passage." 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  299 

"  Not  know  where  you  were  born  ! "  exclaimed  Eve, 
with  an  involuntary  haste,  that  she  immediately  repented. 

"  This,  no  doubt,  sounds  odd  to  you,  Miss  Effingham, 
who  have  always  been  the  pride  and  solace  of  a  most  af- 
fectionate father,  but  it  has  never  been  my  good  fortune 
to  know  either  parent.  My  mother,  who  was  the  sister  of 
Ducie's  mother,  died  at  my  birth,  and  the  loss  of  my  fathei 
even  preceded  hers.  I  may  be  said  to  have  been  born  an 
orphan." 

Eve,  for  the  first  time  in  her  life,  had  taken  his  arm,  and 
the  young  man  felt  the  gentle  pressure  of  her  little  hand, 
as  she  permitted  this  expression  of  sympathy  to  escape 
her,  at  a  moment  she  found  so  intensely  interesting  to  her- 
self. 

"  It  was,  indeed,  a  misfortune,  Mr.  Powis,  and  I  fear 
you  were  put  into  the  navy  through  the  want  of  those 
who  would  feel  a  natural  concern  in  your  welfare." 

"  The  navy  was  my  own  choice  ;  partly,  I  think,  from  a 
certain  love  of  adventure,  and  quite  as  much,  perhaps, 
with  a  wish  to  settle  the  question  of  my  birthplace,  prac- 
tically at  least,  by  enlisting  in  the  service  of  the  one  that 
I  first  knew,  and  certainly  best  loved." 

"  But  of  that  birthplace,  I  understand  there  is  now  no 
doubt  ? "  said  Eve,  with  more  interest  than  she  was  herself 
conscious  of  betraying. 

"  None  whatever.  I  am  a  native  of  Philadelphia.  That 
point  was  conclusively  settled  in  my  late  visit  to  my  aunt, 
Lady  Dunluce,  who  was  present  at  my  birth  ?" 

"  Is  Lady  Dunluce  also  an  American  ?  " 

"  She  is  ;  never  having  quitted  the  country  until  after 
her  marriage  to  Colonel  Ducie.  She  was  a  younger  sister 
of  my  mother's,  and,  notwithstanding  some  jealousies  and 
a  little  coldness  that  I  trust  have  now  disappeared,  I  am  of 
opinion  she  loved  her ;  though  one  can  hardly  answer  for 
the  durability  of  the  family  ties  in  a  country  where  the  in- 
stitutions and  habits  are  as  artificial  as  in  England." 

"  Do  you  think  there  is  less  family  affection,  then,  in 
England  than  in  America  ? " 

"  I  will  not  exactly  say  as  much,  though  I  am  of  opinion 
that  neither  country  is  remarkable  in  that  way.  In  Eng- 
land, among  the  higher  classes,  it  is  impossible  that  th« 
feelings  should  not  be  weakened  by  so  many  adverse  in- 


3oo  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

terests.  When  a  brother  knows  that  nothing  stands  be- 
tween himself  and  rank  and  wealth,  but  the  claims  of  one 
who  was  born  a  twelvemonth  earlier  than  himself,  he  gets 
to  feel  more  like  a  rival  than  a  kinsman,  and  the  tempta- 
tion to  envy  or  dislike,  or  even  hatred,  sometimes  becomes 
stronger  than  the  duty  to  love." 

"  And  yet  the  English  themselves  say  that  the  services 
rendered  by  the  elder  to  the  younger  brother,  and  the 
gratitude  of  the  younger  to  the  elder,  are  so  many  addi- 
tional ties." 

"  It  would  be  contrary  to  all  the  known  laws  of  feeling, 
and  all  experience,  if  this  were  so.  The  younger  applies 
to  the  elder  for  aid  in  preference  to  a  stranger,  because  he 
thinks  he  has  a  claim  ;  and  what  man  who  fancies  he  has 
a  claim  is  disposed  to  believe  justice  is  fully  done  him  ; 
or  who  that  is  required  to  discharge  a  duty  imagines  he 
has  not  done  more  than  could  be  properly  asked  ? " 

"  I  fear  your  opinion  of  men  is  none  of  the  best,  Mr. 
Povvis  !  " 

"  There  may  be  exceptions,  but  such  I  believe  to  be  the 
common  fate  of  humanity.  The  moment  a  duty  is  created, 
a  disposition  to  think  it  easily  discharged  follows  ;  and  of 
all  sentiments  that  of  a  continued  and  exacting  gratitude  is 
the  most  oppressive.  I  fear  more  brothers  are  aided 
through  family  pride,  than  through  natural  affection." 

"  What,  then,  loosens  the  tie  among  ourselves,  where  no 
law  of  primogeniture  exists  ?  " 

"  That  which  loosens  everything.  A  love  of  change  that 
has  grown  up  with  the  migratory  habits  of  the  people  ;  and 
which,  perhaps,  is  in  some  measure  fostered  by  the  institu- 
tions. Here  is  Mr.  Bragg  to  confirm  what  I  say,  and  we 
may  hear  his  sentiments  on  this  subject." 

As  Aristabulus,  with  whom  walked  Mr.  Dodge,  just  at 
that  moment  came  out  of  the  shrubbery,  and  took  the  same 
direction  with  themselves,  Powis  put  the  question,  as  one 
addresses  an  acquaintance  in  a  room. 

"  Rotation  in  feelings,  sir,"  returned  Mr.  Bragg,  "  is  hu- 
man nature,  as  rotation  in  office  is  natural  justice.  Some 
of  our  people  are  of  opinion  that  it  might  be  useful  could 
the  whole  of  society  be  made  periodically  to  change  places, 
in  order  that  everyone  might  know  how  his  neighbor  lives." 

"  You  are  then  an  Agrarian,  Mr.  Bragg  ?" 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  301 

"As  far  from  it  as  possible  ;  nor  do  I  believe  you  will 
find  such  an  animal  in  this  country.  Where  property  is  con- 
cerned,  we  are  a  people  that  never  let  go  so  long  as  we  can 
hold  on,  sir  ;  but  beyond  this,  we  like  lively  changes.  Now 
Miss  Effingham,  everybody  thinks  frequent  changes  of  re- 
ligious  instructors,  in  particular,  necessary.  There  can  be 
no  vital  piety  without  keeping  the  flame  alive  with  excite- 
ment." 

"  I  confess,  sir,  that  my  own  reasoning  would  lead  to  a 
directly  contrary  conclusion,  and  that  there  can  be  no  vital 
piety,  as  you  term  it,  with  excitement." 

Mr.  Bragg  looked  at  Mr.  Dodge,  and  Mr.  Dodge  looked 
at  Mr.  Bragg.  Then  each  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  the 
former  continued  the  discourse. 

"  That  may  be  the  case  in  France,  Miss  Effingham,"  he 
said,  "  but  in  America  we  look  to  excitement  as  the  great 
purifier.  We  should  as  soon  expect  the  air  in  the  bottom 
of  a  well  to  be  elastic,  as  that  the  moral  atmosphere  shall 
be  clear  and  salutary  without  the  breezes  of  excitement. 
For  my  part,  Mr.  Dodge,  I  think  no  man  should  be  a  judge 
in  the  same  court  more  than  ten  years  at  a  time,  and  a 
priest  gets  to  be  rather  commonplace  and  flat  after  five. 
There  are  men  who  may  hold  out  a  little  longer,  I  acknowl- 
edge ;  but  to  keep  real,  vital,  soul-saving  regeneration  stir- 
ring, a  change  should  take  place  as  often  as  once  in  five 
years  in  a  parish  ;  that  is  my  opinion  at  least." 

"  But,  sir,"  rejoined  Eve,  "  as  the  laws  of  religion  are  im- 
mutable, the  modes  by  which  it  is  known  universal,  and 
the  promises,  mediation,  and  obligations  are  everywhere 
the  same,  I  do  not  see  what  you  propose  to  gain  by  so 
many  changes." 

"  Why,  Miss  Effingham,  we  change  the  dishes  at  table, 
and  no  family  of  my  acquaintance  more  than  this  of  your 
honorable  father's  ;  and  I  am  surprised  to  find  you  opposed 
to  the  system." 

"Our  religion,  sir,"  answered  Eve,  gravely,  "is  a  duty, 
and  rests  on  revelation  and  obedience  ;  while  our  diet  may 
very  innocently  be  a  matter  of  mere  taste,  or  even  of  ca- 
price, if  you  will." 

"  Well,  I  confess  I  see  no  great  difference,  the  main  ob- 
ject in  this  life  being  to  stir  people  up,  and  to  go  ahead. 
I  presume  you  know,  Miss  Eve,  that  many  people  think 


302  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

that  we  ought  to  change  our  own  parson,  if  we  expect  a 
blessing  on  the  congregation." 

"  I  should  sooner  expect  a  curse  would  follow  an  act  of 
so  much  heartlessness,  sir.  Our  clergyman  has  been  with 
us  since  his  entrance  into  the  duties  of  his  holy  office,  and 
it  will  be  difficult  to  suppose  that  the  Divine  favor  would 
follow  the  commission  of  so  selfish  and  capricious  a  step, 
with  a  motive  no  better  than  the  desire  for  novelty." 

"  You  quite  mistake  the  object,  Miss  Eve,  which  is  to 
stir  the  people  up  ;  a  hopeless  thing,  I  fear,  so  long  as 
they  always  sit  under  the  same  preaching." 

"  I  have  been  taught  to  believe  that  piety  is  increased, 
Mr.  Bragg,  by  the  aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit's  sustaining  and 
supporting  us  in  our  good  desires  ;  and  I  cannot  persuade 
myself  that  the  Deity  finds  it  necessary  to  save  a  soul  by 
the  means  of  any  of  those  human  agencies  by  which  men 
sack  towns,  turn  an  election,  or  incite  a  mob.  I  hear  that 
extraordinary  scenes  are  witnessed  in  this  country  in  some 
of  the  other  sects  ;  but  I  trust  never  to  see  the  day  when 
the  apostolic,  reverend,  and  sober  church,  in  which  I  have 
been  nurtured,  shall  attempt  to  advance  the  workings  of 
that  Divine  power  by  a  profane,  human  hurrah." 

All  this  was  Greek  to  Messrs.  Dodge  and  Bragg,  who,  in 
furthering  their  objects,  were  so  accustomed  to  "stirring 
people  up,"  that  they  had  quite  forgotten  that  the  more  a 
man  was  in  "an  excitement,"  the  less  he  had  to  do  with 
reason.  The  exaggerated  religious  sects  which  first  peo- 
pled America,  have  had  a  strong  influence  in  transmitting 
to  their  posterity  false  notions  on  such  subjects  ;  for  while 
the  old  world  is  accustomed  to  see  Christianity  used  as  an 
ally  of  government,  and  perverted  from  its  one  great  end 
to  be  the  instrument  of  ambition,  cupidity,  and  selfishness, 
the  new  world  has  been  fated  to  witness  the  reaction  of 
such  abuses,  and  to  run  into  nearly  as  many  errors  in  the 
opposite  extreme.  The  two  persons  just  mentioned  had 
been  educated  in  the  provincial  school  of  religious  notions 
that  is  so  much  in  favor  in  a  portion  of  this  country  ;  and 
they  were  striking  examples  of  the  truth  of  the  adage, 
that  "  What  is  bred  in  the  bone  will  be  seen  in  the  flesh," 
for  their  common  character,  common  in  this  particular  at 
least,  was  a  queer  mixture  of  the  most  narrow  supersti- 
tions and  prejudices,  that  existed  under  the  garb  of  re- 


HOME   AS  FOUND.  303 

ligious  training,  and  of  unjustifiable  frauds,  meannesses, 
and  even  vices.  Mr.  Bragg  was  a  better  man  than  Mr. 
Dodge,  for  he  had  more  self-reliance,  and  was  more  manly ; 
but  on  the  score  of  religion  he  had  the  same  contradictory 
excesses,  and  there  was  a  common  point  in  the  way  of 
vulgar  vice  toward  which  each  tended,  simply  for  the 
want  of  breeding  and  tastes,  as  infallibly  as  the  needle 
points  to  the  pole.  Cards  were  often  introduced  in  Mr. 
Effingham's  drawing-room,  and  there  was  one  apartment 
expressly  devoted  to  a  billiard-table  ;  and  many  was  the 
secret  fling  and  biting  gibe  that  these  pious  devotees 
passed  between  themselves,  on  the  subject  of  so  flagrant 
an  instance  of  immorality  in  a  family  of  so  high  moral  pre- 
tensions ;  the  two  worthies  not  unfrequently  concluding 
their  comments  by  repairing  to  some  secret  room  in  a 
tavern,  where,  after  carefully  locking  the  door,  and  draw- 
ing the  curtains,  they  would  order  brandy,  and  pass  a  re- 
freshing hour  in  endeavoring  to  relieve  each  other  of  the 
labor  of  carrying  their  odd  sixpences,  by  means  of  little 
shoemaker's  loo. 

On  the  present  occasion,  however,  the  earnestness  of 
Eve  produced  a  pacifying  effect  on  their  consciences,  for 
as  our  heroine  never  raised  her  sweet  voice  above  the 
tones  of  a  gentlewoman,  its  very  mildness  and  softness 
gave  force  to  her  expressions.  Had  John  Effingham  ut- 
tered the  sentiments  to  which  they  had  just  listened,  it  is 
probable  Mr.  Bragg  would  have  attempted  an  answer ; 
but  under  the  circumstances,  he  preferred  making  his  bow 
and  diverging  into  the  first  path  that  offered,  followed  by 
his  companion.  Eve  and  Paul  continued  their  circuit  of 
the  grounds,  as  if  no  interruption  had  taken  place. 

"  This  disposition  to  change  is  getting  to  be  universal 
in  the  country,"  remarked  the  latter,  as  soon  as  Arista- 
bulus  and  his  friend  had  left  them,  "  and  I  consider  it  one 
of  the  worst  signs  of  the  times  ;  more  especially  since  it 
has  become  so  common  to  connect  it  with  what  it  is  the 
fashion  to  call  excitement." 

"  To  return  to  the  subject  which  these  gentlemb_j  inter- 
rupted," said  Eve,  "that  of  family  ties  ;  I  have  always 
heard  England  quoted  as  one  of  the  strongest  instances  of 
a  nation  in  which  this  tie  is  slight,  beyond  its  aristocratical 
influence  ;  and  I  should  be  sorry  to  suppose  that  we  are 


304  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

following  in  the  footsteps  of  our  good-mother,  in  this  re, 
spect  at  least." 

"  Has  Mademoiselle  Viefville  never  made  any  remark 
on  this  subject  ?" 

"  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  though  observant,  is  discreet. 
That  she  believes  the  standard  of  the  affections  as  high  in 
this  as  in  her  own  country,  I  do  not  think  ;  for,  like  most 
Europeans,  she  considers  the  Americans  to  be  a  passion- 
less people,  who  are  more  bound  up  in  the  interests  of  gain 
than  in  any  other  of  the  concerns  of  life." 

"  She  does  not  know  us!"  said  Paul,  so  earnestly  as 
to  cause  Eve  to  start  at  the  deep  energy  with  which  he 
spoke.  "  The  passions  lie  as  deep,  and  run  in  currents 
as  strong  here  as  in  any  other  part  of  the  world,  though 
there  not  being  as  many  factitious  causes  to  dam  them, 
they  less  seldom  break  through  the  bounds  of  pro- 
priety." 

For  near  a  minute  the  two  paced  the  walk  in  silence, 
and  Eve  began  to  wish  that  some  one  of  the  party  would 
again  join  them,  that  a  conversation  which  she  felt  was 
getting  to  be  awkward,  might  be  interrupted.  But  no  one 
crossed  their  path  again,  and  without  rudeness  or  affecta- 
tion, she  saw  no  means  of  eifecting  her  object.  Paul  was 
too  much  occupied  with  his  own  feelings  to  observe  his 
companion's  embarrassment,  and,  after  the  short  pause 
mentioned,  he  naturally  pursued  the  subject,  though  in  a 
less  emphatic  manner  than  before. 

"  It  was  an  old  and  a  favorite  theory  with  the  Eu- 
ropeans," he  said,  with  a  sort  of  bitter  irony,  "  that  all  the 
animals  of  this  hemisphere  have  less  gifted  natures  than 
those  of  the  other  ;  nor  is  it  a  theory  of  which  they  are  yet 
entirely  rid.  The  Indian  was  supposed  to  be  passionless, 
because  he  had  self-command  ;  and  what  in  the  European 
would  be  thought  exhibiting  the  feelings  of  a  noble  nature 
in  him  has  been  represented  as  ferocity  and  revenge.  Miss 
Effingham,  you  and  I  have  seen  Europe,  have  stood  in  the 
presence  of  its  wisest,  its  noblest,  and  its  best  ;  and  what 
have  they  to  boast  beyond  the  immediate  results  of  their 
factitious  and  labored  political  systems,  that  is  denied  to 
the  American — or  rather  would  be  denied  to  the  American, 
had  the  latter  the  manliness  and  mental  independence  to 
Ge  equal  to  his  fortunes  ?  " 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  305 

"  Which  you  think  he  is  not." 

"  How  can  a  people  be  even  independent  that  imports  its 
thoughts  as  it  does  its  wares,  that  has  not  the  spirit  to  in- 
vent even  its  own  prejudices  ?  " 

"  Something  should  be  allowed  to  habit  and  to  the  influ- 
ence of  time.  England  herself,  probably,  has  inherited 
some  of  her  false  notions  from  the  Saxons  and  Nor- 
mans." 

"  That  is  not  only  possible,  but  probable  ;  but  England, 
in  thinking  of  Russia,  France,  Turkey,  or  Egypt,  when  in- 
duced to  think  wrong,  yields  to  an  English,  and  not  to  an 
American  interest.  Her  errors  are  at  least  requited,  in  a 
degree,  by  serving  her  own  ends,  whereas  ours  are  made 
too  often  to  oppose  our  most  obvious  interests.  We  are 
never  independent  unless  when  stimulated  by  some  strong 
and  pressing  moneyed  concern,  and  not  often  then  beyond 

the  plainest  of  its  effects. Here  is  one,  apparently,  who 

does  not  belong  to  our  party." 

Paul  interrupted  himself,  in  consequence  of  their  meeting 
a  stranger  in  the  walk,  who  moved  with  the  indecision  of 
one  uncertain  whether  to  advance  or  recede.  Rockets 
frequently  fell  into  the  grounds,  and  there  had  been  one 
or  two  inroads  of  boys,  which  had  been  tolerated  on  ac- 
count of  the  occasion  ;  but  this  intruder  was  a  man  in  the 
decline  of  life,  of  the  condition  of  a  warm  tradesman  seem- 
ingly, and  he  clearly  had  no  connection  with  sky-rockets, 
as  his  eyes  were  turned  inquiringly  on  the  persons  of  those 
who  passed  him  from  time  to  time,  none  of  whom  had  he 
stopped,  however,  until  he  now  placed  himself  before 
Paul  and  Eve,  in  a  way  to  denote  a  desire  to  speak. 

"The  young  people  are  making  a  merry  night  of  it,"  he 
said,  keeping  a  hand  in  each  coat-pocket,  while  he  uncere- 
moniously occupied  the  centre  of  the  narrow  walk,  as  if 
determined  to  compel  a  parley. 

Although  sufficiently  acquainted  with  the  unceremoni- 
ous habits  of  the  people  of  the  country  to  feel  no  surprise 
at  this  intrusion,  Paul  was  vexed  at  having  his  tete-d-t$te 
with  Eve  so  rudely  broken  ;  and  he  answered  with  more 
of  the  hauteur  of  the  quarter-deck  than  he  might  other- 
wise have  done,  by  saying  coldly — 

"  Perhaps,  sir,  it  is  your  wish  to  see  Mr.  Effingham — 
or — "  hesitating  an  instant,  as  he  scanned  the  stranger's  ar> 


3o6  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

t 

pearance — "  some  of  his  people.  The  first  will  soon  pass 
this  spot,  and  you  will  find  most  of  the  latter  on  the  lawn, 
watching  the  rockets." 

The  man  regarded  Paul  a  moment,  and  then  he  re- 
moved his  hat  respectfully. 

"  Please,  sir,  can  you  inform  me  if  a  gentleman  called 
Captain  Truck — one  that  sails  the  packets  between  New 
York  and  England,  is  staying  at  the  Wigwam  at  pre- 
sent." 

Paul  told  him  that  the  captain  was  walking  with  Mr. 
Effmgham,  and  that  the  next  pair  that  approached  would 
be  they.  The  stranger  fell  back,  keeping  his  hat  respect- 
fully in  his  hand,  and  the  two  passed. 

"  That  man  has  been  an  English  servant,  but  has  been  a 
little  spoiled  by  the  reaction  of  an  excessive  liberty  to  do 
as  he  pleases.  The  'please,  sir,'  and  the  attitude,  can 
hardly  be  mistaken,  while  the  nonchalance  of  his  manner 
a  nous  aborder,  sufficiently  betrays  the  second  edition  of  his 
education." 

"  I  am  curious  to  know  what  this  person  can  want  with 
our  excellent  captain — it  can  scarcely  be  one  of  the  Mon- 
tauk's  crew ! " 

"  I  will  answer  for  it  that  the  fellow  has  not  enough 
seamanship  about  him  to  whip  a  rope,"  said  Paul,  laugh- 
ing ;  "  for  if  there  be  two  temporal  pursuits  that  have  less 
affinity  than  any  two  others,  they  are  those  of  the  pantry 
and  the  tar-bucket.  I  think  it  will  be  seen  that  this  man 
has  been  an  English  servant,  and  he  has  probably  been  a 
passenger  on  board  some  ship  commanded  by  our  honest 
old  friend." 

Eve  and  Paul  now  turned,  and  they  met  Mr.  Effingham 
and  the  captain  just  as  the  two  latter  reached  the  spot 
where  the  stranger  stood  still. 

"  This  is  Captain  Truck,  the  gentleman  for  whom  you 
inquired,"  said  Paul. 

The  stranger  looked  hard  at  the  captain,  and  the  captain 
looked  hard  at  the  stranger,  the  obscurity  rendering  a 
pretty  close  scrutiny  necessary,  to  enable  either  to  distin- 
guish features.  The  examination  seemed  to  be  mutually 
unsatisfactory,  for  each  retired  a  little,  like  a  man  who 
had  not  found  a  face  that  he  knew. 

"  There   must   be   two   Captain   Trucks;   then,    in   the 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  307 

trade,"  said  the  stranger  ;  "  this  is  not  the  gentleman  I 
used  to  know." 

"  I  think  you  are  as  right  in  the  latter  part  of  your  re- 
mark, friend,  as  you  are  wrong  in  the  first,"  returned  the 
captain.  "  Know  you  I  do  not  ;  and  yet  there  are  no 
more  two  Captain  Trucks  in  the  English  trade  than  there 
are  two  Miss  Eve  Effinghams  or  two  Mrs.  Hawkers  in  the 
universe.  I  am  John  Truck,  and  no  other  man  of  that 
name  ever  sailed  a  ship  between  New  York  and  England, 
in  my  day  at  least." 

"  Did  you  ever  command  the  Dawn,  sir  ? " 

"  The  Dawn !  That  I  did  ;  and  the  Regulus,  and  the 
Manhattan,  and  the  Wilful  Girl,  and  the  Deborah-Angel- 
ina, and  the  Sukey  and  Katy,  which,  my  dear  young  lady, 
I  may  say,  was  my  first  love.  She  was  only  a  fore-and- 
after,  carrying  no  standing  topsail  even,  and  we  named  her 
after  two  of  the  river  girls,  who  were  flyers  in  their  way ; 
at  least,  I  thought  so  then  ;  though  a  man  by  sailing  a 
packet  comes  to  alter  his  notions  about  men  and  things, 
or,  for  that  matter,  about  women  and  things  too.  I  got 
into  a  category  in  that  schooner  that  I  never  expect  to  see 
equalled  ;  for  I  was  driven  ashore  to  windward  in  her,  which 
is  gibberish  to  you,  my  dear  young  lady,  but  which  Mr. 
Powis  will  very  well  understand,  though  he  may  not  be 
able  to  explain  it." 

"  I  certainly  know  what  you  mean,"  said  Paul,  "  though 
I  confess  I  am  in  a  category,  as  well  as  the  schooner,  so  far 
as  knowing  how  it  could  have  happened." 

«*  The  Sukey  and  Katy  ran  away  with  me,  that's  the  up- 
shot of  it.  Since  that  time  I  have  never  consented  to  com- 
mand a  vessel  that  was  called  after  two  of  our  river  young 
women,  for  I  do  believe  that  one  of  them  is  as  much  as  a 
common  mariner  can  manage.  You  see,  Mr.  Effingham, 
we  were  running  along  a  weather-shore,  as  close  in  as  we 
could  get,  to  be  in  the  eddy,  when  a  squall  struck  her 
a-beam,  and  she  luffed  right  on  to  the  beach.  No  helping 
it.  Helm  hard  up,  peak  down,  head  sheets  to  windward, 
and  main  sheet  flying,  but  it  was  all  too  late  ;  away  she 
went  plump  ashore  to  windward.  But  for  that  accident  I 
think  I  might  have  married." 

"And  what  connection  could  you  find  between  matrimony 
and  this  accident,  Captain  ? "  demanded  the  laughing  Eve. 


3o8  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  There  was  an  admonition  in  it,  my  dear  young  lady, 
that  I  thought  was  not  to  be  disregarded.  I  tried  the  Wil- 
ful Girl  next,  and  she  was  thrown  on  her  beam-ends  with 
me  ;  after  which  I  renounced*  all  female  names,  and  took 
to  the  Egyptian." 

"The  Egyptian!" 

"  Certainly,  Regulus,  who  was  a  great  snake-killer,  they 
tell  me,  in  that  part  of  the  world.  But  I  never  saw  my 
way  quite  clear  as  bachelor  until  I  got  the  Dawn.  Did 
you  know  that  ship,  friend  ?  " 

"  I  believe,  sir,  I  made  two  passages  in  her  while  you 
commanded  her." 

"  Nothing  more  likely  ;  we  carried  lots  of  your  country- 
men, though  mostly  forward  of  the  gangways.  I  com- 
manded the  Dawn  more  than  twenty  years  ago." 

"  It  is  all  of  that  time  since  I  crossed  with  you,  sir  ;  you 
may  remember  that  we  fell  in  with  a  wreck,  ten  days  after 
we  sailed,  and  took  off  her  crew  and  two  passengers.  Three 
or  four  of  the  latter  had  died  with  their  sufferings,  and 
several  of  the  people." 

"All  this  seems  but  as  yesterday!  The  wreck  was  a 
Charleston  ship,  that  had  started  a  butt." 

"  Yes,  sir — yes,  sir— that  is  just  it — she  had  started,  but 
could  not  get  in.  That  is  just  what  they  said  at  the  time. 
I  am  David,  sir — I  should  think  you  cannot  have  forgotten 
David." 

The  honest  captain  was  very  willing  to  gratify  the  other's 
harmless  self-importance,  though,  to  tell  the  truth,  he  re- 
tained no  more  personal  knowledge  of  the  David  of  the 
Dawn,  than  he  had  of  David,  King  of  the  Jews. 

"  Oh,  David!"  he  cried,  cordially;  "are  you  David? 
Well,  I  did  not  expect  to  see  you  again  in  this  world, 
though  I  never  doubted  where  we  should  be  hereafter.  I 
hope  you  are  very  well,  David  ;  what  sort  of  weather  have 
you  made  of  it  since  we  parted  ?  If  I  recollect  aright,  you 
worked  your  passage  ;  never  at  sea  before." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  sir  ;  I  never  was  at  sea  before  the 
first  time,  it  is  true  ;  but  I  did  not  belong  to  the  crew.  I 
was  a  passenger." 

"  I  remember,  now,  you  were  in  the  steerage,  "  returned 
the  captain,  who  saw  daylight  ahead. 

"  Not  at  all,  sir,  but  in  the  cabin." 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  309 

"  Cabin  !"  echoed  the  captain,  who  perceived  none  of 
the  requisites  of  a  cabin-passenger  in  the  other  ;  "  oh  !  I  un- 
derstand, in  the  pantry  ?  " 

"  Exactly  so,  sir.  You  may  remember  my  master  ;  he 
had  the  left  hand  state-room  to  himself,  and  I  slept  next 
to  the  scuttle-butt.  You  recollect  master,  sir  ?" 

"  Out  of  doubt,  a  very  good  fellow  he  was.  I  hope  you 
live  with  him  still  ?" 

"  Lord  bless  you,  sir,  he  is  dead  !  " 

"  Oh  !  1  recollect  hearing  of  it  at  the  time.  Well,  David, 
I  hope  if  ever  we  cross  again  we  shall  be  shipmates  once 
more.  We  were  beginners,  then,  but  we  have  ships  worth 
living  in  now.  Good-night." 

"  Do  you  remember  Dowse,  sir,  that  we  got  from  the 
wreck  ?  "  continued  the  other,  unwilling  to  give  up  his 
gossip  so  soon.  "  He  was  a  dark  man,  that  had  had  the 
small-pox  badly.  I  think,  sir,  you  will  recollect  him,  for 
he  was  a  hard  man  in  other  particulars  besides  his  counte- 
nance." 

"  Somewhat  flinty  about  the  soul  ;  I  remember  the  man 
well ;  and  so,  David,  good- night  ;  you  will  come  and  see 
me,  if  you  are  ever  in  town.  Good-night,  David." 

David  was  now  compelled  to  leave  the  place,  for  Cap- 
tain Truck,  who  perceived  that  the  whole  party  was  get- 
ting together  again  in  consequence  of  the  halt,  felt  the 
propriety  of  dismissing  his  visitor,  of  whom,  his  master, 
and  Dowse,  he  retained  just  as  much  recollection  as  one 
retains  of  a  common  stage-coach  companion  after  twenty 
years.  The  appearance  of  Mr.  Howel,  who  just  at  that 
moment  approached  them,  aided  the  manoeuvre,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  the  different  groups  were  again  in  motion, 
though  some  slight  changes  had  taken  place  in  the  distri- 
bution of  the  parties. 


310  HOME  AS   FOUND. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

"How  silver  sweet  sound  lovers'  tongues  at  night, 
Like  softest  music  to  attending  ears  !  " 

ROMEO  AND  JULIET. 

"A  POOR  matter,  this  of  the  fireworks,"  said  Mr.  Howel, 
who,  with  an  old  bachelor's  want  of  tact,  had  joined  Eve 
and  Paul  in  their  walk.  "  The  English  would  laugh  at 
them  famously,  I  dare  say.  Have  you  heard  Sir  George 
allude  to  them  at  all,  Miss  Eve  ? " 

"  It  would  be  great  affectation  for  an  Englishman  to  de- 
ride the  fireworks  of  any  dry  climate,"  said  Eve,  laughing  ; 
"  and  I  dare  say,  if  Sir  George  Templemore  has  been  silent 
on  the  subject,  it  is  because  he  is  conscious  he  knows  little 
about  it." 

"  Well,  that  is  odd  !  I  should  think  England  the  very 
first  country  in  the  world  for  fireworks.  I  hear,  Miss  Eve, 
that,  on  the  whole,  the  baronet  is  rather  pleased  with  us  ; 
and  I  must  say  that  he  is  getting  to  be  very  popular  in 
Templeton." 

"  Nothing  is  easier  than  for  an  Englishman  to  become 
popular  in  America,"  observed  Paul,  "  especially  if  his  con- 
dition in  life  be  above  that  of  the  vulgar.  He  has  only  to 
declare  himself  pleased  with  America  ;  or,  to  be  sincerely 
hated,  to  declare  himself  displeased." 

"  And  in  what  does  America  differ  from  any  other  coun- 
try, in  this  respect?"  asked  Eve,  quickly. 

"  Not  much,  certainly  ;  love  induces  love,  and  dislike, 
dislike.  There  is  nothing  new  in  all  this  ;  but  the  people 
of  other  countries,  having  more  confidence  in  themselves, 
do  not  so  sensitively  inquire  what  others  think  of  them.  I 
believe  this  contains  the  whole  difference." 

"  But  Sir  George  does  rather  like  us  ? "  inquired  Mr. 
Howel,  with  interest. 

"He  likes  some  of  us  particularly  well,"  returned  Eve. 
"  Do  you  not  know  that  my  cousin  Grace  is  to  become  Mrs. 
— I  beg  her  pardon — Lady  Templemore,  very  shortly  ?  " 

"  Good  God  ! — Is  that  possible — Lady  Templemore  I—- 
Lady Grace  Templemore ! " 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  311 

"  Not  Lady  Grace  Templemore,  but  Grace,  Lady  Temple- 
more,  and  graceful  Lady  Templemore  into  the  bargain." 

"  And  this  honor,  my  dear  Miss  Eve,  they  tell  me  you 
refused !  " 

"They  tell  you  wrong,  then,  sir,"  answered  the  young 
lady,  a  little  startled  with  the  suddenness  and  brusquerie  of 
the  remark,  and  yet  prompt  to  do  justice  to  all  concerned. 
"  Sir  George  Templemore  never  did  me  the  honor  to  pro- 
pose to  me,  or  for  me,  and  consequently  he  could  not  be 
refused." 

"It  is  very  extraordinary  !  I  hear  you  were  actually 
acquainted  in  Europe  ?  " 

"  We  were,  Mr.  Howel,  actually  acquainted  in  Europe, 
but  I  knew  hundreds  of  persons  in  Europe  who  have  never 
dreamed  of  asking  me  to  marry  them." 

"This  is  very  strange — quite  unlocked  for — to  marry 
Miss  Van  Cortlandt!  Is  Mr.  John  Effingham  in  the 
grounds  ? " 

Eve  made  no  answer,  but  Paul  hurriedly  observed — 

"  You  will  find  him  in  the  next  walk,  I  think,  by  return- 
ing a  short  distance,  and  taking  the  first  path  to  the  left." 

Mr.  Howel  did  as  told,  and  was  soon  out  of  sight. 

"  That  is  a  most  earnest  believer  in  English  superiority, 
and,  one  may  say,  by  his  strong  desire  to  give  you  an  Eng- 
lish husband,  Miss  Effingham,  in  English  merit." 

"It  is  the  weak  spot  in  the  character  of  a  very  honest 
man.  They  tell  me  such  instances  were  much  more  fre- 
quent in  this  country  thirty  years  since  than  they  are 
to-day." 

"  I  can  easily  believe  it,  for  I  think  I  remember  some 
characters  of  the  sort  myself.  I  have  heard  those  who  are 
older  than  I  am  draw  a  distinction  like  this  between  the 
state  of  feeling  that  prevailed  forty  years  ago  and  that 
which  prevails  to-day  ;  they  say  that  formerly  England  ab- 
solutely and  despotically  thought  for  America,  in  all  but 
those  cases  in  which  the  interests  of  the  two  nations  con- 
flicted;  and  I  have  even  heard  competent  judges  affirm, 
that  so  powerful  was  the  influence  of  habit,  and  so  success- 
ful the  schemes  of  the  political  managers  of  the  mother 
country,  that  even  many  of  those  who  fought  for  the  inde- 
pendence of  America,  actually  doubted  of  the  propriety  oi 
their  acts,  as  Luther  is  known  to  have  had  fits  of  despond- 


312  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

ency  concerning  the  justness  of  the  reformation  he  was 
producing  ;  while  latterly,  the  leaning  toward  England  is 
less  the  result  of  a  simple  mental  dependence — though  of 
that  there  still  remains  a  disgraceful  amount — than  of  cal- 
culation, and  a  desire  in  a  certain  class  to  defeat  the  do- 
minion of  the  mass,  and  to  establish  that  of  a  few  in  its 
stead." 

"  It  would,  indeed,  be  a  strange  consummation  of  the 
history  of  this  country  to  find  it  becoming  monarchical ! " 

"  There  are  a  few  monarchists  no  doubt  springing  up  in 
the  country,  though  almost  entirely  in  a  class  that  only 
knows  the  world  through  the  imagination  and  by  means 
of  books  ;  but  the  disposition  in  our  time  is  to  aristocracy, 
and  not  to  monarchy.  Most  men  that  get  to  be  rich  dis- 
cover that  they  are  no  happier  for  their  possessions  ;  per- 
haps every  man  who  has  not  been  trained  and  prepared  to 
use  his  means  properly  is  in  this  category,  as  our  friend 
the  captain  would  call  it,  and  then  they  begin  to  long  for 
some  other  untried  advantages.  The  example  of  the  rest 
of  the  world  is  before  our  own  wealthy,  and,  faute  d' imag- 
ination, they  imitate  because  they  cannot  invent  Exclu- 
sive political  power  is  also  a  great  ally  in  the  accumula- 
tion of  money,  and  a  portion  have  the  sagacity  to  see  it ; 
though  I  suspect  more  pine  for  the  vanities  of  the  exclusive 
classes  than  for  the  substance.  Your  sex,  Miss  Effing- 
ham,  as  a  whole,  is  not  above  this  latter  weakness,  as  I 
think  you  must  have  observed  in  your  intercourse  with 
those  you  met  abroad." 

"  I  met  with  some  instances  of  weakness  in  this  way," 
said  Eve,  with  reserve,  and  with  the  pride  of  a  woman, 
"  though  not  more,  I  think,  than  among  the  men  ;  and 
seldom,  in  either  case,  among  those  whom  we  are  accus- 
tomed to  consider  people  of  condition  at  home.  The  self- 
respect  and  the  habits  of  the  latter  generally  preserved 
them  from  betraying  this  feebleness  of  character,  if  indeed 
they  felt  it." 

"  The  Americans  abroad  may  be  divided  into  two  great 
classes  ;  those  who  go  for  improvement  in  the  sciences  or 
the  arts,  and  those  who  go  for  mere  amusement.  As  a 
whole,  the  former  have  struck  me  as  being  singularly  re- 
spectable, equally  removed  from  an  apish  servility  and  a 
swaggering  pretension  of  superiority ;  while,  I  fear,  a  ma- 


HOME   AS  FOUND.  313 

jority  of  the  latter  have  a  disagreeable  direction  toward 
the  vanities." 

"  I  will  not  affirm  the  contrary,"  said  Eve,  *'  for  frivolity 
and  pleasure  are  only  too  closely  associated  in  ordinary 
minds.  The  number  of  those  who  prize  the  elegancies  of 
life  for  their  intrinsic  value  is  everywhere  small,  I  should 
think  ;  and  I  question  if  Europe  is  much  better  off  than 
ourselves  in  this  respect." 

"  This  may  be  true,  and  yet  one  can  only  regret  that,  in 
a  case  where  so  much  depends  on  example,  the  tone  of 
our  people  was  not  more  assimilated  to  their  facts.  I  do 
not  know  whether  you  were  struck  with  the  same  peculi- 
arity, but,  whenever  I  felt  in  the  mood  to  hear  high  mo 
narchical  and  aristocratical  doctrines  blindly  promulgated, 
I  used  to  go  to  the  nearest  American  Legation." 

"  I  have  heard  this  fact  commented  on,"  Eve  answered, 
"  and  even  by  foreigners,  and  I  confess  it  has  always  struck 
me  as  singular.  Why  should  the  agent  of  a  republic  make 
a  parade  of  his  anti-republican  sentiments  ?  " 

"  That  there  are  exceptions,  I  will  allow  ;  but,  after  the 
experience  of  many  years,  I  honestly  think  that  such  is  the 
rule.  I  might  distrust  my  own  opinion,  or  my  own  knowl- 
edge ;  but  others,  with  opportunities  equal  to  my  own, 
have  come  to  the  same  conclusion.  I  have  just  received  a 
letter  from  Europe,  complaining  that  an  American  Envoy 
Extraordinary,  who  would  as  soon  think  of  denouncing 
himself  as  utter  the  same  sentiments  openly  at  home,  has 
given  an  opinion  against  the  utility  of  the  vote  by  ballot ; 
and  this,  too,  under  circumstances  that  might  naturally  be 
thought  to  produce  a  practical  effect." 

"  Tant pis.     To  me  all  this  is  inexplicable  !  " 

"  It  has  its  solution,  Miss  Effingham,  like  any  other  prob- 
lem. In  ordinary  times  extraordinary  men  seldom  become 
prominent,  power  passing  into  the  hands  of  clever  manag- 
ers. Now,  the  very  vanity  and  the  petty  desires  that  be- 
tray themselves  in  glittering  uniforms,  puerile  affectations, 
and  feeble  imitations  of  other  systems,  probably  induce 
more  than  half  of  those  who  fill  the  foreign  missions  to  ap- 
ply for  them,  and  it  is  no  more  than  we  ought  to  expect 
that  the  real  disposition  should  betray  itself,  when  there 
was  no  longer  any  necessity  for  hypocrisy." 

"  But  I  should  think  this  necessity  for  hypocrisy  would 


3I4  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

never  cease  !  Can  it  be  possible  that  a  people  as  much  at- 
tached to  their  institutions  as  the  great  mass  of  the  Ameri- 
can nation  is  known  to  be,  will  tolerate  such  a  base  aban- 
donment of  all  they  cherish  ? " 

"  How  are  they  to  know  anything  about  it  ?  It  is  a  start- 
ling fact,  and  there  is  a  man  at  this  instant  who  has  not  a 
single  claim  to  such  a  confidence,  either  in  the  way  of  mind, 
principles,  manners,  or  attainments,  filling  a  public  trust 
abroad,  who,  on  all  occasions,  except  those  which  he  thinks 
will  come  directly  before  the  American  people,  not  only 
proclaims  himself  opposed  to  the  great  principles  of  the 
institutions,  but  who,  in  a  recent  controversy  with  a  foreign 
nation,  actually  took  sides  against  his  own  country,  inform- 
ing that  of  the  opposing  nation  that  the  administration  at 
home  would  not  be  supported  by  the  legislative  part  of  the 
government ! " 

"  And  why  is  not  this  publicly  exposed  ? " 

"  Cut  bono  ?  The  presses  that  have  no  direct  interest  in 
the  matter  would  treat  the  affair  with  indifference  or  levity, 
while  a  few  would  mystify  the  truth.  It  is  quite  impossi- 
ble for  any  man  in  a  private  station  to  make  the  truth  availa- 
ble in  any  country  in  a  matter  of  public  interest ;  and  those 
in  public  stations  seldom  or  never  attempt  it,  unless  they 
see  a  direct  party  end  to  be  obtained.  This  is  the  reason  that 
we  see  so  much  infidelity  to  the  principles  of  the  institu- 
tions among  the  public  agents  abroad,  for  they  very  well 
know  that  no  one  will  be  able  to  expose  them.  In  addition 
to  this  motive,  there  is  so  strong  a  desire  in  that  portion  of 
the  community  which  is  considered  the  highest,  to  effect  a 
radical  change  in  these  very  institutions,  that  infidelity  to 
them,  in  their  eyes,  would  be  a  merit,  rather  than  an  of- 
fence." 

"  Surely,  surely,  other  nations  are  not  treated  in  this 
cavalier  manner  ! " 

"  Certainly  not.  The  foreign  agent  of  a  prince  who 
should  whisper  a  syllable  against  his  master  would  be  re- 
called with  disgrace  ;  but  the  servant  of  the  people  is  dif- 
ferently situated,  since  there  are  so  many  to  be  persuaded 
of  his  guilt.  I  could  always  get  along  with  all  the  attacks 
that  the  Europeans  are  so  fond  of  making  on  the  American 
system,  but  those  which  they  quoted  from  the  mouths  oi 
our  own  diplomatic  agents." 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  315 

"  Why  do  not  our  travellers  expose  this  ? " 

"Most  of  them  see  too  little  to  know  anything  of  it. 
They  dine  at  a  diplomatic  table,  see  a  star  or  two,  fancy 
themselves  obliged,  and  puff  elegancies  that  have  no  exist- 
ence, except  in  their  own  brains.  Some  think  with  the 
unfaithful,  and  see  no  harm  in  the  infidelity.  Others  cal- 
culate the  injury  to  themselves,  and  no  small  portion  would 
fancy  it  a  greater  proof  of  patriotism  to  turn  a  sentence  in 
favor  of  the  comparative  '  energies '  and  '  superior  intelli- 
gence '  of  their  own  people,  than  to  point  out  this*  or  any 
other  disgraceful  fact,  did  they  even  possess  the  opportu- 
nities to  discover  it.  Though  no  one  thinks  more  highly 
of  these  qualities  iti  the  Americans,  considered  in  connec- 
tion with  practical  things,  than  myself  ;  no  one,  probably, 
gives  them  less  credit  for  their  ability  to  distinguish  be 
tween  appearances  and  reality,  in  matters  of  principle." 

"  It  is  probable  that  were  we  nearer  to  the  rest  of  the 
world  these  abuses  would  not  exist,  for  it  is  certain  that 
they  are  not  so  openly  practised  at  home.  I  am  glad, 
however,  to  find  that,  even  while  you  felt  some  uncer- 
tainty concerning  your  own  birthplace,  you  took  so  much 
interest  in  us  as  to  identify  yourself  in  feeling,  at  least, 
with  the  nation." 

"  There  was  one  moment  when  I  was  really  afraid  that 
the  truth  would  show  I  was  actually  born  an  English- 
man  " 

"Afraid  !"  interrupted  Eve  ;  "that  is  a  strong  word  to 
apply  to  so  great  and  glorious  a  people." 

"  We  cannot  always  account  for  our  prejudices,  and  per- 
haps this  was  one  of  mine  ;  and  now  that  I  know  that  to 
be  an  Englishman  is  not  the  greatest  possible  merit  in 
your  eyes,  Miss  Effingham,  it  is  in  no  manner  lessened." 

"In  my  eyes,  Mr.  Powis  !  I  do  not  remember  to  have 
expressed  any  partiality  for  or  any  prejudice  against  the 
English  ;  so  far  as  I  can  speak  of  my  own  feelings,  I 
regard  the  English  the  same  as  any  other  foreign  people." 

"In  words  you  have  not,  certainly  ;  but  acts  speak 
louder  than  words." 

"You  are  disposed  to  be  mysterious  to-night.  What  act 
of  mine  has  declared /r<?  or  con  in  this  important  affair  ! " 

"You  have  at  least  done  what,  I  fear,  few  of  your 
countrywomen  would  have  the  moral  courage  and  self- 


3i6  HOME   AS  FOUND. 

denial  to  do,  and  especially  those  who  are  accustomed  to 
living  abroad — refused  to  be  the  wife  of  an  English  baro- 
net of  a  good  estate  and  respectable  family." 

"Mr.  Powis,"  said  Eve,  gravely,  "this  is  an  injustice  to 
Sir  George  Templemore  that  my  sense  of  right  will  not 
permit  to  go  uncontradicted,  as  well  as  an  injustice  to  my 
sex  and  me.  As  I  told  Mr.  Howel,  in  your  presence,  that 
gentleman  has  never  proposed  for  me,  and  of  course  can- 
not have  been  refused.  Nor  can  I  suppose  that  any 
American  gentlewoman  can  deem  so  paltry  a  thing  as  a 
baronetcy  an  inducement  to  forget  her  self-respect." 

"  I  fully  appreciate  your  generous  modesty.  Miss  Effing- 
ham  ;  but  you  cannot  expect  that  I,  to  whom  Temple- 
more's  admiration  gave  so  much  uneasiness,  not  to  say 
pain,  am  to  understand  you,  as  Mr.  Howel  has  probably 
done,  too  broadly.  Although  Sir  George  may  not  have 
positively  proposed,  his  readiness  to  do  so,  on  the  least 
encouragement,  was  too  obvious  to  be  overlooked  by  a 
near  observer." 

Eve  was  ready  to  gasp  for  breath,  so  completely  by  sur- 
prise was  she  taken  by  the  calm,  earnest,  and  yet  respect- 
ful manner  in  which  Paul  confessed  his  jealousy.  There 
was  a  tremor  in  his  voice,  too,  usually  so  clear  and  even, 
that  touched  her  heart,  for  feeling  responds  to  feeling,  as 
the  echo  answers  sound  when  there  exists  a  real  sympathy 
between  the  sexes.  She  felt  the  necessity  of  saying  some- 
thing, and  yet  they  had  walked  some  distance  ere  it  was 
in  her  power  to  utter  a  syllable. 

"  I  fear  my  presumption  has  offended  you,  Miss  Effing- 
ham,"  said  Paul,  speaking  more  like  a  corrected  child  than 
the  lion-hearted  young  man  he  had  proved  himself. 

There  was  deep  homage  in  the  emotion  he  betrayed,  and 
Eve,  although  she  could  barely  distinguish  his  features,  was 
not  slow  in  discovering  this  proof  of  the  extent  of  her 
power  over  his  feelings. 

"  Do  not  call  it  presumption,"  she  said  ;  "for  one  who 
has  done  so  much  for  us  all,  can  surely  claim  some  right  to 
take  an  interest  in  those  he  has  so  well  served.  As  for  Sir 
George  Templemore,  you  have  probably  mistaken  the  feel- 
ing created  by  our  common  adventures  for  one  of  more 
importance.  He  is  warmly  and  sincerely  attached  to  my 
cousin,  Grace  Van  Cortlandt." 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  317 

"  That  he  is  so  now,  I  fully  believe  ;  but  that  a  very  dif- 
ferent magnet  first  kept  him  from  the  Canadas,  I  am  sure. 
We  treated  each  other  generously,  Miss  Effingham,  and  had 
no  concealments,  during  that  long  and  anxious  night,  when 
all  expected  that  the  day  would  dawn  on  our  captivity. 
Templemore  is  too  manly  and  honest  to  deny  his  former 
desire  to  obtain  you  for  a  wife,  and  I  think  even  he  would 
admit  that  it  depended  entirely  on  yourself  to  be  so,  or 
not." 

"  This  is  an  act  of  self-humiliation  that  he  is  not  called 
on  to  perform,"  Eve  hurriedly  replied  ;  "  such  allusions, 
now,  are  worse  than  useless,  and  they  might  pain  my  cousin, 
were  she  to  hear  them." 

"  I  am  mistaken  in  my  friend's  character  if  he  leave  his 
betrothed  in  any  doubt  on  this  subject.  Five  minutes  of 
perfect  frankness  now,  might  obviate  years  of  distrust 
hereafter." 

"  And  would  you,  Mr.  Powis,  avow  a  former  weakness 
of  this  sort  to  the  woman  you  had  finally  selected  for  your 
wife  ? " 

"  I  ought  not  to  quote  myself  for  authority  for  or  against 
such  a  course,  since  I  have  never  loved  but  one,  and  her 
with  a  passion  too  single  and  too  ardent  ever  to  admit  of 
competition.  Miss  Effingham,  there  would  be  something 
worse  than  affectation — it  would  be  trifling  with  one  who  is 
sacred  in  my  eyes,  were  I  now  to  refrain  from  speaking 
explicitly,  although  what  I  am  about  to  say  is  forced  from 
me  by  circumstances,  rather  than  voluntary,  and  is  almost 
uttered  without  a  definite  object.  Have  I  your  permission 
to  proceed  ? " 

"  You  can  scarcely  need  a  permission,  being  the  master 
of  your  own  secrets,  Mr.  Powis." 

Paul,  like  all  men  agitated  by  strong  passion,  was  incon- 
sistent, and  far  from  just  ;  and  Eve  felt  the  truth  of  this, 
even  while  her  mind  was  ingeniously  framing  excuses  for 
his  weakness.  Still  the  impression  that  she  was  about  to 
listen  to  a  declaration  that  possibly  ought  never  to  be  made, 
weighed  upon  her,  and  caused  her  to  speak  with  more  cold- 
ness than  she  actually  felt.  As  she  continued  silent,  how- 
ever, the  young  man  saw  that  it  had  become  indispensably 
necessary  to  be  explicit. 

"  I  shall  not  detain  you,  Miss  Effingham,  perhaps  vex 


3i8  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

you,"  he  said,  "with  the  history  of  those  early  impressions 
which  have  gradually  grown  upon  me,  until  they  have  be- 
come interwoven  with  my  very  existence.  We  met,  as  you 
know,  at  Vienna,  for  the  first  time.  An  Austrian  of  rank, 
to  whom  I  had  become  known  through  some  fortunate  cir- 
cumstances, introduced  me  into  the  best  society  of  that 
capital,  in  which  I  found  you  the  admiration  of  all  who 
knew  you.  My  first  feeling  was  that  of  exultation,  at  see- 
ing a  young  countrywoman — you  were  then  almost  a  child, 
Miss  Effingham — the  greatest  attraction  of  a  capital  cele- 
brated for  the  beauty  and  grace  of  its  women " 

"Your  national  partialities  have  made  you  an  unjust 
judge  toward  others,  Mr.  Powis,"  Eve  interrupted  him  by 
saying,  though  the  earnestness  and  passion  with  which  the 
young  man  uttered  his  feelings  made  music  to  her  ears : 
"what  had  a  young,  frightened,  half-educated  American 
girl  to  boast  of  when  put  in  competition  with  the  finished 
women  of  Austria?  " 

"  Her  surpassing  beauty,  her  unconscious  superiority, 
her  attainments,  her  trembling  simplicity  and  modesty, 
and  her  meek  purity  of  mind.  All  these  did  you  possess, 
not  only  in  my  eyes,  but  in  those  of  others  ;  for  these  are 
subjects  on  which  I  dwelt  too  fondly  to  be  mistaken." 

A  rocket  passed  near  them  at  the  moment,  and  while 
both  were  too  much  occupied  by  the  discourse  to  heed  the 
interruption,  its  transient  light  enabled  Paul  to  see  the 
flushed  cheeks  and  tearful  eyes  of  Eve,  as  the  latter  were 
turned  on  him  in  a  grateful  pleasure,  that  his  ardent  praises 
extorted  from  her,  in  spite  of  all  her  struggles  for  self- 
command. 

"  We  will  leave  to  others  this  comparison,  Mr.  Powis," 
she  said,  "and  confine  ourselves  to  less  doubtful  subjects." 

"  If  I  am  then  to  speak  only  of  that  which  is  beyond  all 
question,  I  shall  speak  chiefly  of  my  long-cherished,  de- 
voted, unceasing  love.  I  adored  you  at  Vienna,  Miss 
Effingham,  though  it  was  at  a  distance,  as  one  might  wor- 
ship the  sun  ;  for  while  your  excellent  father  admitted  me 
to  his  society  and  I  even  think  honored  me  with  some  por- 
tion of  his  esteem,  I  had  but  little  opportunity  to  ascertain 
the  value  of  the  jewel  that  was  contained  in  so  beautiful  a 
casket  ;  but  when  we  met  the  following  summer  in  Switzer- 
land, I  first  began  truly  to  love.  Then  I  learned  the  just 


HOME  AS  FOUJVD.  319 

ness  of  thought,  the  beautiful  candor,  the  perfectly  femi- 
nine delicacy  of  your  mind  ;  and,  although  I  will  not  say 
that  these  qualities  were  not  enhanced  in  the  eyes  of 
so  young  a  man,  by  the  extreme  beauty  of  their  pos- 
sessor, I  will  say  that,  as  weighed  against  each  other,  I 
could  a  thousand  times  prefer  the  former  to  the  latter, 
unequalled  as  the  latter  almost  is  even  among  your  own 
beautiful  sex." 

"  This  is  presenting  flattery  in  its  most  seductive  form, 
Powis." 

"  Perhaps  my  incoherent  and  abrupt  manner  of  explain- 
ing myself  deserves  a  rebuke ;  though  nothing  can  be  fur- 
ther from  my  intentions  than  to  seem  to  flatter,  or  in  any 
manner  to  exaggerate.  I  intend  merely  to  give  a  faithful 
history  of  the  state  of  my  feelings,  and  of  the  progress  of 
my  love." 

Eve  smiled  faintly,  but  sweetly,  as  Paul  would  have 
thought,  had  the  obscurity  permitted  more  than  a  dim  view 
of  her  lovely  countenance. 

"  Ought  I  to  listen  to  such  praises,  Mr.  Powis,"  she 
asked  ;  "  praises  which  only  contribute  to  a  self-esteem 
that  is  too  great  already  ? " 

"  No  one  but  yourself  would  say  this  ;  but  your  question 
does,  indeed,  remind  me  of  the  indiscretion  that  I  have 
fallen  into,  by  losing  that  command  of  my  feelings  in  which 
I  have  so  long  exulted.  No  man  should  make  a  woman 
the  confidante  of  his  attachment,  until  he  is  fully  prepared 
to  accompany  the  declaration  with  an  offer  of  his  hand — 
and  such  is  not  my  condition." 

Eve  made  no  dramatic  start,  assumed  no  look  of  affected 
surprise  or  of  wounded  dignity  ;  but  she  turned  on  her 
lover  her  serene  eyes,  with  an  expression  of  concern  so 
eloquent,  and  of  a  wonder  so  natural,  that  could  he  have  seen 
it,  it  would  probably  have  overcome  every  difficulty  on  the 
spot,  and  produced  the  usual  offer,  notwithstanding  the 
obstacle  that  he  seemed  to  think  insurmountable. 

"And  yet,"  he  continued,  "I  have  now  said  so  much,  in- 
voluntarily as  it  has  been,  that  I  feel  it  not  only  due  to 
you,  but  in  some  measure  to  myself,  to  add  that  the  fondest 
wish  of  my  heart,  the  end  and  aim  of  all  my  day-dreams, 
as  well  as  of  my  most  sober  thoughts  for  the  future,  centre 
in  the  common  wish  to  obtain  you  for  a  wife." 


320  HOME   AS  FOUND. 

The  eye  of  Eve  fell,  and  the  expression  of  her  counte- 
nance changed,  while  a  slight  but  uncontrollable  tremor 
ran  through    her   frame.     After  a  short    pause   she  sum 
moned  all  her  resolution,  and  in  a  voice,  the  firmness  of 
which  surprised  even  herself,  she  asked  : 

"  Powis,  to  what  does  all  this  tend  ?  " 

"  Well  may  you  ask  that  question,  Miss  Effingham  ! 
You  have  every  right  to  put  it,  and  the  answer,  at  least, 
shall  add  no  further  cause  of  self-reproach.  Give  me,  I 
entreat  you,  but  a  minute  to  collect  my  thoughts,  and  I  will 
endeavor  to  acquit  myself  of  an  imperious  duty,  in  a  man- 
ner more  manly  and  coherent  than  I  fear  has  been  ob- 
served for  the  last  ten  minutes." 

They  wralked  a  short  distance  in  profound  silence,  Eve 
still  under  the  influence  of  astonishment,  in  which  an  un- 
certain and  indefinite  dread  of,  she  scarcely  knew  what, 
began  to  mingle  ;  and  Paul,  endeavoring  to  quiet  the  tu- 
mult that  had  been  so  suddenly  aroused  within  him.  The 
latter  then  spoke  : 

"  Circumstances  have  always  deprived  me  of  the  happi- 
ness of  experiencing  the  tenderness  and  sympathy  of  your 
sex,  Miss  Effingham,  and  have  thrown  me  more  exclu- 
sively among  the  colder  and  ruder  spirits  of  my  own.  My 
mother  died  at  the  time  of  my  birth,  thus  cutting  me  off 
at  once  from  one  of  the  dearest  of  earthly  ties.  I  am  not 
certain  that  I  do  not  exaggerate  the  loss  in  consequence 
of  the  privations  I  have  suffered  ;  but  from  the  hour  when 
I  first  learned  to  feel,  I  have  had  a  yearning  for  the  tender, 
patient,  endearing,  disinterested  love  of  a  mother.  You, 
too,  suffered  a  similar  loss,  at  an  early  period,  if  I  have 
been  correctly  informed — 

A  sob — a  stifled,  but  painful  sob,  escaped  Eve  ;  and  in- 
expressibly shocked,  Paul  ceased  dwelling  on  his  own 
sources  of  sorrow,  to  attend  to  those  he  had  so  unintention- 
ally disturbed. 

"I  have  been  selfish,  dearest  Miss  Effingham,"  he  ex- 
claimed— "  have  overtaxed  your  patience — have  annoyed 
you  with  griefs  and  losses  that  have  no  interests  for  you, 
which  can  have  no  interest,  with  one  happy  and  blessed  as 
yourself." 

"  No,  no,  no,  Powis — you  are  unjust  to  both.  I,  too, 
lost  my  mother  when  a  mere  child,  and  never  knew  her 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  321 

fove  and  tenderness.  Proceed  ;  I  am  calmer,  and  ear- 
nestly entreat  you  to  forget  my  weakness,  and  to  proceed." 

Paul  did  proceed,  but  this  brief  interruption  in  which 
they  had  mingled  their  sorrows  for  a  common  misfortune, 
struck  a  new  chord  of  feeling,  and  removed  a  mountain  of 
reserve  and  distance  that  might  otherwise  have  obstructed 
their  growing  confidence. 

"  Cut  off  in  this  manner  from  my  nearest  and  dearest 
natural  friend,"  Paul  continued,  "  I  was  thrown,  an  infant, 
into  the  care  of  hirelings  ;  and,  in  this  at  least  my  fortune 
was  still  more  cruel  than  your  own  ;  for  the  excellent 
woman  who  has  been  so  happy  as  to  have  had  the  charge 
of  your  infancy,  had  nearly  the  love  of  a  natural  mother, 
however  she  may  have  been  wanting  in  the  attainments  of 
one  of  your  own  condition  in  life." 

"  But  we  had  both  of  us  our  fathers,  Mr.  Powis.  To  me 
my  excellent,  high-principled,  affectionate — nay  tender 
father,  has  been  everything.  Without  him,  I  should  have 
been  truly  miserable  ;  and  with  him,  notwithstanding  these 
rebellious  tears — tears  that  I  must  ascribe  to  the  infection 
of  your  own  grief — I  have  been  truly  blest." 

"Mr;  Effingham  deserves  this  from  you,  but  I  never 
knew  my  father,  you  will  remember." 

"  I  am  an  unworthy  confidante,  to  have  forgotten  this  so 
soon.  Poor  Powis,  you  were,  indeed,  unhappy  ! " 

"  He  had  parted  from  my  mother  before  my  birth,  and 
either  died  soon  after,  or  has  never  deemed  his  child  of 
sufficient  worth  to  make  him  the  subject  of  interest  suf- 
ficient to  excite  a  single  inquiry  into  his  fate." 

"Then  he  never  knew  that  child  !  "  burst  from  Eve,  with 
a  fervor  and  frankness  that  set  all  reserves,  whether  of 
womanly  training  or  of  natural  timidity,  at  defiance. 

"  Miss  Effingham  !— dearest  Miss  Effingham— Eve,  my 
own  Eve,  what  am  I  to  infer  from  this  generous  warmth  ! 
Do  not  mislead  me  !  I  can  bear  my  solitary  misery,  can 
brave  the  sufferings  of  an  isolated  existence  ;  but  I  could 
not  live  under  the  disappointments  of  such  a  hope,  a  hope 
fairly  quickened  by  a  clear  expression  from  your  lips." 

"You  teach  me  the  importance  of  caution,  Powis,  and 
we  will  now  return  to  your  history,  and  to  that  confidence 
of  which  I  shall  not  again  prove  a  faithless  repository. 
For  the  present  at  least,  I  beg  that  you  will  forget  all  else." 

21 


322  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  A  command  so  kindly — so  encouragingly  given — do  I 
offend,  dearest  Miss  Effingham  ? "  Eve,  for  the  second 
time  in  her  life,  placed  her  own  light  arm  and  beautiful 
hand  through  the  arm  of  Paul,  discovering  a  bewitching 
but  modest  reliance  on  his  worth  and  truth,  by  the  very 
manner  in  which  she  did  this  simple  and  every-day  act, 
while  she  said  more  cheerfully  : 

"  You  forget  the  substance  of  the  command,  at  the  very 
moment  you  would  have  me  suppose  you  most  disposed 
to  obey  it." 

"  Well,  then,  Miss  Effingham,  you  shall  be  more  impli- 
citly minded.  Why  my  father  left  my  mother  so  soon 
after  their  union,  I  never  knew.  It  would  seem  that  they 
lived  together  but  a  few  months,  though  I  have  the  proud 
consolation  of  knowing  that  my  mother  was  blameless. 
For  years  I  suffered  the  misery  of  doubt  on  a  point  that 
is  ever  the  most  tender  to  man — a  distrust  of  his  own 
mother;  but  all  this  has  been  happily,  blessedly  cleared 
up,  during  my  late  visit  to  England.  It  is  true  that  Lady 
Dunluce  was  my  mother's  sister,  and  as  such  might  have 
been  lenient  to  her  failings  ;  but  a  letter  from  my  father, 
that  was  written  only  a  month  before  my  mother's  death, 
leaves  no  doubt  not  only  of  her  blamelessness  as  a  wife,  but 
bears  ample  testimony  to  the  sweetness  of  her  disposition. 
This  letter  is  a  precious  document  for  a  son  to  possess, 
Miss  Effingham  !  " 

Eve  made  no  answer  ;  but  Paul  fancied  that  he  felt 
another  gentle  pressure  of  the  hand,  which,  until  then, 
had  rested  so  lightly  on  his  own  arm,  that  he  scarcely 
dared  to  move  the  latter,  lest  he  might  lose  the  precious 
consciousness  of  its  presence. 

"  I  have  other  letters  from  my  father  to  my  mother," 
the  young  man  continued,  "  but  none  that  are  so  cheering 
to  my  heart  as  this.  From  their  general  tone,  I  cannot 
persuade  myself  that  he  ever  truly  loved  her.  It  is  a 
cruel  thing,  Miss  Effingham,  for  a  man  to  deceive  a  wom- 
an Qn  a  point  like  that !  " 

"  Cruel,  indeed,"  said  Eve,  firmly.  "  Death  itself  were 
preferable  to  such  a  delusion." 

"  I  think  my  father  deceived  himself  as  well  as  my 
mother  ;  for  there  is  a  strange  incoherence  and  a  want  of 
distinctness  in.  some  of  his  letters,  that  caused  feelings,  keen 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  323 

as  mine  naturally  were  on  such  a  subject,  to  distrust  his 
affection  from  the  first." 

"Was  your  mother  rich  ?"  Eve  asked  innocently,  for, 
an  heiress  herself,  her  vigilance  had  early  been  directed 
to  that  great  motive  of  deception  and  dishonesty. 

"  Not  in  the  least.  She  had  little  beside  her  high  line- 
age and  her  beauty.  I  have  her  picture,  which  suffici- 
ently proves  the  latter ;  had,  I  ought  rather  to  say,  for  it 
was  her  miniature  of  which  I  was  robbed  by  the  Arabs, 
as  you  may  remember,  and  I  have  not  seen  it  since.  In 
the  way  of  money,  my  mother  had  barely  the  competency 
of  a  gentlewoman  ;  nothing  more." 

The  pressure  on  Paul  was  more  palpable,  as  he  spoke 
of  the  miniature  ;  and  he  ventured  to  touch  his  compan- 
ion's arm  in  order  to  give  it  a  surer  hold  of  his  own. 

"Mr.  Powis  was  not  mercenary,  then,  and  it  is  a  great 
deal,"  said  Eve,  speaking  as  if  she  was  scarcely  conscious 
that  she  spoke  at  all. 

"  Mr.  Powis  !  He  was  everything  that  was  noble  and 
disinterested.  A  more  generous,  or  a  less  selfish  man, 
never  existed  than  Francis  Powis." 

"  I  thought  you  never  knew  your  father  personally  !  "  ex- 
claimed Eve  in  surprise. 

"  Nor  did  I.  But  you  are  in  error,  supposing  that  my 
father's  name  was  Powis,  when  it  was  Assheton." 

Paul  then  explained  the  manner  in  which  he  had  been 
adopted,  while  still  a  child,  by  a  gentleman  called  Powis, 
whose  name  he  had  taken  on  finding  himself  deserted  by 
his  own  natural  parent,  and  to  whose  fortune  he  had  suc- 
ceeded on  the  death  of  his  voluntary  protector. 

"  I  bore  the  name  of  Assheton  until  Mr.  Powis  took  me 
to  France,  when  he  advised  me  to  assume  his  own,  which  I 
did  the  more  readily  as  he  thought  he  had  ascertained  that 
my  father  was  dead,  and  that  he  had  bequeathed  the  whole 
of  a  very  considerable  estate  to  his  nephews  and  nieces, 
making  no  allusion  to  me  in  his  will,  and  seemingly  anxious 
even  to  deny  his  marriage  ;  at  least  he  passed  among  his 
acquaintances  for  a  bachelor  to  his  dying  day." 

"  There  is  something  so  unusual  and  inexplicable  in  all 
this,  Mr.  Powis,  that  it  strikes  me  you  have  been  to  blame 
in  not  inquiring  more  closely  into  the  circumstances  than, 
by  your  own  account,  I  should  think  had  been  done." 


3  24  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  For  a  long  time,  for  many  bitter  years,  I  was  afraid  to 
inquire,  lest  I  should  learn  something  injurious  to  a  moth- 
er's name.  Then  there  was  the  arduous  and  confined  ser- 
vice of  my  profession,  which  kept  me  in  distant  seas  ;  and 
the  last  journey  and  painful  indisposition  of  my  excellent 
benefactor  prevented  even  the  wish  to  inquire  after  my 
own  family.  The  offended  pride  of  Mr.  Powis,  who  was 
justly  hurt  at  the  cavalier  manner  in  which  my  father's  rel- 
atives met  his  advances,  aided  in  alienating  me  from  that 
portion  of  my  relatives,  and  put  a  stop  to  all  additional 
proffers  of  intercourse  from  me.  They  even  affected  to 
doubt  the  fact  that  my  father  had  ever  married." 

"  But  of  that  you  had  proof  ?  "  Eve  earnestly  asked. 

"  Unanswerable.  My  aunt  Dunluce  was  present  at  die 
ceremony,  and  I  possess  the  certificate  given  to  my  mother 
by  the  clergyman  who  officiated.  Is  it  not  strange,  Miss 
Effingham,  that  with  all  these  circumstances  in  favor  of  my 
legitimacy,  even  Lady  Dunluce  and  her  family,  until  lately, 
had  doubts  of  the  fact  ?  " 

"  That  is  indeed  unaccountable,  your  aunt  having  wit- 
nessed the  ceremony." 

"  Very  true  ;  but  some  circumstances,  a  little  aided  per- 
haps by  the  strong  desire  of  her  husband,  General  Ducie, 
to  obtain  the  revival  of  a  barony  that  was  in  abeyance,  and 
of  which  she  would  be  the  only  heir,  assuming  that  my 
rights  were  invalid,  inclined  her  to  believe  that  my  father 
was  already  married  when  he  entered  into  the  solemn  con- 
tract with  my  mother.  But  from  that  curse,  too,  I  have 
been  happily  relieved." 

"  Poor  Powis  !  "  said  Eve,  with  a  sympathy  that  her  voice 
expressed  more  clearly  even  than  her  words  ;  "  you  have, 
indeed,  suffered  cruelly,  for  one  so  young." 

"  I  have  learned  to  bear  it,  dearest  Miss  Effingham,  and 
have  stood  so  long  a  solitary  and  isolated  being  ;  one  in 
whom  none  have  taken  any  interest " 

"  Nay,  say  not  that ;  we,  at  least,  have  always  felt  an  in- 
terest in  you — have  always  esteemed  you,  and  now  have 
learned  to " 

"Learned  to ?" 

"Love  you,"  said  Eve,  with  a  steadiness  that  afterward 
astonished  herself  ;  but  she  felt  that  a  being  so  placed  was 
entitled  to  be  treated  with  a  frankness  different  from  the 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  325 

reserve  that  it  is  usual  for  her  sex  to  observe  on  similar 
occasions. 

"  Love !  "  cried  Paul,  dropping  her  arm.  "  Miss  Effing- 
ham  ! — Eve — but  that  we  !  " 

"  I  mean  my  dear  father — Cousin  Jack — myself." 

"  Such  a  feeling  will  not  heal  a  wound  like  mine.  A 
love  that  is  shared  with  even  such  men  as  your  excellent 
father  and  your  worthy  cousin  will  not  make  me  happy. 
But  why  should  I,  unowned,  bearing  a  name  to  which  I 
have  no  legal  title,  and  virtually  without  relatives,  aspire  to 
one  like  you  ?" 

The  windings  of  the  path  had  brought  them  near  a  win- 
dow of  the  house,  whence  a  stream  of  strong  light  gleamed 
upon  the  sweet  countenance  of  Eve,  as  raising  her  eyes  to 
those  of  her  companion,  with  a  face  bathed  in  tears,  and 
flushed  with  natural  feeling  and  modesty,  the  struggle  be- 
tween which  even  heightened  her  loveliness,  she  smiled  an 
encouragement  that  it  was  impossible  to  misconstrue. 

"  Can  I  believe  my  senses  ?  Will  you — do  you — can  you 
listen  to  the  suit  of  one  like  me  ? "  the  young  man  exclaimed, 
as  he  hurried  his  companion  past  the  window,  lest  some 
interruption  might  destroy  his  hopes. 

"  Is  there  any  sufficient  reason  why  I  should  not,  Powis?" 

"Nothing  but  my  unfortunate  situation  in  respect  to  my 
family,  my  comparative  poverty,  and  my  general  unworthi- 
ness." 

"  Your  unfortunate  situation  in  respect  to  your  relatives 
would,  if  anything,  be  a  new  and  dearer  tie  with  us ;  your 
comparative  poverty  is  merely  comparative,  and  can  be  of 
no  account  where  there  is  sufficient  already ;  and  as  for 
your  general  unworthiness,  I  fear  it  will  find  more  than  an 
offset  in  that  of  the  girl  you  have  so  rashly  chosen  from 
the  rest  of  the  world." 

"  Eve — dearest  Eve,"  said  Paul,  seizing  both  her  hands, 
and  stopping  her  at  the  entrance  of  some  shrubbery  that 
densely  shaded  the  path,  and  where  the  little  light  that  fell 
from  the  stars  enabled  him  still  to  trace  her  features — "you 
will  not  leave  me  in  doubt  on  a  subject  of  this  nature — am 
I  really  so  blessed?" 

"  If  accepting  the  faith  and  affection  of  a  heart  that  is 
wholly  yours,  Powis,  can  make  you  happy,  your  sorrows 
will  be  at  an  end " 


326  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

u  But  your  father  ?  "  said  the  young  man,  almost  breath, 
less  in  his  eagerness  to  know  all. 

"  Is  here  to  confirm  what  his  daughter  has  just  declared," 
said  Mr.  Effingham,  coming  out  of  the  shrubbery  beyond 
them,  and  laying  a  hand  kindly  on  Paul's  shoulder.  "To 
find  that  you  so  well  understand  each  other,  Powis,  removes 
from  my  mind  one  of  the  greatest  anxieties  I  have  ever  ex- 
perienced. My  Cousin  John,  as  he  was  bound  to  do,  has 
made  me  acquainted  with  all  you  have  told  him  of  your 
past  life,  and  there  remains  nothing  further  to  be  revealed. 
We  have  known  you  for  years,  and  receive  you  into  our 
family  with  as  free  a  welcome  as  we  could  receive  any  pre- 
cious boon  from  Providence." 

"  Mr.  Effingham  ! — dear  sir,"  said  Paul,  almost  gasping 
between  surprise  and  rapture — "this  is  indeed  beyond  all 
my  hopes  ;  and  this  generous  frankness,  too,  in  your  lovely 
daughter " 

Paul's  hands  had  been  transferred  to  those  of  the  father, 
he  knew  not  how  ;  but  releasing  them  hurriedly  he  now 
turned  in  quest  of  Eve  again,  and  found  she  had  fled.  In 
the  short  interval  between  the  address  of  her  father  and 
the  \vords  of  Paul  she  had  found  means  to  disappear,  leav- 
ing the  gentlemen  together.  The  young  man  would  have 
followed,  but  the  cooler  head  of  Mr.  Effingham  perceiving 
that  the  occasion  was  favorable  to  a  private  conversation 
with  his  accepted  son-in-law,  and  quite  as  unfavorable  to 
one,  or  at  least  to  a  very  rational  one,  between  the  lovers, 
he  quietly  took  the  young  man's  arm,  and  led  him  toward 
a  more  private  walk.  There  half  an  hour  of  confidential 
discourse  calmed  the  feelings  of  both,  and  rendered  Paul 
Powis  one  of  the  happiest  of  human  beings. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

"You  shall  do  marvellous  wisely,  good  Reynaldo, 
Before  you  visit  him,  to  make  inquiry 
Of  his  behavior." — HAMLET. 

ANN  SIDLEY  was  engaged  among  the  dresses  of  Eve,  as 
she  loved  to  be,  although  Annette  held  her  taste  in  too  low 


HOME    AS  FOUND.  327 

estimation  ever  to  permit  her  to  apply  a  needle,  or  even  to 
fit  a  robe  to  the  beautiful  form  that  was  to  wear  it,  when 
our  heroine  glided  into  the  room,  and  sank  upon  a  sofa. 
Eve  was  too  much  absorbed  with  her  own  feelings  to 
observe  the  presence  of  her  quiet,  unobtrusive  old  nurse, 
and  too  much  accustomed  to  her  care  and  sympathy  to 
heed  it,  had  it  been  seen.  For  a  moment  she  remained, 
her  face  still  suffused  with  blushes,  her  hands  lying  before 
her  folded,  her  eyes  fixed  on  the  ceiling,  and  then  the  pent 
emotions  found  an  outlet  in  a  flood  of  tears. 

Poor  Ann  could  not  have  felt  more  shocked  had  she 
heard  of  any  unexpected  calamity,  than  she  was  at  this 
sudden  outbreaking  of  feeling  in  her  child.  She  went  to 
her,  and  bent  over  her  with  the  solicitude  of  a  mother,  as 
she  inquired  into  the  causes  of  her  apparent  sorrow. 

"Tell  me,  Miss  Eve,  and  it  will  relieve  your  mind,"  said 
the  faithful  woman  ;  "your  dear  mother  had  such  feelings 
sometimes,  and  I  never  dared  to  question  her  about  them  ; 
but  you  are  my  own  child,  and  nothing  can  grieve  you 
without  grieving  me." 

The  eyes  of  Eve  were  brilliant,  her  face  continued  to  be 
suffused,  and  the  smile  which  she  gave'  through  her  tears 
was  so  bright,  as  to  leave  her  poor  attendant  in  deep  per- 
plexity as  to  the  cause  of  a  gush  of  feeling  that  was  very 
unusual  in  one  of  the  other's  regulated  mind. 

"It  is  not  grief,  dear  Nanny," — Eve  at  length  murmured 
— "  anything  but  that  I  I  am  not  unhappy.  Oh  !  no  ;  as 
far  from  unhappiness  as  possible." 

"  God  be  praised  it  is  so,  ma'am  !  I  was  afraid  that  this 
affair  of  the  English  gentleman  and  Miss  Grace  might  not 
prove  agreeable  to  you,  for  he  has  not  behaved  as  hand- 
somely as  he  might  in  that  transaction." 

"  And  why  not,  my  poor  Nanny  ?  I  have  neither  claim, 
nor  the  wish  to  possess  a  claim,  on  Sir  George  Temple- 
more.  His  selection  of  my  cousin  has  given  me  sincere 
satisfaction,  rather  than  pain  ;  were  he  a  countryman  of 
our  own,  I  should  say  unalloyed  satisfaction,  for  I  firmly 
believe  he  will  strive  to  make  her  happy." 

Nanny  now  looked  at  her  young  mistress,  then  at  the 
floor  ;  at  her  young  mistress  again,  and  afterward  at  a 
rocket  that  was  sailing  athwart  the  sky.  Her  eyes,  how- 
ever, returned  to  those  of  Eve,  and  encouraged  by  the 


328  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

bright  beam  of  happiness  that  was  glowing  in  the  counte- 
nance  she  so  much  loved,  she  ventured  to  say  : 

"  If  Mr.  Powis  were  a  more  presuming  gentleman  than 
he  is,  ma'am— 

"  You  mean  a  less  modest,  Nanny,"  said  Eve,  perceiving 
that  her  nurse  paused. 

"  Yes,  ma'am — one  that  thought  more  of  himself,  and  less 
of  other  people,  is  what  I  wish  to  say." 

"  And  were  this  the  case  ?  " 

"  I  might  think  he  would  find  the  heart  to  say  what  I 
know  he  feels." 

"  And  did  he  find  the  heart  to  say  what  you  know  he 
feels,  what  does  Ann  Sidley  think  should  be  my  answer  ?  " 

"  Oh,  ma'am,  I  know  it  would  be  just  as  it  ought  to  be. 
I  cannot  repeat  what  ladies  say  on  such  occasions,  but  I 
know  that  it  is  what  makes  the  hearts  of  the  gentlemen 
leap  for  joy." 

There  are  occasions  in  which  woman  can  hardly  dispense 
with  the  sympathy  of  woman.  Eve  loved  her  father  most 
tenderly ;  had  more  than  the  usual  confidence  in  him,  for 
she  had  never  known  a  mother  ;  but  had  the  present  con- 
versation been  with  him,  notwithstanding  all  her  reliance 
on  his  affection,  her  nature  would  have  shrunk  from  pour- 
ing out  her  feelings  as  freely  as  she  might  have  done  with 
her  other  parent,  had  not  death  deprived  her  of  such  a 
blessing.  ^  Between  our  heroine  and  Ann  Sidley,  on  the 
other  hand,  there  existed  a  confidence  of  a  nature  so 
peculiar,  as  to  require  a  word  of  explanation  before  we  ex- 
hibit its  effects.  In  all  that  related  to  physical  wants,  Ann 
had  been  a  mother,  or  even  more  than  a  mother,  to  Eve, 
and  this  alone  had  induced  great  personal  dependence  in 
the  one,  and  a  sort  of  supervisory  care  in  the  other,  that 
had  brought  her  to  fancy  she  was  responsible  for  the  bodily 
health  and  well-doing  of  her  charge.  But  this  was  not  all. 
Nanny  had  been  the  repository  of  Eve's  childish  griefs,  the 
confidante  of  her  girlish  secrets  ;  and  though  the  years  of 
the  latter  soon  caused  her  to  be  placed  under  the  manage- 
ment of  those  who  were  better  qualified  to  store  her  mind, 
this  communication  never  ceased  ;  the  high-toned  and  edu- 
cated young  woman  reverting  with  unabated  affection,  and 
a  reliance  that  nothing  could  shake,  to  the  long-tried  ten- 
derness of  the  being  who  had  watched  over  her  infancy. 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  329 

The  effect  of  such  an  intimacy  was  often  amusing  ;  the  one 
party  bringing  to  the  conferences  a  mind  filled  with  the 
knowledge  suited  to  her  sex  and  station,  habits  that  had 
been  formed  in  the  best  circles  of  Christendom,  and  tastes 
that  had  been  acquired  in  schools  of  high  reputation  ;  and 
the  other,  little  more  than  her  single-hearted  love,  a  fidel- 
ity that  ennobled  her  nature,  and  a  simplicity  that  be- 
tokened perfect  purity  of  thought.  Nor  was  this  extraordi- 
nary confidence  without  its  advantages  to  Eve  ;  for,  thrown 
so  early  among  the  artificial  and  calculating  it  served  to 
keep  her  own  ingenuousness  of  character  active,  and  pre- 
vented that  cold,  selfish,  and  unattractive  sophistication, 
that  mere  women  of  fashion  are  apt  to  fall  into,  from  their 
isolated  and  factitious  mode  of  existence.  When  Eve, 
therefore,  put  the  questions  to  her  nurse  that  have  already 
been  mentioned,  it  was  more  with  a  real  wish  to  know  how 
the  latter  would  view  a  choice  on  which  her  own  mind  was 
so  fully  made  up,  than  any  silly  trifling  on  a  subject  that 
engrossed  so  much  of  her  best  affections. 

"  But  you  have  not  told  me,  dear  Nanny,"  she  continued, 
"  what  you  would  have  that  answer  be.  Ought  I,  for  in- 
stance, ever  to  quit  my  beloved  father  ?  " 

"  What  necessity  would  there  be  for  that,  ma'am  ?  Mr. 
Powis  has  no  home  of  his  own  ;  and,  for  that  matter, 
scarcely  any  country — 

"How  can  you  know  this,  Nanny?"  demanded  Eve, 
with  the  jealous  sensitiveness  of  a  young  love. 

"Why,  Miss  Eve,  his  man  says  this  much,  and  he  has 
lived  with  him  long  enough  to  know  it,  if  he  had  a  home. 
Now,  I  seldom  sleep  without  looking  back  at  the  day,  and 
often  have  my  thoughts  turned  to  Sir  George  Temple- 
more  and  Mr.  Powis  ;  and  when  I  have  remembered  that 
the  first  had  a  house  and  a  home,  and  that  the  last  had 
neither,  it  has  always  seemed  to  me  that  he  ought  to  be 
the  one." 

"  And  then,  in  all  this  matter,  you  have  thought  of  con- 
venience, and  what  might  be  agreeable  to  others,  rather 
than  of  me." 

"  Miss  Eve  !  " 

"  Nay,  dearest  Nanny,  forgive  me  ;  I  know  your  last 
thought,  in  everything,  is  for  yourself.  But,  surely,  the 
mere  circumstance  that  he  had  no  home,  ought  not  to  be  a 


330  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

sufficient  reason  for  selecting  any  man  for  a  husband 
With  most  women  it  would  be  an  objection." 

"  I  pretend  to  know  very  little  of  these  feelings,  Miss 
Eve.  I  have  been  wooed,  I  acknowledge  ;  and  once  I  do 
think  I  might  have  been  tempted  to  marry,  had  it  not  been 
for  a  particular  circumstance." 

"  You  !  You  marry,  Ann  Sidley  !  "  exclaimed  Eve,  to 
whom  the  bare  idea  seemed  as  odd  and  unnatural  as  that 
her  own  father  should  forget  her  mother  and  take  a 
second  wife.  "  This  is  altogether  new,  and  I  should  be 
glad  to  know  what  the  lucky  circumstance  was  which 
prevented  what,  to  me,  might  have  proved  so  great  a 
calamity." 

"  Why,  ma'am,  I  said  to  myself,  what  does  a  woman 
do  who  marries  ?  She  vows  to  quit  all  else  to  go  with 
her  husband,  and  to  love  him  before  father  and  mother, 
and  all  other  living  beings  on  earth — is  it  not  so,  Miss 
Eve  ? " 

"  I  believe  it  is  so,  indeed,  Nanny  ;  nay,  I  am  quite  cer- 
tain it  is  so,"  Eve  answered,  the  color  deepening  on  her 
cheek,  as  she  gave  this  opinion  to  her  old  nurse,  with  the 
inward  consciousness  that  she  had  just  experienced  some 
of  the  happiest  moments  of  her  life,  through  the  admission 
of  a  passion  that  thus  overshadowed  all  the  natural  affec- 
tions. "  It  is,  truly,  as  you  say." 

"  Well,  ma'am,  I  investigated  my  feelings,  I  believe  they 
call  it,  and  after  a  proper  trial,  I  found  that  I  loved  you  so 
much  better  than  any  one  else,  that  I  could  not,  in  con- 
science, make  the  vows." 

"  Dearest  Nanny !  my  kind,  good,  faithful  old  nurse  ! 
let  me  hold  you  in  my  arms  ;  and  I,  selfish,  thoughtless, 
heartless  girl,  would  forget  the  circumstance  that  would  be 
most  likely  to  keep  us  together,  for  the  remainder  of  our 
lives  !  Hist  !  there  is  a  tap  at  the  door.  It  is  Mrs.  Bloom- 
field  ;  I  know  her  light  step.  Admit  her,  my  kind  Ann, 
and  leave  us  together." 

The  bright  searching  eye  of  Mrs.  Bloomfield  was  riveted 
on  her  young  friend,  as  she  advanced  into  the  room  ;  and 
her  smile,  usually  so  gay  and  sometimes  ironical,  was  now 
thoughtful  and  kind. 

"  Well,  Miss  Effingham,"  she  cried,  in  a  manner  that  her 
looks  contradicted,  "  am  I  to  condole  with  you,  or  to  con- 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  331 

gratulate  ?  For  a  more  sudden  or  miraculous  change  did 
I  never  before  witness  in  a  young  lady,  though  whether  it 

be   for   the    better  or   the  worse These   are    ominous 

words,  too — tor  'better  or  worse,  for  richer  or  poorer  '— 

"You  are  in  fine  spirits  this  evening,  my  dear  Mrs. 
Bloorafield,  and  appear  to  have  entered  into  the  gaieties  of 
the  Fun  of  Fire  with  all  your — 

"  Might,  will  be  a  homely,  but  an  expressive  word. 
Your  Templeton  Fun  of  Fire  is  fiery  fun,  for  it  has  cost  us 
something  like  a  general  conflagration.  Mrs.  Hawker  has 
been  near  a  downfall,  like  your  great  namesake,  by  a  ser- 
pent's coming  too  near  her  dress ;  one  barn,  I  hear,  has 
actually  been  in  a  blaze,  and  Sir  George  Templemore's 
heart  is  in  cinders.  Mr.  John  Effingham  has  been  telling 
me  that  he  should  not  have  been  a  bachelor  had  there 
been  two  Mrs.Bloomfields  in  the  world,  and  Mr.  Powis  looks 
like  a  rafter  dug  out  of  Herculaneum,  nothing  but  coal." 

"And  what  occasions  this  pleasantry?"  asked  Eve,  so 
composed  in  manner  that  her  friend  was  momentarily  de- 
ceived. 

Mrs.  Bloomfield  took  a  seat  on  the  sofa,  by  the  side  of 
our  heroine,  and  regarding  her  steadily  for  near  a  minute, 
she  continued— 

"  Hypocrisy  and  Eve  Effingham  can  have  little  in  com- 
mon, and  my  ears  must  have  deceived  me." 

"  Your  ears,  dear  Mrs.  Bloomfield  ?  " 

— "My  ears,  dear  Miss  Effingham.  I  very  well  know  the 
character  of  an  eavesdropper,  but  if  gentlemen  will  make 
passionate  declarations  in  the  walks  of  a  garden,  with 
nothing  but  a  little  shrubbery  between  their  ardent  decla- 
rations and  the  curiosity  of  those  who  may  happen  to  be 
passing,  they  must  expect  to  be  overheard." 

Eve's  color  had  gradually  increased  as  her  friend  pro- 
ceeded, and  when  the  other  ceased  speaking,  as  bright  a 
bloom  glowed  on  her  countenance  as  had  shone  there 
when  she  first  entered  the  room. 

"  May  I  ask  the  meaning  of  all  this  ? "  she  said,  with  an 
effort  to  appear  calm. 

"  Certainly,  my  dear  ;  and  you  shall  also  know  the  feel- 
ings that  prompt  it,  as  well  as  the  meaning,"  returned 
Mrs.  Bloomfield,  kindly  taking  Eve's  hand  in  a  way  to 
show  that  she  did  not  mean  to  trifle  further  on  a  subject 


332  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

that  was  of  so  much  moment  to  her  young  friend.  "  Mr. 
John  Effingham  and  myself  were  star-gazing  at  a  point 
where  two  walks  approach  each  other,  just  as  you  and 
Mr.  Powis  were  passing  in  the  adjoining  path.  Without 
absolutely  stopping  our  ears,  it  was  quite  impossible  not 
to  hear  a  portion  of  your  conversation.  We  both  tried  to 
behave  honorably  ;  for  I  coughed,  and  your  kinsman  act- 
ually hemmed,  but  we  were  unheeded." 

"  Coughed  and  hemmed  ! "  repeated  Eve,  in  greater 
confusion  than  ever.  "There  must  be  some  mistake,  dear 
Mrs.  Bloomfield,  as  I  remember  to  have  heard  no  such 
signals." 

"  Quite  likely,  my  love,  for  there  was  a  time  when  I  too 
had  ears  for  only  one  voice  ;  but  you  can  have  affidavits 
to  the  fact,  a  la  mode  de  New  England,  if  you  require  them. 
Do  not  mistake  my  motive,  nevertheless,  Miss  Effingham, 
which  is  anything  but  vulgar  curiosity" — here  Mrs.  Bloom- 
field  looked  so  kind  and  friendly,  that  Eve  took  both  her 
hands  and  pressed  them  to  her  heart— "you  are  mother- 
less ;  without  even  a  single  female  connection  of  a  suitable 
age  to  consult  with  on  such  an  occasion,  and  fathers  after 
all  are  but  men — 

"  Mine  is  as  kind,  and  delicate,  and  tender,  as  any 
woman  can  be,  Mrs.  Bloomfield." 

"  I  believe  it  all,  though  he  may  not  be  quite  as  quick- 
sighted  in  an  affair  of  this  nature.  Am  I  at  liberty  to 
speak  to  you  as  if  I  were  an  elder  sister  ? " 

"  Speak,  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  as  frankly  as  you  please,  but 
leave  me  the  mistress  of  my  answers." 

"  It  is,  then,  as  I  suspected,"  said  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  in  a 
sort  of  musing  manner  ;  "  the  men  have  been  won  over, 
and  this  young  creature  has  absolutely  been  left  without  a 
protector  in  the  most  important  moment  of  her  life." 

"  Mrs.  Bloomfield  ! — What  does  this  mean  ? — What  can 
it  mean  ? " 

"It  means  merely  general  principles,  child;  that  your 
father  and  cousin  have  been  parties  concerned,  instead  of 
vigilant  sentinels  ;  and  with  all  their  pretended  care,  that 
you  have  been  left  to  grope  your  way  in  the  darkness  of 
female  uncertainty,  with  one  of  the  most  pleasing  young 
men  in  the  country  constantly  before  you,  to  help  the 
obscurity." 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  333 

It  is  a  dreadful  moment  when  we  are  taught  to  doubt 
the  worth  of  those  we  love  ;  and  Eve  became  pale  as  death 
as  she  listened  to  the  words  of  her  friend.  Once  before, 
on  the  occasion  of  Paul's  return  to  England,  she  had  felt 
a  pang  of  that  sort,  though  reflection,  and  a  calm  revision 
of  all  his  acts  and  words  since  they  first  met  in  Germany, 
had  enabled  her  to  get  the  better  of  indecision,  and  when 
she  first  saw  him  on  the  "mountain,  nearly  every  unpleas- 
ant apprehension  and  distrust  had  been  dissipated  by  an 
effort  of  pure  reason.  His  own  explanations  had  cleared 
up  the  unpleasant  affair,  and  from  that  moment  she  had 
regarded  him  altogether  with  the  eyes  of  a  confiding  par- 
tiality. The  speech  of  Mrs.  Bloomfield  now  sounded  like 
words  of  doom  to  her,  and  for  an  instant  her  friend  was 
frightened  with  the  effects  of  her  own  imperfect  communi- 
cation. Until  that  moment  Mrs.  Bloomfield  had  formed 
no  just  idea  of  the  extent  to  which  the  feelings  of  Eve 
were  interested  in  Paul,  for  she  had  but  an  imperfect 
knowledge  of  their  early  association  in  Europe,  and  she 
sincerely  repented  having  introduced  the  subject  at  all.  It 
was  too  late  to  retreat,  however,  and  first  folding  Eve  in  her 
arms,  and  kissing  her  cold  forehead,  she  hastened  to  repair 
a  part,  at  least,  of  the  mischief  she  had  done. 

"  My  words  have  been  too  strong,  I  fear,"  she  said,  "  but 
such  is  my  general  horror  of  the  manner  in  which  the 
young  of  our  sex,  in  this  country,  are  abandoned  to  the 
schemes  of  the  designing  and  selfish  of  the  other,  that  I 
am,  perhaps,  too  sensitive  when  I  see  any  one  that  I  love 
thus  exposed.  You  are  known,  my  dear,  to  be  one  of  the 
richest  heiresses  of  the  country  ;  and  I  blush  to  say  that 
no  accounts  of  European  society  that  we  have,  make  for- 
tune-hunting a  more  regular  occupation  there,  than  it  has 
got  to  be  here." 

The  paleness  left  Eve's  face,  and  a  look  of  slight  dis- 
pleasure succeeded. 

"Mr.  Powis  is  no  fortune-hunter,  Mrs.  Bloomfield,"  she 
said,  steadily  ;  "  his  whole  conduct  for  three  years  has  been 
opposed  to  such  a  character  ;  and  then,  though  absolutely 
not  rich,  perhaps,  he  has  a  gentleman's  income,  and  is 
removed  from  the  necessity  of  being  reduced  to  such  an 
act  of  baseness." 

"  I  perceive  my  error,  but  it  is  now  too  late  to  retreat 


334  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

I  do  not  say  that  Mr.  Powis  is  a  fortune-hunter,  but  there 
are  circumstances  connected  with  his  history  that  you 
ought  at  least  to  know,  and  that  immediately.  I  have 
chosen  to  speak  to  you,  rather  than  to  speak  to  your  father, 
because  I  thought  you  might  like  a  female  confidante  on 
such  occasion,  in  preference  even  to  your  excellent  natural 
protector.  The  idea  of  Mrs.  Hawker  occurred  to  me  on 
account  of  her  age  ;  but  I  did  not  feel  authorized  to  com- 
municate to  her  a  secret  of  which  I  had  myself  become  so 
accidentally  possessed." 

"  I  appreciate  your  motive  fully,  dearest  Mrs.  Bloom- 
field,"  said  Eve,  smiling  with  all  her  native  sweetness,  and 
greatly  relieved,  for  she  now  began  to  think  that  too  keen 
a  sensitiveness  on  the  subject  of  Paul  had  unnecessarily 
alarmed  her,  "  and  beg  there  may  be  no  reserves  between 
us.  If  you  know  a  reason  why  Mr.  Powis  should  not  be 
received  as  a  suitor,  I  entreat  you  to  mention  it." 

"  Is  he  Mr.  Powis  at  all  ?  " 

Again  Eve  smiled,  to  Mrs.  Bloomfield's  great  surprise, 
for,  as  the  latter  had  put  the  question  with  sincere  reluct- 
ance, she  was  astonished  at  the  coolness  with  which  it  was 
received. 

"  He  is  not  Mr.  Powis  legally,  perhaps,  though  he  might 
be,  but  that  he  dislikes  the  publicity  of  an  application  to 
the  legislature.  His  paternal  name  is  Assheton." 

"You  know  his  history,  then  ?" 

"  There  has  been  no  reserve  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Powis  ; 
least  of  all,  any  deception." 

Mrs.  Bloomfield  appeared  perplexed,  even  distressed  ; 
and  there  was  a  brief  space,  during  which  her  mind  was 
undecided  as  to  the  course  she  ought  to  take.  That  she 
had  committed  an  error  by  attempting  a  consultation,  in  a 
matter  of  the  heart,  with  one  of  her  own  sex,  after  the 
affections  were  engaged,  she  discovered  when  it  was  too 
late;  but  she  prized  Eve's  friendship  too  much,  and  had 
too  just  a  sense  of  what  was  due  to  herself,  to  leave  the  af- 
fair where  it  was,  or  without  clearing  up  her  own  unasked 
agency  in  it. 

"  I  rejoice  to  learn  this,"  she  said,  as  soon  as  her  doubts 
had  ended,  "  for  frankness,  while  it  is  one  of  the  safest,  is 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  traits  in  human  character  ;  but 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  335 

beautiful  though  it  be,  it  is  one  that  the  other  sex  uses  least 
to  o"ur  own." 

"  Is  our  own  too  ready  to  use  it  to  the  other  ? " 

"  Perhaps  not  ;  it  might  be  better  for  both  parties  were 
there  less  deception  practised  during  the  period  of  court- 
ship, generally  ;  but  as  this  is  hopeless,  and  might  destroy 
some  of  the  most  pleasing  illusions  of  life,  we  will  not 
enter  into  a  treatise  on  the  frauds  of  Cupid.  Now  to  my 
own  confessions,  which  I  make  all  the  more  willingly,  be- 
cause I  know  they  are  uttered  to  the  ear  of  one  of  a  for- 
giving temperament,  and  who  is  disposed  to  view  even  my 
follies  favorably." 

The  kind  but  painful  smile  of  Eve  assured  the  speaker 
she  was  not  mistaken,  and  she  continued,  after  taking  time 
to  read  the  expression  of  the  countenance  of  her  young 
friend — 

"  In  common  with  all  of  New  York,  that  town  of  babbling 
misses,  who  prattle  as  water  flows,  without  consciousness 
or  effort,  and  of  whiskered  masters,  who  fancy  Broadway 
the  world,  and  the  flirtations  of  miniature  drawing-rooms 
human  nature,  I  believed,  on  your  return  from  Europe,  that 
an  accepted  suitor  followed  in  your  train  in  the  person  of 
Sir  George  Templemore." 

"  Nothing  in  my  deportment,  or  in  that  of  Sir  George, 
or  in  that  of  any  of  my  family,  could  justly  have  given  rise 
to  such  a  notion,"  said  Eve,  quickly. 

"Justly  !  What  has  justice,  or  truth,  or  even  probability, 
to  do  with  a  report  of  which  love  and  matrimony  are  the 
themes  ?  Do  you  not  know  society  better  than  to  fancy 
this  improbability,  child  ? " 

"  I  know  that  our  own  sex  would  better  consult  their 
own  dignity  and  respectability,  my  dear  Mrs.  Bloomfield, 
if  they  talked  less  of  such  matters  ;  and  that  they  would 
be  more  apt  to  acquire  the  habits  of  good  taste,  not  to  say 
of  good  principles,  if  they  confined  their  strictures  more  to 
things  and  sentiments  than  they  do,  and  meddled  less  with 
persons." 

"  And  pray,  is  there  no  tittle-tattle,  no  scandal,  no  com- 
menting on  one's  neighbors,  in  other  civilized  nations  be- 
sides this  ?" 

"  Unquestionably  ;  though  I  believe,  as  a  rule,  it  is  every* 


336  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

where  thought  to  be  inherently  vulgar,  and  a  proof  of  low 
associations." 

"  In  that  we  are  perfectly  of  a  mind  ;  for  if  there  be  any 
thing  that  betrays  a  consciousness  of  inferiority,  it  is  our 
rendering  others  of  so  much  obvious  importance  to  our- 
selves as  to  make  them  the  subjects  of  our  constant  con- 
versation. We  may  speak  of  virtues,  for  therein  we  pay  a 
homage  to  that  which  is  good  ;  but  when  we  come  to  dwell 
on  personal  faults,  it  is  rather  a  proof  that  we  have  a  silent 
conviction  of  the  superiority  of  the  subject  of  our  com- 
ments to  ourselves,  either  in  character,  talents,  social  po- 
sition, or  something  else  that  is  deemed  essential,  than  of 
our  distaste  for  his  failings.  Who,  for  instance,  talks  scan- 
dal of  his  grocer  or  of  his  shoemaker  ?  No,  no,  our  pride 
forbids  this  ;  we  always  make  our  betters  the  subjects  of 
our  strictures  by  preference,  taking  up  with  our  equals 
only  when  we  can  get  none  of  a  higher  class." 

"This  quite  reconciles  me  to  having  been  given  to  Sir 
George  Templemore  by  the  world  of  New  York,"  said 
Eve,  smiling. 

.  "  And  well  it  may,  for  they  who  have  prattled  of  your 
engagement,  have  done  so  principally  because  they  are  in- 
capable of  maintaining  a  conversation  on  anything  else. 
But,  all  this  time  I  fear  I  stand  accused  in  your  mind  of 
having  given  advice  unasked,  and  of  feeling  an  alarm  in 
an  affair  that  affected  others  instead  of  myself,  which  is 
the  very  sin  that  we  lay  at  the  door  of  our  worthy  Man- 
hattanese.  In  common  with  all  around  me,  then,  I  fancied 
Sir  George  Templemore  an  accepted  lover,  and,  by  habit, 
had  got  to  associate  you  together  in  my  pictures.  On  my 
arrival  here,  however,  I  will  confess  that  Mr.  Powis,  whom 
you  will  remember  I  had  never  seen  before,  struck  me  as 
much  the  most  dangerous  man.  Shall  I  own  all  my  ab- 
surdity ?  " 

"  Even  to  the  smallest  shade." 

"Well,  then,  I  confess  to  having  supposed  that,  while 
the  excellent  father  believed  you  were  in  a  fair  way  to  be- 
come Lady  Templemore,  the  equally  excellent  daughter 
thought  the  other  suitor  infinitely  the  most  agreeable 
person." 

"  What !  in  contempt  of  a  betrothal  ? " 

"  Of  course  I  at  once  ascribed  that  part  of  the  report  to 


HOME   AS  FOUND.  337 

the  usual  embellishments.  We  do  not  like  to  be  deceived 
in  our  calculations,  or  to  discover  that  even  our  gossip  has 
misled  us.  In  pure  resentment  at  my  own  previous  delu- 
sion, I  began  to  criticise  this  Mr.  Powis " 

"  Criticise,  Mrs.  Bldomfield  !  " 

"  To  find  fault  with  him,  my  dear  ;  to  try  to  think  he 
was  not  just  the  handsomest  and  most  engaging  young 
man  I  had  ever  seen  ;  to  imagine  what  he  ought  to  be,  in 
place  of  what  he  was  ;  and  among  other  things,  to  inquire 
who  he  was  ?  " 

"  You*did  not  think  proper  to  ask  that  question  of  any 
of  us,"  said  Eve,  gravely. 

"  I  did  not ;  for  I  discovered  by  instinct,  or  intuition,  or 
conjecture— they  mean  pretty  much  the  same  thing,  I  be- 
lieve— that  there  was  a  mystery  about  him  ;  something 
that  even  his  Templeton  friends  did  not  quite  understand, 
and  a  lucky  thought  occurred  of  making  my  inquiries  of 
another  person." 

"  They  were  answered  satisfactorily,"  said  Eve,  looking 
up  at  her  friend  with  the  artless  confidence  that  marks 
her  sex,  when  the  affections  have  got  the  mastery  of  reason .• 

"  Cosi,  cosi.  Bloomfield  has  a  brother  who  is  in  the 
Navy,  as  you  know,  and  I  happened  to  remember  that  he 
had  once  spoken  of  an  officer  of  the  name  of  Powis,  who 
had  performed  a  clever  thing  in  the  West  Indies,  when 
they  were  employed  together  against  the  pirates.  I  wrote 
to  him  one  of  my  usual  letters,  that  are  compounded  of  all 
things  in  nature  and  art,  and  took  an  occasion  to  allude  to 
a  certain  Mr.  Paul  Powis,  with  a  general  remark  that  he 
had  formerly  served,  together  with  a  particular  inquiry  if 
he  knew  anything  about  him.  All  this,  no  doubt,  you 
think  very  officious  ;  but  believe  me,  dear  Eve,  where 
there  was  as  much  interest  as  I  felt  and  feel  in  you,  it  was 
very  natural." 

"  So  far  from  entertaining  resentment,  I  am  grateful  for 
your  concern,  especially  as  I  know  it  was  manifested  cau- 
tiously, and  without  any  unpleasant  allusions  to  third  per- 
sons." 

"  In   that   respect    I  believe   I   did   pretty  well.      Tom 

Bloomfield — I  beg  his  pardon,  Captain  Bloomfield,  for  so 

he  calls  himself  at  present — knows  Mr.   Powis  well  ;  or, 

rather  did  know  him,  for  they  have  not  met  for  years,  and 

22 


338  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

he  speaks  of  his  personal  qualities  and  professional  merit 
highly,  but  takes  occasion  to  remark  that  there  was  some 
mystery  connected  with  his  birth,  as  before  he  joined  the 
service  he  understood  he  was  called  Assheton,  and  at  a 
later  day,  Powis,  and  this  without  any  public  law,  or  pub- 
lic avowal  of  a  motive.  Now,  it  struck  me  that  Eve  Ef-> 
fingharn  ought  not  to  be  permitted  to  form  a  connection 
with  a  man  so  unpleasantly  situated,  without  being  ap- 
prised of  the  fact.  I  was  waiting  for  a  proper  occasion  to 
do  this  ungrateful  office  myself,  when  accident  made  me 
acquainted  with  what  has  passed  this  evening,  and  perceiv- 
ing that  there  was  no  time  to  lose,  I  came  hither,  more  led 
by  interest  in  you,  my  dear,  perhaps,  than  by  discretion." 

"  I  thank  you  sincerely  for  this  kind  concern  in  my  wel- 
fare, dear  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  and  give  you  full  credit  for  the 
motive.  Will  you  permit  me  to  inquire  how  much  you 
know  of  that  which  passed  this  evening?" 

"  Simply  that  Mr.  Powis  is  desperately  in  love — a  decla- 
ration that  I  take  is  always  dangerous  to  the  peace  of  mind 
of  a  young  woman,  when  it  comes  from  a  very  engaging 
•young  man." 

"  And  my  part  of  the  dialogue —  "  Eve  blushed  to  the 
eyes  as  she  asked  this  question,  though  she  made  a  great 
effort  to  appear  calm — "  my  answer  ? " 

"  There  was  too  much  woman  in  me — of  true,  genuine, 
loyal,  native  woman,  Miss  Effingham,  to  listen  to  that,  had 
there  been  an  opportunity.  We  were  but  a  moment  near 
enough  to  hear  anything,  though  that  moment  sufficed  to 
let  us  know  the  state  of  feelings  of  the  gentleman.  I  ask 
no  confidences,  my  dear  Eve,  and  now  that  I  have  made  my 
explanations,  lame  though  they  be,  I  will  kiss  you  and  re- 
pair to  the  drawing-room,  where  we  shall  both  be  soon 
niissed.  Forgive  me,  if  I  have  seemed  impertinent  in  my 
interferences,  and  continue  to  ascribe  it  to  its  true  motive." 

"  Stop,  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  I  entreat,  for  a  single  moment; 
I  wish  to  say  a  word  before  we  part.  As  you  have  been 
accidentally  made  acquainted  with  Mr.  Powis's  sentiments 
toward  me,  it  is  no  more  than  just  that  you  should  know 
the  nature  of  mine  toward  him " 

Eve  paused  involuntarily,  for  though  she  had  com- 
menced her  explanation  with  a  firm  intention  to  do  justice 
to  Paul,  the  bashfumess  of  her  sex  held  her  tongue  tied,  at 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  339 

the  very  moment  her  desire  to  speak  was  the  strongest. 
An  effort  conquered  the  .weakness,  and  the  warm-hearted, 
generous-minded  girl  succeeded  in  commanding  her  voice. 

"  I  cannot  allow  you  to  go  away  with  the  impression  that 
there  is  a  sh,ade  of  any  sort  on  the  conduct  of  Mr.  Powis," 
she  said.  "  So  far  from  desiring  to  profit  by  the  accidents 
that  have  placed  it  in  his  power  to  render  us  such  essential 
service,  he  has  never  spoken  of  his  love  until  this  evening, 
and  then  under  circumstances  in  which  feeling,  naturally, 
perhaps  I  might  say  uncontrollably,  got  the  ascendency."  / 

"  I  believe  it  all,  for  I  feel  certain  Eve  Effingham  would 
not  bestow  her  heart  heedlessly." 

"  Heart  !— Mrs.  Bloomfield  !  " 

"Heart,  my  dear;  and  now  I  insist  on  the  subject  being 
dropped,  at  least  for  the  present.  Your  decision  is  proba- 
bly not  yet  made — you  are  not  yet  an  hour  in  possession  o^f 
your  suitor's  secret,  and  prudence  demands  deliberation. 
I  shall  hope  to  see  you  in  the  drawing-room,  and  until  then, 
adieu." 

Mrs.  Bloomfield  signed  for  silence,  and  quitted  the  room 
with  the  same  light  tread  as  that  with  which  she  had  en- 
tered  it. 


CHAPTER   XXV. 

"  To  show  virtue  her  own  feature,  scorn  her  own  image,  and  the  very 
age  and  body  of  the  time,  his  form  and  pressure." — SHAKESPEARE. 

WHEN  Mrs.  Bloomfield  entered  the  drawing-room,  she 
found  nearly  the  whole  party  assembled.  The  Fun  of  Fire 
had  ceased,  and  the  rockets  no  longer  gleamed  athwart 
the  sky  ;  but  the  blaze  of  artificial  light  within  was  more 
than  a  substitute  for  that  which  had  so  lately  existed 
without. 

Mr.  Effingham  and  Paul  were  conversing  by  them- 
selves in  a  window-seat,  while  John  Effingham,  Mrs.  Hawk- 
er, and  Mr.  Hovvel  were  in  an  animated  discussion  on  a 
sofa  ;  Mr.  Wenham  had  also  joined  the  party,  and  was 
occupied  with  Captain  Ducie,  though  not  so  much  so  as 
to  prevent  occasional  glances  at  the  trio  just  mentioned. 


340  *          HOME  AS  FOUND. 

Sir  George  Templemore  and  Grace  Van  Cortlandt  were 
walking  together  in  the  great  hall, .and  were  visible  through 
the  open  door  as  they  passed  and  repassed. 

"  I  am  glad  of  your  appearance  among  us,  Mrs.  Bloom- 
field,"  said  John  Effingham,  "for  certainly  more  Anglo- 
mania never  existed  than  that  which  my  good  friend  Howel 
manifests  this  evening,  and  I  have  hopes  that  your  elo- 
quence may  persuade  him  out  of  some  of  those  notions, 
on  which  my  logic  has  fallen  like  seed  scattered  by  the 
wayside." 

"  I  can  have  little  hopes  of  success  where  Mr.  John  Ef- 
fingham has  failed." 

"  I  am  far  from  being  certain  of  that;  for,  somehow, 
Howel  has  taken  up  the  notion  that  I  have  got  a  grudge 
against  England,  and  he  listens  to  all  I  say  with  distrust 
and  distaste." 

"  Mr.  John  uses  strong  language  habitually,  ma'am,"  cried 
Mr.  Howel,  "  and  you  will  make  some  allowances  for  a 
vocabulary  that  has  no  very  mild  terms  in  it  ;  though,  to  be 
frank,  I  do  confess  that  he  seems  prejudiced  on  the  subject 
of  that  great  nation." 

"What  is  the  point  in  immediate  controversy,  gentle- 
men ? "  asked  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  taking  a  seat. 

"  Why,  here  is  a  review  of  a  late  American  work,  ma'am, 
and  I  insist  that  the  author  is  skinned  alive,  whereas  Mr. 
John  insists  that  the  reviewer  exposes  only  his  own  rage, 
the  work  having  a  national  character,  and  running  coun- 
ter to  the  reviewer's  feelings  and  interest." 

"  Nay,  I  protest  against  this  statement  of  the  case,  for  I 
affirm  that  the  reviewer  expyses  a  great  deal  more  than  his 
rage,  since  his  imbecility,  ignorance,  and  dishonesty  are 
quite  as  apparent  as  anything  else." 

"  I  have  read  the  article,"  said  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  after 
glancing  her  eye  at  the  periodical,  "  and  I  must  say  that  I 
take  sides  with  Mr.  John  Effingham  in  his  opinion  of  its 
character." 

"  But  do  you  not  perceive,  ma'am,  that  this  is  the  idol 
of  the  nobility  and  gentry  ;  the  work  that  is  more  in  favor 
with  people  of  consequence  in  England  than  any  other? 
Bishops  are  said  to  write  for  it ! " 

"  I  know  it  is  a  work  expressly  established  to  sustain 
one  of  the  most  facticious  political  systems  that  ever  ex- 


HOME  AS  FOUND. 


341 


isted,  and  that  it  sacrifices  every  high  quality  to  attain  its 
end." 

"  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  you  amaze  me  !  The  first  writers  of 
Great  Britain  figure  in  its  pages." 

"That  I  much  question,  in  the  first  place  ;  but  even  if  it 
were  so,  it  would  be  but  a  shallow  mystification.  Although 
a  man  of  character  might  write  one  article  in  a  work  of 
this  nature,  it  does  not  follow  that  a  man  of-  no  character 
does  not  write  the  next.  The  principles  of  the  communi- 
cations of  a  periodical  are  as  different  as  their  talents." 

"  But  the  e-jitor  is  a  pledge  for  all. — The  editor  of  this 
Review  is  an  eminent  writer  himself." 

"An  eminent  writer  may  be  a  very  great  knave  in  the 
first  place,  and  one  fact  is  worth  a  thousand  conjectures  in 
such  a  matter.  But  we  do  not  know  that  there  is  any  re- 
sponsible editor  to  works  of  this  nature  at  all,  for  there  is 
no  names  given  in  the  title-page,  and  nothing  is  more 
common  than  vague  declarations  of  a  want  of  this  very  re- 
sponsibility. But  if  I  can  prove  to  you  that  this  article 
cannot  have  been  written  by  a  man  of  common  honesty, 
Mr.  Howel,  what  will  you  then  say  to  the  responsibility 
of  your  editor  ?  " 

"  In  that  case  I  shall  be  compelled  to  admit  that  he  had 
no  connection  with  it." 

"Anything  in  preference  to  giving  up  the  beloved 
idol !  "  said  John  Effmgham,  laughing.  "  Why  not  add 
at  once  that  he  is  as  great  a  knave  as  the  writer  himself  ? 
I  am  glad,  however,  that  Tom  Howel  has  fallen  into  such 
good  hands,  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  and  I  devoutly  pray  you 
may  not  spare  him." 

We  have  said  that  Mrs.  Bloomfield  had  a  rapid  percep- 
tion of  things  and  principles,  that  amounted  almost  to  in- 
tuition. She  had  read  the  article  in  question,  and  as  she 
glanced  her  eyes  through  its  pages,  had  detected  its  falla- 
cies and  falsehoods  in  almost  every  sentence.  Indeed, 
they  had  not  been  put  together  with  ordinary  skill,  the 
writer  having  evidently  presumed  on  the  easiness  of  the 
class  of  readers  who  generally  swallowed  his  round  asser- 
tions, and  were  so  clumsily  done,  that  any  one  who  had  not 
the  faith  to  move  mountains  would  have  seen  through 
most  of  them  without  difficulty.  But  Mr.  Howel  belonged 
to  another  school,  and  he  was  so  much  accustomed  to  shut 


342  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

his  eyes  to  tlie  palpable  mystification  mentioned  by  Mrs 
Bloomffeld  that  a  lie,  which,  advanced  in  most  works, 
would  have  carried  no  weight,  with  it,  advanced  in  this 
particular  periodical  became  elevated  to  the  dignity  oi 
truth. 

Mrs.  Bloomfield  turned  to  an  article  on  America,  in  the 
periodical  in  question,  and  read  from  it  several  disparag- 
ing expressions  concerning  Mr.  Howel's  native  country, 
one  of  which  was  "  The  American's  first  plaything  is  the 
rattlesnake's  tail." 

"  Now,  what  do  you  think  of  this  assertion,  in  particular, 
Mr.  Howel  ? "  she  asked,  reading  the  words  we  have  just 
quoted. 

"  Oh  !  that  is  said  in  mere  pleasantry— it  is  only  wit." 

"  Well,  then,  what  do  you  think  of  it  as  wit  ?" 

"  Well,  well,  it  may  not  be  of  a  very  pure  water,  but  the 
best  of  men  are  unequal  at  all  times,  and  more  especially 
in  their  wit." 

"  Here,"  continued  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  pointing  to  another 
paragraph,  "  is  a  positive  statement  or  misstatement,  which 
makes  the  cost  of  the  'civil  department  of  the  United 
States  Government,'  about  six  times  more  than  it  really 
is." 

"Our  government  is  so  extremely  mean  that  I  ascribe 
that  error  to  generosity." 

"  Well,"  continued  the  lady,  smiling,  "  here  the  reviewer 
asserts  that  Congress  passed  a  law  limiting  the  size  of  cer- 
tain ships,  in  order  to  please  the  democracy  ;  and  that  the 
Executive  privately  evaded  this  law,  and  built  vessels  of  a 
much  greater  size  ;  whereas  the  provision  of  the  law  is 
just  the  contrary,  or  that  the  ships  should  not  be  less  than 
of  seventy-four  guns  ;  a  piece  of  information,  by  the  way, 
that  I  obtained  from  Mr.  Powis." 

"  Ignorance,  ma'am  ;  a  stranger  cannot  be  supposed  to 
know  all  the  laws  of  a  foreign  country." 

"  Then  why  make  bold  and  false  assertions  about  them 
that  are  intended  to  discredit  the  country  ?  Here  is 
another  assertion — 'ten  thousand  of  the  men  that  fought 
at  Waterloo  would  have  marched  through  North  Amer. 
ica  !'  Do  you  believe  that,  Mr.  Howel  ?" 

"  But  that  is  merely  an  opinion,  Mrs.  Bloomfield  ;  any 
man  may  be  wrong  in  his  opinion." 


HOME   AS  FOUND. 


343 


"  Very  true,  but  it  is  an  opinion  uttered  in  the  year  of 
our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  twenty-eight  ; 
and  after  the  battles  of  Bunker  Hill,  Cowpens,  Plattsburg, 
Saratoga,  and  New  Orleans  !  And,  moreover,  after  it  had 
been  proved  that  something  very  like  ten  thousand  of  the 
identical  men  who  fought  at  Waterloo  could  not  march 
even  ten  miles  into  the  country." 

"Well,  well,  all  this  shows  that  the  reviewer  is  some- 
times mistaken." 

"Your  pardon,  Mr.  Howel  ;  I  think  it  shows,  according 
to  your  own  admission,  that  his  wit,  or  rather  its  wit,  for 
there  is  no  his  about  it — that  its  wit  is  of  a  very  indifferent 
quality  as  witticisms  even  ;  that  it  is  ignorant  of  what 
it  pretends  to  know  ;  and  that  its  opinions  are  no  better 
than  its  knowledge  :  all  of  which,  when  fairly  established 
against  one  who,  by  his  very  pursuit,  professes  to  know 
more  than  other  people,  is  very  much  like  making  it  ap- 
pear contemptible." 

"  This  is  going  back  eight  or  ten.  years — let  us  look  more 
particularly  at  the  article  about  which  the  discussion  com- 
mences." 

"  Volontiers" 

Mrs.  Bloomfield  now  sent  to  the  library  for  the  work  re- 
viewed, and  opening  the  review  she  read  some  of  its  stric- 
tures ;  and  then  turning  to  the  corresponding  passages  in 
the  work  itself,  she  pointed  out  the  unfairness  of  the 
quotations,  the  omissions  of  the  context,  and  in  several 
flagrant  instances,  witticisms  of  the  reviewer  that  were 
purchased  at  the  expense  of  the  English  language.  She 
next  showed  several  of  those  audacious  assertions  for 
which  the  particular  periodical  was  so  remarkable,  leaving 
no  doubt  with  any  candid  person,  that  they  were  pur- 
chased at  the  expense  of  truth. 

"  But  here  is  an  instance  that  will  scarce  admit  of  cavil 
ling  or  objection  on  your  part,  Mr.  Howel,"  she  continued  , 
"  do  me  the  favor  to  read  the  passage  in  the  review." 

Mr.  Howel  complied,  and  when  he  had  done  he  looked 
expectingly  at  the  lady. 

"  The  effect  of  the  reviewer's  statement  is  to  make  it 
appear  that  the  author  has  contradicted  himself,  is  it  not  ? " 

"  Certainly,  nothing  can  be  plainer." 

"  According  to  your  favorite  reviewer,  who  accuses  him 


344  HOME   AS  FOUND. 

of  it,  in  terms.  Now  let  us  look  at  the  fact.  Here  is  the 
passage  in  the  work  itself.  In  the  first  place,  you  will  re- 
mark that  this  sentence  which  contains  the  alleged  contra- 
diction, is  mutilated  ;  the  part  which  is  omitted,  giving  a 
directly  contrary  meaning  to  it,  from  that  it  bears  under 
the  reviewer's  scissors." 

"  It  has  some  such  appearance,  I  do  confess." 

"  Here  you  perceive  that  the  closing  sentence  of  the 
same  paragraph,  and  which  refers  directly  to  the  point  at 
issue,  is  displaced,  made  to  appear  as  belonging  to  a  sepa- 
rate paragraph,  and  as  conveying  a  different  meaning  from 
what  the  author  has. actually  expressed." 

"  Upon  my  word,  I  do  not  know  but  you  are  right  !  " 

"  Well,  Mr.  Howel,  we  have  had  wit  of  no  very  pure 
water,  ignorance  as  relates  to  facts,  and  mistakes  as  regards 
very  positive  assertions.  In  what  category,  as  Captain 
Truck  would  say,  do  you  place  this  ?  " 

"  Why  does  not  the  author  reviewed  expose  this  ?  " 

"Why  does  not  a  gentleman  wrangle  with  a  detected 
pickpocket  ? " 

"It  is  literary  swindling,"  said  John  Effingham,  "and 
the  man  who  did  it  is  inherently  a  knave." 

"  I  think  rjoth  these  facts  quite  beyond  dispute,"  ob- 
served Mrs.  Bloomfield,  laying  down  Mr.  Howel's  favorite 
review  with  an  air  of  cool  contempt ;  "  and  I  must  say  I 
did  not  think  it  necessary  to  prove  the  general  character 
of  the  work,  at  this  late  date,  to  any  American  of  ordinary 
intelligence,  much  less  to  a  sensible  man  like  Mr.  Howel." 

"  But,  ma'am,  there  may  be  much  truth  and  justice  in 
the  rest  of  its  remarks,"  returned  the  pertinacious  Mr. 
Howel,  ''although  it  has  fallen  into  these  mistakes." 

"  Were  you  ever  on  a  jury,  Howel  ?"  asked  .John  Effing- 
ham,  in  his  caustic  manner. 

"  Often,  and  on  grand  juries,  too." 

"  Well,  did  the  judge  never  tell  you,  when  a  witness  is 
detected  in  lying  on  one  point,  that  his  testimony  is  value- 
less on  all  others  ? " 

"  Very  true  ;  but  this  is  a  review,  and  not  testimony." 

"  The  distinction  is  certainly  a  very  good  one,"  resumed 
Mrs.  Bloomfield,  laughing,  "  as  nothing,  in  general,  can  be 
less  like  honest  testimony  than  a  review  ! " 

"  But  I  think,  my  dear  ma'am,  you  will  allow  that  all  this 


rtOME  AS  FOUND.  34$ 

is  excessively  biting  and  severe.  I  can't  say  I  ever  read 
anything  sharper  in  my  life." 

"  It  strikes  me,  Mr.  Howel,  as  being  nothing  but  epith- 
ets, the  cheapest  and  most  contemptible  of  all  species  of 
abuse.  Were  two  men,  in  your  presence,  to  call  each  other 
such  names,  I  think  it  would  excite  nothing  but  disgust  in 
your  mind.  When  the  thought  is  clear  and  poignant,  there 
is  little  need  to  have  recourse  to  mere  epithets/  Indeed, 
men  never  use  the  latter,  except  when  there  is  a  deficiency 
of  the  first." 

"  Well,  well,  my  friends,"  cried  Mr.  Howel,  as  he  walked 
away  toward  Grace  and  Sir  George,  "this  is  a  different 
thing  from  what  I  at  first  thought  it  ;  but  still  I  think  you 
undervalue  the  periodical." 

"  I  hope  this  little  lesson  will  cool  some  of  Mr.  Howel's 
faith  in  foreign  morality,"  observed  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  as 
soon  as  the  gentleman  named  was  out  of  hearing  ;  "a^more 
credulous  and  devout  worshipper  of  the  idol  I  have  never 
before  met." 

"  The  school  is  diminishing,  but  it  is  still  large.  Men 
'ike  Tom  Howel,  who  have  thought  in  one  direction  all 
their  lives,  are  not  easily  brought  to  change  their  notions, 
especially  when  the  admiration  which  proceeds  from  dis- 
tance— distance,  '  that  lends  enchantment  to  the  view,' — is 
at  the  bottom  of  their  faith.  Had  this  very  article  been 
written  and  printed  round  the  corner  of  the  street  in  which 
he  lives,  Howel  would  be  the  first  to  say  that  it  was  the 
production  of  a  fellow  without  talents  or  principles,  and 
was  unworthy  of  a  second  thought." 

"  I  still  think  he  will  be  a  wiser  if  not  a  better  man,  by 
the  exposure  of  its  frauds." 

"  Not  he.  If  you  will  excuse  a  homely  and  a  coarse 
simile,  'he  will  return  like  a  dog  to  his  vomit,  or  the  sow 
to  its  wallowing  in  the  mire.'  I  never  knew  one  of  that 
school  thoroughly  cured,  until  he  became  himself  the  sub- 
ject of  attack,  or  by  a  close  personal  communication  was 
made  to  feel  the  superciliousness  of  European  superiority. 
It  is  only  a  week  since  I  had  a  discussion  with  him  on  the 
subject  of  the  humanity  and  the  relish  for  liberty  in  his 
beloved  model  ;  and  when  I  cited  the  instance  of  the  em- 
ployment of  the  tomahawk  in  the  wars  between  England 
and  this  country,  he  actually  affirmed  that  the  Indian  sava- 


346  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

ges  killed  no  women  and  children  but  the  wives  and  off- 
spring of  their  enemies  ;  and  when  I  told  him  that  the 
English,  like  most  other  people,  cared  very  little  for  any 
liberty  but  their  own,  he  coolly  affirmed  that  their  own  was 
the  only  liberty  worth  caring  for !  " 

"Oh,  yes,"  put  in  young  Mr.  Wenham,  who  had  over- 
heard the  latter  portion  of  the  conversation,  "  Mr.  Howel 
is  so  thoroughly  English,  that  he  actually  denies  that 
America  is  the  most  civilized  country  in  the'world,  or  that 
we  speak  our  language  better  than  any  nation  was  ever  be- 
fore known  to  speak  its  own  language." 

"This  is  so  manifest  an  act  of  treason,"  said  Mrs.  Bloom- 
field,  endeavoring  to  look  grave  ;  for  Mr.  Wenham  was 
anything  but  accurate  in  the  use  of  words  himself,  common- 
ly pronouncing  "  been,"  "  ben,"  "does,"  "dooze,"  "noth- 
ing," "nawthing,"  "few,"  "foo,"  &c.,  &c.,  "  that,  certainly, 
Mr.  Howel  should  be  arraigned  at  the  bar  of  public  opin- 
ion for  the  outrage." 

"It  is  commonly  admitted,  even  by  our  enemies,  that 
our  mode  of  speaking  is  the  very  best  in  the  world,  which, 
I  suppose,  is  the  real  reason  why  our  literature  has  so 
rapidly  reached  the  top  of  the  ladder." 

"And  is  that  the  fact?"  asked  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  with  a 
curiosity  that  was  not  in  the  least  feigned. 

"  I  believe  no  one  denies  that.  You  will  sustain  me  in 
this,  I  fancy,  Mr.  Dodge  ? " 

The  editor  of  the  Active  Inquirer  had  approached,  and 
was  just  in  time  to  catch  the  subject  in  discussion.  Now 
the  modes  of  speech  of  these  two  persons,  while  they  had 
a  great  deal  in  common,  had  also  a  great  deal  that  was  not 
in  common.  Mr.  Wenham  was  a  native  of  New  York,  and 
his  dialect  was  a  mixture  that  is  getting  to  be  sufficiently 
general,  partaking  equally  of  the  Doric  of  New  England, 
the  Dutch  cross,  and  the  old  English  root  ;  whereas  Mr. 
Dodge  spoke  the  pure,  unalloyed  Tuscan  of  his  province, 
rigidly  adhering  to  all  its  sounds  and  significations.  "  Dis- 
sipation," he  contended,  meant  "drunkenness;"  "ugly," 
"vicious;"  "clever,"  "good-natured;"  and  "humbly" 
(homely),  "ugly."  In  addition  to  this  finesse  in  significa- 
tions, he  had  a  variety  of  pronunciations  that  often  put 
strangers  at  fault,  and  to  which  he  adhered  with  a  pertin- 
acity that  obtained  some  of  its  force  from  the  fact  that  it 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  347 

exceeded  his  power  to  get  rid  of  them.  Notwithstanding 
all  these  little  peculiarities — peculiarities  as  respects  every 
one  but  those  who  dwelt  in  his  own  province,  Mr.  Dodge 
had  also  taken  up  the  notion  of  his  superiority  on  the  sub- 
ject of  language,  and  always  treated  the  matter  as  one  that 
was  placed  quite  beyond  dispute  by  its  publicity  and  truth. 

"The  progress  of  American  literature,"  returned  the 
editor,  u  is  really  astonishing  the  four  quarters  of  the 
world.  I  believe  it  is  very  generally  admitted,  now,  that 
our  pulpit  and  bar  Are  at  the  very  summit  of  these  two 
professions.  Then  we  have  much  the  best  poets  of  the 
age,  while  eleven  of  our  novelists  surpass  any  of  all  other 
countries.  The  American  Philosophical  Society  is,  I  be- 
lieve, generally  considered  the  most  acute  learned  body 
now  existing,  unless,  indeed,  the  New  York  Historical  So- 
ciety may  compete  with  it  for  that  honor.  Some  persons 
give  the  palm  to  one,  and  some  to  the  other  ;  though  I  my- 
self think  it  would  be  difficult  to  decide  between  them. 
Then  to  what  a  pass  has  the  drama  risen  of  late  years  ! 
Genius  is  getting  to  be  quite  a  drug  in  America!  "  . 

"  You  have  forgotten  to  speak  of  the  press,  in  particu- 
lar," put  in  the  complacent  Mr.  Wenham.  "  I  think  we 
may  more  safely  pride  ourselves  on  the  high  character  of 
the  press  than  anything  else." 

"  Why,  to  tell  you  the  truth,  sir,"  answered  Steadfast, 
taking  the  other  by  the  arm  and  leading  him  so  slowly 
away,  that  a  part  of  what  followed  was  heard  by  the  two 
amused  listeners,  "  modesty  is  so  infallibly  the  companion 
of  merit,  that  we  who  are  engaged  in  that  high  pursuit,  do 
not  like  to  say  anything  in  our  own  favor.  You  never  de- 
tect a  newspaper  in  the  weakness  of  extolling  itself  ;  but, 
between  ourselves,  I  may  say,  after  a  close  examination  of 
the  condition  of  the  press  in  other  countries,  I  have  come 
to  the  conclusion  that,  for  talents,  taste,  candor,  philos- 
ophy, genius,  honesty,  and  truth,  the  press  of  the  United 
States  stands  at  the  very 

Here  Mr.  Dodge  passed  so  far  from  the  listeners,  that 
the  rest  of  the  speech  became  inaudible,  though  from  the 
well-established  modesty  of  the  man  and  the  editor,  there 
can  be  little  doubt  of  the  manner  in  which  he  concluded 
the  sentence. 

"  It  is  said  in   Europe,"  observed  John  Effingham,   his 


348  HOME  AS  FOUND.      . 

fine  face  expressing  the  cool  sarcasm  in  which  he  was  so 
apt  to  indulge,  "  that  there  are  la  vieille  and  la  jeune  France. 
I  think  we  have  now  had  pretty  fair  specimens  of  old  and 
young  America  ;  the  first  distrusting  everything  native, 
even  to  a  potato  ;  and  the  second  distrusting  nothing,  and 
least  of  all,  itself." 

"  There  appears  to  be  a  sort  of  pendulum-uneasiness  in 
mankind,"  said  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  "  that  keeps  opinion 
always  vibrating  around  the  centre  of  truth,  for  I  think  it 
the  rarest  thing  in  the  world  to  find  a  man  or  woman  who 
has  not  a  disposition,  as  soon  as  an  error  is  abandoned,  to 
fly  off  into  its  opposite  extreme.  From  believing  we  had 
nothing  worthy  of  a  thought,  there  is  a  set  springing  up 
who  appear  to  have  jumped  to  the  conclusion  that  we  have 
everything." 

"Aye,  this  is  one  of  the  reasons  that  all  the  rest  of  the 
world  laugh  at  us." 

"Laugh  at  us,  Mr.  Effingham  !  Even  I  had  supposed 
the  American  name  had,  at  last,  got  to  be  in  good  credit 
in  other  parts  of  the  world." 

"  Then  even  you,  my  dear  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  are  notably 
mistaken.  Europe,  it  is  true,  is  beginning  to  give  us  credit 
for  not  being  quite  as  bad  as  she  once  thought  us  ;  but  we 
are  far,  very  far,  from  being  yet  admitted  to  the  ordinary 
level  of  nations,  as  respects  goodness." 

"  Surely  they  give  us  credit  for  energy,  enterprise,  ac- 
tivity-  " 

"  Qualities  that  they  prettily  term,  rapacity,  cunning, 
and  swindling  !  I  am  far,  very  far,  however,  from  giving 
credit  to  all  that  it  suits  the  interests  and  prejudices  of 
Europe,  especially  of  our  venerable  kinswoman,  Old  Eng- 
land, to  circulate  and  think  to  the  prejudice  of  this  country, 
which,  in  my  poor  judgment,  has  as  much  substantial 
merit  to  boast  of  as  any  nation  on  earth  ;  though,  in  get- 
ting rid  of  a  set  of  ancient  vices  and  follies,  it  has  not  had 
the  sagacity  to  discover  that  it  is  fast  falling  into  pretty 
tolerable,  or,  if  you  like  it  better,  intolerable  substitutes." 

"  What  then  do  you  deem  our  greatest  error — our  weak- 
est point  ? " 

"Provincialisms,  with  their  train  of  narrow  prejudices, 
and  a  disposition  to  set  up  mediocrity  as  perfection,  under 
the  double  influence  of  an  ignorance  that  unavoidably 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  349 

arises  from  a  want  of  models,  and  of  the  irresistible  ten- 
dency to  mediocrity,  in  a  nation  where  the  common  mind 
so  imperiously  rules." 

"  But  does  not  the  common  mind  rule  everywhere  ?  Is 
not  public  opinion  always  stronger  than  law  ? " 

"  In  a  certain  sense,  both  these  positions  may  be  true. 
But  in  a  nation  like  this,  without  a  capital,  one  that  is  all 
provinces,  in  which  intelligence  and  taste  are  scattered, 
this  common  mind  wants  the  usual  direction,  and  derives 
its  impulses  from  the  force  of  numbers  rather  than  from 
the  force  of  knowledge.  Hence  the  fact-that  the  public 
opinion  never  or  seldom  rises  to  absolute  truth.  I  grant 
you  that,  as  a  mediocrity,  it  is  well ;  much  better  than 
common  even  ;  but  it  is  still  a  mediocrity." 

"  I  see  the  justice  of  your  remark,  and  I  suppose  we  are 
to  ascribe  the  general  use  of  superlatives,  which  is  so  very 
obvious,  to  these  causes." 

"  Unquestionably  ;  men  have  got  to  be  afraid  to  speak 
the  truth,  when  that  truth  is  a  little  beyond  the  common 
comprehension  ;  and  thus  it  is  that  you  see  the  fulsome 
flattery  that  all  the  public  servants,  as  they  call  them- 
selves, resort  to,  in  order  to  increase  their  popularity, 
instead  of  telling  the  wholesome  facts  that  are  needed." 

"  And  what  is  to  be  the  result  ? " 

"  Heaven  knows.  While  America  is  so  much  in  ad- 
vance of  other  nations  in  a  freedom  from  prejudices  of 
the  old  school,  it  is  fast  substituting  a  set  of  prejudices  of 
its  own  that  are  not  without  serious  dangers.  We  may 
live  through  it,  and  the  ills  of  society  may  correct  them- 
selves, though  there  is  one  fact  that  menaces  more  evil 
than  anything  I  could  have  feared." 

"  You  mean  the  political  struggle  between  money  and 
numbers,  that  has  so  seriously  manifested  itself  of  late  !  " 
exclaimed  the  quick-minded  and  intelligent  Mrs.  Bloom- 
field. 

"  That  has  its  dangers ;  but  there  is  still  another  evil  of 
greater  magnitude.  I  allude  to  the  very  general  disposi- 
tion to  confine  political  discussions  to  political  men. 
Thus,  the  private  citizen  who  should  presume  to  discuss 
a  political  question  would  be  deemed  fair  game  for  all 
who  thought  differently  from  himself.  He  would  be  in- 
jured in  his  pocket,  reputation,  domestic  happiness,  if  pos- 


350  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

sible  ;  for,  in  this  respect,  America  is  much  the  most  in* 
tolerant  nation  I  have  ever  visited.  In  all  other  countries 
in  which  discussion  is  permitted  at  all,  there  is  at  least  the 
appearance  of  fair  play,  whatever  may  be  done  covertly  ; 
but  here  it  seems  to  be  sufficient  to  justify  falsehood, 
frauds,  nay,  barefaced  rascality,  to  establish  that  the  in- 
jured party  has  had  the  audacity  to  meddle  with  public 
questions,  not  being  what  the  public  chooses  to  call  a 
public  man.  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  when 
such  an  opinion  gets  to  be  effective,  it  must  entirely  de- 
feat the  real  intentions  of  a  popular  government." 

"  Now  you  mention  it,"  said  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  "I  think 
I  have  witnessed  instances  of  what  you  mean." 

"Witnessed,  dear  Mrs.  Bloomfield  !  Instances  are  to  be 
seen  as  often  as  a  man  is  found  freeman  enough  to  have 
an  opinion  independent  of  party.  It  is  not  for  connecting 
himself  with  party  that  man  is  denounced  in  this  country, 
but  for  daring  to  connect  himself  with  truth.  Party  will 
bear  with  party,  but  party  will  not  bear  with  truth.  It  is 
in  politics  as  in  war,  regiments  or  individuals  may  desert, 
and  they  will  be  received  by  their  late  enemies  with  open 
arms,  the  honor  of  a  soldier  seldom  reaching  to  the  pass  of 
refusing  succor  of  any  sort ;  but  both  sides  will  turn  and 
fire  on  the  countrymen  who  wish  merely  to  defend  their 
homes  and  firesides." 

"  You  draw  disagreeable  pictures  of  human  nature,  Mr. 
Effingham." 

"Merely  because  they  are  true,  Mrs.  Bloomfield.  Man 
is  worse  than  the  beasts,  merely  because  he  has  a  code  of 
right  and  wrong  which  he  never  respects.  They  talk  of 
the  variation  of  the  compass,  and  even  pretend  to  calculate 
its  changes,  though  no  one  can  explain  the  principle  that 
causes  the  attraction  or  its  vagaries  at  all.  So  it  is  with 
men  ;  they  pretend  to  look  always  at  the  right,  though 
their  eyes  are  constantly  directed  obliquely  ;  and  it  is  a  cer- 
tain calculation  to  allow  of  a  pretty  wide  variation — but 
here  comes  Miss  Effingham,  singularly  well  attired,  and 
more  beautiful  than  I  have  ever  before  seen  her ! " 

The  two  exchanged  quick  glances,  and  then,  as  if  fear- 
ful of  betraying  to  each  other  their  thoughts,  they  moved 
toward  our  heroine,  to  do  the  honors  of  the  reception. 


HOME   AS  FOUND.  351 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

"Haply,  when  I  shall  wed, 

That  lord,  whose  hand  must  take  my  plight,  shall  carry 
Half  my  love  with  him,  half  my  care  and  duty." — CORDELIA. 

As  no  man  could  be  more  gracefully  or  delicately  polite 
than  John  Effingham  when  the  humor  seized  him,  Mrs. 
Bloomfield  was  struck  with  the  kind  and  gentlemanlike 
manner  with  which  he  met  his  young  kinswoman  on  this 
trying  occasion,  and  the  affectionate  tones  of  his  voice,  and 
the  winning  expression  of  his  eye,  as  he  addressed  her. 
Eve  herself  was  not  unobservant  of  these  peculiarities,  nor 
was  she  slow  in  comprehending  the  reason.  She  perceived 
at  once  that  he  was  acquainted  with  the  state  of  things 
between  her  and  Paul.  As  she  well  knew  the  womanly 
fidelity  of  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  she  rightly  enough  conjectured 
that  the  long  observation  of  her  cousin,  coupled  with  the 
few  words  accidentally  overheard  that,  evening,  had  even 
made  him  better  acquainted  with  the  true  condition  of  her 
feelings,  than  was  the  case  with  the  friend  with  whom  she 
had  so  lately  been  conversing  on  the  subject. 

Still  Eve  was  not  embarrassed  by  the  conviction  that 
her  secret  was  betrayed  to  so  many  persons.  Her  attach- 
ment to  Paul  was  not  the  impulse  of  girlish  caprice,  but 
the  warm  affection  of  a  woman,  that  had  grown  with  time, 
was  sanctioned  by  her  reason,  and  which,  if  it  was  tinct- 
ured with  the  more  glowing  imagination  and  ample  faith 
of  youth,  was  also  sustained  by  her  principles  and  her  sense 
of  right.  She  knew  that  both  her  father  and  cousin  es- 
teemed the  man  of  her  own  choice,  nor  did  she  believe  the 
little  cloud  that  hung  over  his  birth  could  do  more  than 
have  a  temporary  influence  on  his  own  sensitive  feelings, 
She  met  John  Effingham,  therefore,  with  a  frank  compos 
ure,  returned  the  kind  pressure  of  his  hand  with  a  smile 
such  as  a  daughter  might  bestow  on  an  affectionate  parent, 
and  turned  to  salute  the  remainder  of  the  party  with  that 
lady-like  ease  which  had  got  to  be  a  part  of  her  nature. 

"  There  goes  one  of  the  most  attractive  pictures  that 
humanity  can  offer,"  said  John  Effingham  to  Mrs.  Bloom- 


352  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

field,  as  Eve  walked  away  ;  "a  young,  timid,  modest,  serv- 
oitive  girl,  so  strong  in  her  principles,  so  conscious  of  rec- 
titude, so  pure  of  thought,  and  so  warm  in  her  affections, 
that  she  views  her  selection  of  a  husband,  as  others  view 
their  acts  of  duty  and  religious  faith.  With  her  love  has 
no  shame,  as  it  has  no  weakness." 

"  Eve  Effingham  is  as  faultless  as  comports  with  woman- 
hood ;  and  yet  I  confess  ignorance  of  my  own  sex,  if  she 
receive  Mr.  Powis  as  calmly  as  she  received  her  cousin." 

"  Perhaps  not,  for  in  that  case  she  could  scarcely  feel 
the  passion.  You  perceive  that  he  avoids  oppressing  her 
with  his  notice,  and  that  the  meeting  passes  off  without 
embarrassment.  I  do  believe  there  is  an  elevating  prin- 
ciple in  love,  that,  by  causing  us  to  wish  to  be  worthy  of 
the  object  most  prized,  produces  the  desired  effects  by 
stimulating  exertion.  There,  now,  are  two  as  perfect 
beings  as  one  ordinarily  meets  with,  each  oppressed  by  a 
sense  of  his  or  her  unworthiness  to  be  the  choice  of  the 
other." 

"  Does  love,  then,  teach  humility  ;  successful  love,  too?" 

"  Does  it  not  ?  It  would  be  hardly  fair  to  press  this 
matter  on  you,  a  married  woman  ;  for,  by  the  pandects 
of  American  society,  a  man  may  philosophize  on  love, 
prattle  about  it,  trifle  on  the  subject,  and  even  analyze  the 
passion  with  a  miss  in  her  teens,  and  yet  he  shall  not 
allude  to  it  in  a  discourse  with  a  matron.  Well,  chacun  a 
son  gofit;  we  are,  indeed,  a  little  peculiar  in  our  usages, 
and  have  promoted  a  good  deal  of  village  coquetry,  and 
the  flirtations  of  the  maypole,  to  the  drawing-room." 

"  Is  it  not  better  that  such  follies  should  be  confined  to 
youth,  than  that  they  should  invade  the  sanctity  of  mar- 
ried life,  as  I  understand  is  too  much  the  case  elsewhere  ?  " 

"  Perhaps  so  ;  though  I  confess  it  is  easier  to  dispose  of 
a  straightforward  proposition  from  a  mother,  a  father,  or  a 
commissioned  friend,  than  to  get  rid  of  a  young  lady,  who, 
proprid  persona,  angles  on  her  own  account.  While  abroad, 
I  had  a  dozen  proposals " 

"  Proposals  !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  holding  up 
both  hands,  and  shaking  her  head  incredulously. 

"  Proposals  !  Why  not,  ma'am  ? — am  I  more  than  fifty  ? 
am  I  not  reasonably  youthful  for  that  period  of  life,  and 
have  I  not  six  or  eight  thousand  a  year " 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  353 

"Eighteen,  or  you  are  much  scandalized." 

"Well,  eighteen,  if  you  will,"  coolly  returned  the  other, 
in  whose  eyes  money  was  no  merit,  for  he  was  born  to  a 
fortune,  and  always  treated  it  as  a  means,  and  not  as  the 
end  of  life  ;  *'  every  dollar  is  a  magnet,  after  one  has 
turned  forty.  Do  you  suppose  that  a  single  man,  of_  tol- 
erable person,  well  born,  and  with  a  hundred  thousand 
francs  of  rentes,  could  entirely  escape  proposals  from  the 
ladies  in  Europe  ?" 

"  This  is  so  revolting  to  all  our  American  notions  that, 
though  I  have  often  heard  of  such  things,  I  have  always 
found  it  difficult  to  believe  them  !" 

"And  is  it  more  revolting  for  the  friends  of  young 
ladies  to  look  out  for  them,  on  such  occasions,  than  that 
the  young  ladies  should  take  the  affair  into  their  own 
hands,  as  is  practised  quite  as  openly  here  ? " 

"  It  is  well  you  are  a  confirmed  bachelor,  or  declara- 
tions like  these  would  mar  your  fortunes.  I  wrill  admit 
that  the  school  is  not  as  retiring  and  diffident  as  formerly ; 
for  we  are  all  ready  enough  to  say  that  no  times  are  equal 
to  our  own  times ;  but  I  shall  strenuously  protest  against 
your  interpretation  of  the  nature  and  artlessness  of  an 
American  girl." 

"  Artlessness  !"  repeated  John  Effingham,  with  a  slight 
lifting  of  the  eyebrows  ;  "  we  live  in  an  age  when  new 
dictionaries  and  vocabularies  are  necessary  to  understand 
each  other's  meaning.  It  is  artlessness  with  a  vengeance, 
to  beset  an  old  fellow  of  fifty  as  one  would  besiege  a  town. 
Hist !  Ned  is  retiring  with  his  daughter,  my  dear  Mrs. 
Bloomfield,  and  it  will  not  be  long  before  I  shall  be  sum- 
moned to  a  family  council.  Well,  we  will  keep  the  secret 
until  it  is  publicly  proclaimed." 

John  Effingham  was  right,  for  his  two  cousins  left  the 
room  together  and  retired  to  the  library,  but  in  a  way  to 
attract  no  particular  attention,  except  in  those  who  were 
enlightened  on  the  subject  of  what  had  already  passed  that 
evening.  When  they  were  alone  Mr.  Effingham  turned  the 
key,  and  then  he  gave  a  free  vent  to  his  paternal  feelings. 

Between  Eve  and  her  parent  there  had  always  existed  a 
confidence  exceeding  that  which  it  is  common  to  find  be- 
tween father  and  daughter.     In  one  sense  they  had  been 
all  in  all  to  each  other,  and  Eve  had  never  hesitated  about 
23 


354  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

pouring  those  feelings  into  his  breast  which,  had  she  pos 
sessed  another  parent,  would  more  naturally  have  been 
confided  to  the  affection  of  a  mother.  When  their  eyes 
first  met,  therefore,  they  were  mutually  beaming  with  an 
expression  of  confidence  and  love  such  as  might,  in  a 
measure,  have  been  expected  between  two  of  the  gentler 
sex.  Mr.  Effingham  folded  his  child  to  his  heart,  pressed 
her  there  tenderly  for  near  a  minute  in  silence,  and  then 
kissing  her  burning  cheek  he  permitted  her  to  look  up. 

"This  answers  all  my  fondest  hopes,  Eve  !  "  he  exclaimed  ; 
"fulfils  my  most  cherished  wishes  for  thy  sake." 

"  Dearest  sir  !  " 

"Yes,  my  love,  I  have  long  secretly  prayed  that  such 
might  be  your  good  fortune  ;  for,  of  all  the  youths  we  have 
met,  at  home  or  abroad,  Paul  Powis  is  the  one  to  whom  I 
can  consign  you  with  the  most  confidence  that  he  will  cher- 
ish and  love  you  as  you  deserve  to  be  cherished  and  loved  !  " 

"  Dearest  father,  nothing  but  this  was  wanting  to  com- 
plete my  perfect  happiness." 

Mr.  Effingham  kissed  his  daughter  again,  and  he  was 
then  enabled  to  pursue  the  conversation  with  greater  com- 
posure. 

"  Powis  and  I  have  had  a  full  explanation,"  he  said, 
"  though  in  order  to  obtain  it  I  have  been  obliged  to  give 
him  strong  encouragement " 

"  Father ! " 

"  Nay,  my  love,  your  delicacy  and  feelings  have  been 
sufficiently  respected,  but  he  has  so  much  diffidence  of 
himself,  and  permits  the  unpleasant  circumstances  con- 
nected with  his  birth  to  weigh  so  much  on  his  mind,  that 
I  have  been  compelled  to  tell  him,  what  I  am  sure  you  will 
approve,  that  we  disregard  family  connections,  and  look 
only  to  the  merit  of  the  individual." 

"  I  hope,  father,  nothing  was  said  to  give  Mr.  Powis  rea- 
son to  suppose  we  did  not  deem  him  every  way  our  equal." 

"  Certainly  not.  He  is  a  gentleman,  and  I  can  claim  to 
be  no  more.  There  is  but  one  thing  in  which  connections 
ought  to  influence  an  American  marriage,  where  the  par- 
ties are  suited  to  each  other  in  the  main  requisites,  and 
that  is  to  ascertain  that  neither  should  be  carried,  neces- 
sarily, into  associations  for  which  their  habits  have  given 
them  too  much  and  too  good  tastes  to  enter  into.  A  womao 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  355 

especially  ought  never  to  be  transplanted  from  a  polished 
to  an  unpolished  circle  ;  for,  when  this  is  the  case,  if  really 
a  lady,  there  will  be  a  dangerous  clog  on  her  affection  for 
her  husband.  This  one  great  point  assured,  I  see  no  other 
about  which  a  parent  need  feel  concern." 

"  Powis,  unhappily,  has  no  connections  in  this  country  ; 
or  none  with  whom  he  has  any  communications  ;  and  those 
he  has  in  England  are  of  a  class  to  do  him  credit." 

"We  have  been  conversing  of  this,  and  he  has  mani- 
fested so  much  proper  feeling  that  it  has  even  raised  him 
in  my  esteem.  I  knew  his  father's  family,  and  must  have 
known  his  father,  I  think,  though  there  were  two  or  three 
Asshetons  of  the  name  of  John.  It  is  a  highly  respectable 
family  of  the  Middle  States,  and  belonged  formerly  to 
the  colonial  aristocracy.  Jack  Effingham's  mother  was  an 
Assheton." 

"Of  the  same  blood  do  you  think,  sir?  I  remembered 
this  when  Mr.  Powis  mentioned  his  father's  name,  and  in- 
tended to  question  Cousin  Jack  on  the  subject." 

"  Now  you  speak  of  it,  Eve,  there  must  be  a  relation- 
ship between  them.  Do  you  suppose  that  our  kinsman  is 
acquainted  with  the  fact  that  Paul  is,  in  truth,  an  Asshe- 
ton ? " 

Eve  told  her  father  that  she  had  never  spoken  with  their 
relative  on  the  subject  at  all. 

"  Then  ring  the  bell,  and  we  will  ascertain  at  once  how 
far  my  conjecture  is  true.  You  can  have  no  false  delicacy, 
my  child,  about  letting  your  engagement  be  known  to  one 
as  near  and  as  dear  to  us  as  John." 

"Engagement,  father!" 

"Yes,  engagement,"  returned  the  smiling  parent,  "for 
such  I  already  deem  it.  I  have  ventured,  in  your  behalf, 
to  plight  your  troth  to  Paul  Powis,  or  what  is  almost 
equal  to  it ;  and  in  return  I  can  give  you  back  as  many 
protestations  of  unequalled  fidelity  and  eternal  constancy, 
as  any  reasonable  girl  can  ask." 

Eve  gazed  at  her  father  in  a  way  to  show  that  reproach 
was  mingled  with  fondness,  for  she  felt  that,  in  this  in- 
stance, too  much  of  the  precipitation  of  the  other  sex  had 
been  manifested  in  her  affairs  ;  still,  superior  to  coquetry 
and  affectation,  and  much  too  warm  in  her  attachments  to 
be  seriously  hurt,  she  kissed  the  hand  she  held,  shook  her 


356  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

head  reproachfully,  eveji  while  she  smiled,  and  did  as  had 
been  desired. 

"You  have  indeed,  rendered  it  important  to  us  to  know 
more  of  Mr.  Powis,  my  beloved  father,"  she  said,  as  she 
returned  to  her  seat,  "though  I  could  wish  matters  had 
not  proceeded  quite  so  fast." 

"  Nay,  all  I  promised  was  conditional,  and  dependent  on 
yourself.  You  have  nothing  to  do,  if  I  have  said  too  much, 
but  to  refuse  to  ratify  the  treaty  made  by  your  negotiator." 

"You  propose  an  impossibility,"  said  Eve,  taking  the 
hand  again  that  she  had  so  lately  relinquished,  and  press- 
ing it  warmly  between  her  own  ;  "  the  negotiator  is  too 
much  revered,  has  too  strong  a  right  to  command,  and  is 
too  much  confided  in  to  be  thus  dishonored.  Father,  I 
will,  I  do,  ratify  all  you  have,  all  you  can  promise  in  my 
behalf." 

"  Even  if  I  annul  the  treaty,  darling  ? " 

"  Even  in  that  case,  father.  I  will  marry  none  without 
your  consent,  and  have  so  absolute  a  confidence  in  your 
tender  care  of  me,  that  I  do  not  even  hesitate  to  say  I  will 
marry  him  to  whom  you  contract  me." 

"  Bless  you,  bless  you,  Eve  ;  I  do  believe  you,  for  such 
have  I  ever  found  you  since  thought  has  had  any  control 
over  your  actions.  Desire  Mr.  John  Effingham  to  come 
hither  " — then,  as  the  servant  closed  the  door,  he  continued 
"and  such  I  believe  you  will  continue  to  be  until  your 
dying  day." 

"  Nay,  reckless,  careless  father,  you  forget  that  you 
yourself  have  been  instrumental  in  transferring  my  duty 
and  obedience  to  another.  What  if  this  sea-monster 
should  prove  a  tyrant,  throw  off  the  mask,  and  show  him- 
self in  his  real  colors  ?  Are  you  prepared  then,  thought- 
less, precipitate  parent " — Eve  kissed  Mr.  EfHngham's 
cheek  with  childish  playfulness  as  she  spoke,  her  heart 
swelling  with  happiness  the  whole  time,  "to  preach  obedi- 
ence where  obedience  would  then  be  due  ?  " 

"  Hush,  precious — I  hear  the  step  of  Jack  ;  he  must  not 
catch  us  fooling  in  this  manner." 

Eve  rose  ;  and  when  her  kinsman  entered  the  room,  she 
held  out  her  hand  kindly  to  him,  though  it  was  with  an 
averted  face  and  a  tearful  eye. 

"It  is  time  I  was  summoned,"  said  John  Effingham,  after 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  357 

he  had  drawn  the  blushing  girl  to  him  and  kissed  her  fore- 
head, "for  what  between  tete-a-tetes  with  young  fellows, 
and  tete-a-tetes  with  old  fellows,  this  evening,  I  began  to 
think  myself  neglected.  I  hope  I  am  still  in  time  to  ren- 
der my  decided  disapprobation  available  ? " 

"  Cousin  Jack  !"  exclaimed  Eve,  with  a  look  of  reproach- 
ful mockery,  "  you  are  the  last  person  who  ought  to  sp>eak 
of  disapprobation,  for  you  have  done  little  else  but  sing 
the  praises  of  the  applicant  since  you  first  met  him." 

"  Is  it  even  so  ?  then,  like  others,  I  must  submit  to  the 
consequences  of  my  own  precipitation  and  false  conclu- 
sions. Am  I  summoned  to  inquire  how  many  thousands 
a  year  I  shall  add  to  the  establishment  of  the  new  couple  ? 
As  I  hate  business,  say  five  at  once  ;  and  when  the  papers 
are  ready,  I  will  sign  them  without  reading." 

"  Most  generous  cynic,"  cried  Eve,  "  I  would  I  dared 
now  to  ask  a  single  question  !  " 

"  Ask  it  without  scruple,  young  lady,  for  this  is  the  day 
of  your  independence  and  power.  I  am  mistaken  in  the 
man,  if  Powis  do  not  prove  to  be  the  captain  of  his  own 
ship  in  the  end." 

"Well,  then,  in  whose  behalf  is  this  liberality  really 
meant  ;  mine,  or  that  of  the  gentleman  ? " 

"Fairly  enough  put,"  said  John  Effingham,  laughing 
again,  drawing  Eve  toward  him  and  saluting  her  cheek  ; 
"  for  if  I  were  on  the  rack,  I  could  scarcely  say  which  I 
love  best,  although  you  have  the  consolation  of  knowing, 
pert  one,  that  you  get  the  most  kisses." 

"  I  am  almost  in  the  same  state  of  feeling  myself,  John, 
for  a  son  of  my  own  could  scarcely  be  dearer  to  me  than 
Paul." 

"  I  see,  indeed,  that  I  must  marry,"  said  Eve,  hastily 
dashing  the  tears  of  delight  from  her  eyes,  for  what  could 
give  more  delight  than  to  hear  the  praises  of  her  beloved, 
"  if  I  wish  to  retain  my  place  in  your  affections.  But, 
father,  we  forget  the  question  you  were  to  put  to  Cousin 
Jack." 

"True,  love.     John,  your  mother  was  an  Assheton  ?" 

"  Assuredly,  Ned  ;  you  are  not  to  learn  my  pedigree  at 
this  time  of  day,  I  trust." 

"We  are  anxious  to  make  out  a  relationship  between 
you  and  Paul  ;  can  it  not  be  done  ? " 


358  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  I  would  give  half  my  fortune,  Eve  consenting,  were  it 
so ! — What  reason  is  there  for  supposing  it  probable,  or 
even  possible  ? " 

"You  know  that  he  bears  the  name  of  his  friend,  and 
adopted  parent,  while  that  of  his  family  is  really  Asshe- 
ton." 

"  Assheton  ! "  exclaimed  the  other,  in  a  way  to  show  that 
this  was  the  first  he  had  ever  heard  of  the  fact. 

"  Certainly  ;  and  as  there  is  but  one  family  of  this  name, 
which  is  a  little  peculiar  in  the  spelling — for  here  it  is  spelt 
by  Paul  himself,  on  this  card — we  have  thought  that  he 
must  be  a  relation  of  yours.  I  hope  we  are  not  to  be  dis- 
appointed." 

"  Assheton  ! — It  is,  as  you  say,  an  unusual  name  ;  nor  is 
there  more  than  one  family  that  bears  it  in  this  country,  to 
my  knowledge.  Can  it  be  possible  that  Powis  is  truly  an 
Assheton ! " 

"Out  of  all  doubt,"  Eve  eagerly  exclaimed  ;  "we  have 
it  from  his  own  mouth.  His  father  was  an  Assheton,  and 
his  mother  was " 

"  Who  ?  "  demanded  John  Effingham,  with  a  vehemence 
that  startled  his  companions. 

"Nay,  that  is  more  than  I  can  tell  you,  for  he  did  not 
mention  the  family  name  of  his  mother  ;  as  she  was  a 
sister  of  Lady  Dunluce,  however,  who  is  the  wife  of 
General  Ducie,  the  father  of  our  guest,  it  is  probable  her 
name  was  Dunluce." 

"  I  remember  no  relative  that  has  made  such  a  marriage, 
or  who  can  have  made  such  a  marriage  ;  and  yet  do  I  per- 
sonally and  intimately  know  every  Assheton  in  the  country." 

Mr.  Effingham  and  his  daughter  looked  at  each  other, 
for  it  at  once  struck  them  all  painfully,  that  there  must  be 
Asshetons  of  another  family. 

"Were  it  not  for  the  peculiar  manner  in  which  this 
nam£  is  spelled,"  said  Mr.  Effingham,  "  I  could  suppose 
that  there  are  Asshetons  of  whom  we  know  nothing  ;  but 
it  is  difficult  to  believe  that  there  can  be  such  persons  of 
a  respectable  family  of  whom  we  never  heard,  for  Powis 
said  his  relatives  were  of  the  Middle  States— 

"  And  that  his  mother  was  called  Dunluce  ? "  de- 
manded John  Effingham  earnestly,  for  he  too  appeared 
to  wish  to  discover  an  affinity  between  himself  and  Paul. 


HOME  AS  FOUND. 


35* 


"Nay,  father,  this  I  think  he  did  not  say  ;  though  it  is 
quite  probable  ;  for  the  title  of  his  *aunt  is  an  ancient 
barony,  and  those  ancient  baronies  usually  become  the 
family  name." 

"  In  this  you  must  be  mistaken,  Eve,  since  he  mentioned 
that  the  right  was  derived  through  his  mother's  mother, 
who  was  an  Englishwoman." 

"  Why  not  send  for  him  at  once  and  put  the  question  ? " 
said  the  simple-minded  Mr.  Effingham  ;  next  to  having 
him  for  my  own  son,  it  would  give  me  pleasure,  John,  to 
learn  that  he  was  lawfully  entitled  to  that  which  I  know 
you  have  done  in  his  behalf." 

"  That  is  impossible,"  returned  John  Effingham.  "  I  am 
an  only  child,  and  as  for  cousins  through  my  mother,  there 
are  so  many  who  stand  in  an  equal  degree  of  affinity  to 
me,  that  no  one  in  particular  can  be  my  heir-at-law.  If 
there  were,  I  am  an  Effingham  ;  my  estate  came  from 
Effinghams,  and  to  an  Effingham  it  should  descend  in  spite 
of  all  the  Asshetons  in  America." 

"  Paul  Powis  included  !  "  exclaimed  Eve,  raising  a  finger 
reproachfully. 

"  True,  to  him  I  have  left  a  legacy  ;  but  it  was  to  a 
Powis,  and  not  to  an  Assheton." 

"  And  yet  he  declares  himself  legally  an  Assheton,  and 
not  a  Powis." 

"  Say  no  more  of  this,  Eve  ;  it  is  unpleasant  to  me.  I 
hate  the  name  of  Assheton,  though  it  was  my  mother's, 
and  could  wish  never  to  hear  it  again." 

Eve  and  her  father  were  mute,  for  their  kinsman, 
usually  so  proud  and  self-restrained,  spoke  with  sup~ 
pressed  emotion,  and  it  was  plain  that,  for  some  hidden 
cause,  he  felt  even  more  than  he  expressed.  The  idea 
that  there  should  be  anything  about  Paul  that  could 
render  him  an  object  of  dislike  to  one  as  dear  to  her  as 
her  cousin,  was  inexpressibly  painful  to  the  former,  and 
she  regretted  that  the  subject  had  ever  been  introduced. 
Not  so  with  her  father.  Simple,  direct,  and  full  of  truth, 
Mr.  Effingham  rightly  enough  believed  that  mysteries  in 
a  family  could  lead  to  no  good,  and  he  repeated  his  pro- 
posal of  sending  for  Paul,  and  having  the  matter  cleared 
up  at  once. 

"You  are  too  reasonable,  Jack,"  he  concluded,  "to  lei 


360  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

an  antipathy  against  a  name  that  was  your  mother's  inter* 
fere  with  your  sense  of  right.  I  know  that  some  unpleas- 
ant questions  arose  concerning  your  succession  to  my  aunt's 
fortune,  but  that  was  all  settled  in  your  favor  twenty 
years  ago,  and  I  thought  to  your  entire  satisfaction." 

"  Unhappily,  family  quarrels  are  ever  the  most  bitter, 
and  usually  they  are  the  least  reconcilable,"  returned  John 
Effingham,  evasively.  "  I  would  that  this  young  man's 
name  were  anything  but  Assheton  !  I  do  not  wish  to  see 
Eve  plighting  her  faith  at  the  altar  to  any  one  bearing  that 
accursed  name  ! " 

"  I  shall  plight  my  faith,  if  ever  it  be  done,  dear  Cousin 
John,  to  the  man,  and  not  to  his  name." 

"  No,  no — he  must  keep  the  appellation  of  Powis  by 
which  we  have  all  learned  to  love  him,  and  to  which  he 
has  done  so  much  credit." 

"  This  is  very  strange,  Jack,  for  a  man  who  is  usually 
as  discreet  and  as  well  regulated  as  yourself.  I  again  pro- 
pose that  we  send  for  Paul,  and  ascertain  precisely  to  what 
branch  of  this  so-much-disliked  family  he  really  belongs." 

"  No,  father,  if  you  love  me,  not  now  !  "  cried  Eve,  ar- 
resting Mr.  Effingham's  hand  as  he  touched  the  bell-cord  ; 
"  it  would  appear  distrustful,  and  even  cruel,  were  we  to 
enter  into  such  an  inquiry  so  soon.  Powis  might  think 
we  valued  his  family  more  than  we  do  himself." 

"  Eve  is  right,  Ned ;  but  I  will  not  sleep  without  learn- 
ing all.  There  is  an  unfinished  examination  of  the  papers 
left  by  poor  Monday,  and  I  will  take  an  occasion  to  sum- 
mon Paul  to  its  completion,  when  an  opportunity  will 
offer  to  renew  the  subject  of  his  own  history  ;  for  it  was 
at  the  other  investigation  that  he  first  spoke  frankly  to  me 
concerning  himself." 

"Do  so,  Cousin  Jack,  and  let  it  be  at  once,"  said  Eve, 
earnestly.  "I  can  trust  you  with  Powis  alone,  for  I  know 
how  much  you  respect  and  esteem  him  in  your  heart. 
See,  it  is  already  ten." 

"  But  he  will  naturally  wTish  to  spend  the  close  of  an 
evening  like  this  engaged  in  investigating  something  very 
different  from  Mr.  Monday's  tale,"  returned  her  cousin  ; 
the  smile  with  which  he  spoke  chasing  away  the  look  of 
chilled  arersion  that  had  so  lately  darkened  his  noble 
features. 


HOME  AS  FOUN-D.  361 

"  No,  not  to  -night,"  answered  the  blushing  Eve.  "  I 
have  confessed  weakness  enough  for  one  day.  To-morrow, 
if  you  will — if  he  will, — but  not  to-night.  I  shall  retire 
with  Mrs.  Hawker,  who  already  complains  of  fatigue; 
and  you  will  send  for  Powis  to  meet  you  in  your  own 
room,  without  unnecessary  delay." 

Eve  kissed  John  Effingham  coaxingly,  and  as  they 
walked  together  out  of  the  library,  she  pointed  toward 
the  door  that  led  to  the  chambers.  Her  cousin  laughingly 
complied,  and  when  in  his  own  room,  he  sent  a  message 
to  Paul  to  join  him. 

"  Now,  indeed,  may  I  call  you  a  kinsman,"  said  John 
Effingham,  rising  to  receive  the  young  man,  toward  whom 
he  advanced,  with  extended  hands,  in  his  most  winning 
manner.  "  Eve's  frankness  and  your  own  discernment 
have  made  us  a  happy  family  3  " 

"  If  anything  could  add  to  the  felicity  of  being  accept- 
able to  Miss  Effingham,"  returned  Paul,  struggling  to 
command  his  feelings,  "  it  is  the  manner  in  which  her 
father  and  yourself  have  received  my  poor  offers." 

"Well,  we  will  now  speak  of  it  no  more.  I  saw  from 
the  first  which  way  things  were  tending,  and  it  was  my 
plain-dealing  that  opened  the  eyes  of  Templemore  to  the 
impossibility  of  his  ever  succeeding,  by  which  means  his 
heart  has  been  kept  from  breaking." 

"Oh!  Mr.  Effingham,  Templemore  never  loved  Eve 
Effingham  !  I  thought  so  once,  and  he  thought  so,  too  ; 
but  it  could  not  have  been  a  love  like  mine." 

"  It  certainly  differed  in  the  essential  circumstance  of 
reciprocity,  which,  in  itself,  singularly  qualifies  the  pas- 
sion, so  far  as  duration  is  concerned.  Templemore  did 
not  exactly  know  the  reason  why  he  preferred  Eve ;  but, 
having  seen  so  much  of  the  society  in  which  he  lived,  I 
was  enabled  to  detect  the  cause.  Accustomed  to  an  elab- 
orate sophistication,  the  singular  union  of  refinement  and 
nature  caught  his  fancy,  for  the  English  seldom  see  the 
last  separated  from  vulgarity  ;  and  when  it  is  found,  soft- 
ened by  a  high  intelligence  and  polished  manners,  it  has 
usually  great  attractions  for  the  biases." 

' *  He  is  fortunate  in  having  so  readily  found  a  substitute 
for  Eve  Effingham  !  " 

"  This  change  is  not  unnatural,  either.    In  the  first  place, 


362  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

I,  with  this  truth-telling  tongue,  destroyed  all  hope  be- 
fore he  had  committed  himself  by  a  declaration  ;  and 
then  Grace  Van  Cortlandt  possesses  the  great  attraction 
of  nature  in  a  degree  quite  equal  to  that  of  her  cousin. 
Besides,  Templemore,  though  a  gentleman,  and  a  brave 
man,  and  a  worthy  one,  is  not  remarkable  for  qualities  of 
a  very  extraordinary  kind.  He  will  be  as  happy  as  is  usual 
for  an  Englishman  of  his  class  to  be,  and  he  has  no  parti- 
cular right  to  expect  more.  I  sent  for  you,  however,  less 
to  talk  of  love  than  to  trace  its  unhappy  consequences  in 
this  affair,  revealed  by  the  papers  of  poor  Monday.  It  is 
time  we  acquitted  ourselves  of  that  trust.  Do  me  the  fa- 
vor to  open  the  dressing-case  that  stands  on  the  toilet- 
table  ;  you  will  find  in  it  the  key  that  belongs  to  the 
bureau,  where  I  have  placed  the  secretaire  that  contains 
the  papers." 

Paul  did  as  desired.  The  dressing-case  was  complicated 
and  large,  having  several  compartments,  none  of  which 
were  fastened.  In  the  first  opened,  he  saw  a  miniature 
of  a  female  so  beautiful  that  his  eye  rested  on  it,  as  it 
might  be,  by  a  fascination.  Notwithstanding  some  differ- 
ence produced  by  the  fashions  of  different  periods,  the  re- 
semblance to  the  object  of  his  love  was  obvious  at  a  glance. 
Borne  away  by  the  pleasure  of  the  discovery,  and  actually 
believing  that  he  saw  a  picture  of  Eve,  drawn  in  a  dress 
that  did  not  in  a  great  degree  vary  from  the  present  attire, 
fashion  having  undergone  no  very  striking  revolution  in 
the  last  twenty  years,  he  exclaimed — 

"This  is  indeed  a  treasure,  Mr.  Effingham,  and  most 
sincerely  do  I  envy  you  its  possession.  It  is  like,  and  yet, 
in  some  particulars,  it  is  unlike — it  scarcely  does  Miss 
Effingham  justice  about  the  nose  and  forehead  !  " 

John  Effingham  started  when  he  saw  the  miniature  in 
Paul's  hand,  but,  recovering  himself,  he  smiled  at  the 
eager  delusion  of  his  young  friend,  and  said  with  perfect 
composure  : 

"  It  is  not  Eve,  but  her  mother.  The  two  features  you 
have  named  in  the  former  came  from  my  family  ;  but  in 
all  the  others  the  likeness  is  almost  identical." 

"This  then  is  Mrs.  Effingham  !  "  murmured  Paul,  gazing 
on  the  face  of  the  mother  of  his  love  with  a  respectful 
melancholy,  and  an  interest  that  was  rather  heightened 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  363 

than  lessened  by  a  knowledge  of  the  truth.  "  She  died 
young,  sir  ? " 

"Quite  ;  she  can  scarcely  be  said  to  have  become  an 
angel  too  soon,  for  she  was  always  one." 

This  was  said  with  a  feeling  that  did  not  escape  Paul, 
though  it  surprised  him.  There  were  six  or  seven  minia- 
ture-cases in  the  compartment  of  the  dressing-box,  and 
supposing  that  the  one  which  lay  uppermost  belonged  to 
the  miniature  in  his  hand,  he  raised  it  and  opened  the  lid 
with  a  view  to  replace  the  picture  of  Eve's  mother  with  a 
species  of  pious  reverence.  Instead  of  finding  an  empty 
case,  however,  another  miniature  met  his  eye.  The  excla- 
mation that  now  escaped  the  young  man  was  one  of  de- 
light and  surprise. 

"  That  must  be  my  grandmother  with  whom  you  are  in 
such  raptures  at  present,"  said  John  Effingham,  laughing. 
"  I  was  comparing  it  yesterday  with  the  picture  of  Eve, 
which  is  in  the  Russia-leather  case  that  you  will  find  some- 
where there.  I  do  not  wonder,  however,  at  your  admiration, 
for  she  was  a  beauty  in  her  day,  and  no  wToman  is  fool 
enough  to  be  painted  after  she  grows  ugly." 

"  Not  so — not  so — Mr.  Effingham  !  This  is  the  minia- 
ture I  lost  in  the  Montauk,  and  which  I  had  given  up  as 
booty  to  the  Arabs.  It  has,  doubtless,  found  its  way  into 
your  state-room,  and  has  been  put  among  your  effects  by 
your  man  through  mistake.  It  is  very  precious  to  me,  for 
it  is  nearly  every  memorial  I  possess  of  my  own  mother  ! " 

**  Your  mother  !  "  exclaimed  John  Effingham,  rising.  "  I 
think  there  must  be  some  mistake,  for  I  examined  all 
those  pictures  this  very  morning,  and  it  is  the  first  time 
they  have  been  opened  since  our  arrival  from  Europe.  It 
cannot  be  the  missing  picture." 

"  Mine  it  is  certainly  ;  in  that  I  cannot  be  mistaken  !  " 

"  It  would  be  odd,  indeed,  if  one  of  my  grandmothers, 
for  both  are  there,  should  prove  to  be  your  mother.  Powis, 
will  you  have  the  goodness  to  let  me  see  the  picture  you 
mean." 

Paul  brought  the  miniature  and  a  light,  placing  both 
before  the  eyes  of  his  friend. 

"  That !  "  exclaimed  John  Effingham,  his  voice  sounding 
harsh  and  unnatural  to  the  listener. — "that  picture  like 
your  mother ! " 


364  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  It  is  her  miniature — the  miniature  that  was  trans- 
mitted to  me  from  those  who  had  charge  of  my  child- 
hood. I  cannot  be  mistaken  as  to  the  countenance  or  the 
dress." 

"And  your  father's  name  was  Assheton  ?" 

"  Certainly — John  Assheton,  of  the  Asshetons  of  Penn- 
sylvania." 

John  Effingham  groaned  aloud  ;  when  Paul  stepped 
back,  equally  shocked  and  surprised,  he  saw  that  the  face 
of  his  friend  was  almost  livid,  and  that  the  hand  which 
held  the  picture  shook  like  the  aspen. 

"  Are  you  unwell,  dear  Mr.  Effingham  ?  " 

"No — no — 'tis  impossible!  This  lady  never  had  a 
child.  Powis,  you  have  been  deceived  by  some  fancied  or 
some  real  resemblance.  This  picture  is  mine,  and  has  not 
been  out  of  my  possession  these  five-and-twenty  years." 

"  Pardon  me,  sir,  it  is  the  picture  of  my  mother,  and  no 
other  ;  the  very  picture  lost  in  the  Montauk." 

The  gaze  that  John  Effingham  cast  upon  the  young  man 
was  ghastly  ;  and  Paul  was  about  to  ring  the  bell,  but  a 
gesture  of  denial  prevented  him. 

"See,"  said  John  Effingham  hoarsely,  as  he  touched  a 
spring  in  the  setting,  and  exposed  to  view  the  initials  of 
two  names  interwoven  with  hair — "  is  this,  too,  yours  ? " 

Paul  looked  surprised  and  disappointed. 

"That  certainly  settles  the  question  ;  my  miniature  had 
no  such  addition  ;  and  yet  I  believe  that  sweet  and  pensive 
countenance  to  be  the  face  of  my  own  beloved  mother, 
and  of  no  one  else." 

John  Effingham  struggled  to  appear  calm  ;  and,  replacing 
the  pictures,  he  took  the  key  from  the  dressing-case,  and, 
opening  the  bureau,  he  took  out  the  secretaire.  This  he 
signed  for  Powis,  who  had  the  key,  to  open  ;  throwing 
himself  into  a  chair,  though  everything  was  done  mechan- 
ically, as  if  his  mind  and  body  had  little  or  no  connection 
with  each  other. 

"  Some  accidental  resemblance  has  deceived  you  as  to 
the  miniature,"  he  said,  while  Paul  was  looking  for  the 
proper  number  among  the  letters  of  Mr.  Monday.  "  No 
— no — that  cannot  be  the  picture  of  your  mother.  She 
left  no  child.  Assheton,  did  you  say,  was  the  name  of 
your  father  ?  " 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  365 

"  Assheton — John  Assheton — about  that,  at  least,  there 
can  have  been  no  mistake.  This  is  the  number  at  which 
we  left  off — will  you,  sir,  or  shall  I,  read  ? " 

The  other  made  a  sign  for  Paul  to  read  ;  looking  at  the 
same  time  as  if  it  were  impossible  for  him  to  discharge  that 
duty  himself. 

"  This  is  a  letter  from  the  woman  who  appears  to  have 
been  intrusted  with  the  child,  to  the  man  Dowse,"  said 
Paul,  first  glancing  his  eyes  over  the  page  ;  "  it  appears  to 
be  little  else  but  gossip — ha  ! — what  is  this  I  see  ?  " 

John  Effingham  raised  himself  in  his  chair,  and  he  sat 
gazing  at  Paul  as  one  gazes  who  expects  some  extraor- 
dinary development,  though  of  what  nature  he  knew 
not. 

"  This  is  a  singular  passage,"  Paul  continued — "so  much 
so  as  to  need  elucidation.  '  I  have  taken  the  child  with 
me  to  get  the  picture  from  the  jeweller  who  has  mended 
the  ring,  and  the  little  urchin  knew  it  at  a  glance.' " 

"  What  is  there  remarkable  in  that  ?  Others  besides  our- 
selves have  had  pictures  ;  and  this  child  knows  its  own  bet- 
ter than  you." 

"  Mr.  Effmgham,  such  a  thing  occurred  to  myself !  It  is 
one  of  those  early  events  of  which  I  still  retain,  have  ever 
retained,  a  vivid  recollection.  Though  little  more  than  an 
infant  at  the  time,  well  do  I  recollect  to  have  been  taken 
in  this  manner  to  a  jeweller's,  and  the  delight  I  felt  at  re- 
covering my  mother's  picture,  that  which  is  now  lost,  after 
it  had  not  been  seen  for  a  month  or  two." 

"  Paul  Blunt — Powis — Assheton,"  said  John  Effingham,. 
speaking  so  hoarsely  as  to  be  nearly  unintelligible,  "re- 
main here  a  few  minutes — I  will  rejoin  you." 

John  Effingham  arose,  and,  notwithstanding  he  rallied 
all  his  powers,  it  was  with  extreme  difficulty  he  succeeded 
in  reaching  the  door,  steadily  rejecting  the  offered  assist* 
ance  of  Paul,  who  was  at  a  loss  what  to  think  of  so  mucll 
agitation  in  a  man  usually  so  self-possessed  and  tranquil 
When  out  of  the  room  John  Effingham  did  better,  and  he 
proceeded  to  the  library,  followed  by  his  own  man,  whom 
he  had  ordered  to  accompany  him  with  a  light. 

"  Desire  Captain  Ducie  to  give  me  the  favor  of  his  com- 
pany for  a  moment,"  he  then  said,  motioning  to  the  ser- 
vant to  withdraw.  "  You  will  not  be  needed  any  longer." 


366  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

It  was  but  a  minute  before  Captain  Ducie  stood  before 
him.  This  gentleman  was  instantly  struck  with  the  pallid 
look  and  general  agitation  of  the  person  he  had  come  to 
meet,  and  he  expressed  an  apprehension  that  he  was  sud- 
denly taken  ill.  But  a  motion  of  the  hand  forbade  his 
touching  the  bell-cord,  and  he  waited  in  silent  wonder  at 
the  scene  which  he  had  been  so  unexpectedly  called  to 
witness. 

"A  glass  of  that  water,  if  you  please,  Captain  Ducie," 
said  John  Effingham,  endeavoring  to  smile  with  gentleman- 
like courtesy  as  he  made  the  request,  though  the  effort 
caused  his  countenance  to  appear  ghastly  again.  A  little 
recovered  by  this  beverage,  he  said  more  steadily  : 

"Ypu  are  the  cousin  of  Powis,  Captain  Ducie." 

"  We  are  sisters'  children,  sir." 

"  And  your  mother  is— 

"Lady  Dunluce — a  peeress  in  her  own  right." 

"  But  what — her  family  name  ?" 

"  Her  own  family  name  has  been  sunk  in  that  of  my  fa- 
ther, the  Ducies  claiming  to  be  as  old  and  as  honorable  a 
family  as  that  from  which  my  mother  inherits  her  rank. 
Indeed,  the  Dunluce  barony  has  gone  through  so  many 
names,  by  means  of  females,  that  I  believe  there  is  no  in- 
tention to  revive  the  original  appellation  of  the  family 
which  was  first  summoned." 

"  You  mistake  me — your  mother — when  she  married — 
was " 

"  Miss  Warrender." 

"  I  thank  you,  sir,  and  will  trouble  you  no  longer,"  re- 
turned John  Effingham,  rising,  and  struggling  to  make  his 
manner  second  the  courtesy  of  his  words — "  I  have  trou- 
bled you  abruptly — incoherently,  I  fear — your  arm " 

Captain  Ducie  stepped  hastily  forward,  and  was  just  in 
tim?  to  prevent  the  other  from  falling  senseless  on  the 
7*oor,  by  receiving  him  in  his  own  arms. 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  367 


CHAPTER    XXVII. 

"What's  Hecuba  to  him,  or  he  to  Hecuba, 
That  he  should  weep  for  her." — HAMLET. 

THE  next  morning,  Paul  and  Eve  were  alone  in  that  li- 
brary which  had  long  been  the  scene  of  the  confidential  com- 
munications of  the  Effingham  family.  Eve  had  been  weep- 
ing, nor  were  Paul's  eyes  entirely  free  from  the  signs  of  his 
having  given  way  to  strong  sensations.  Still  happiness 
beamed  in  the  countenances  of  each,  and  the  timid  but  af- 
fectionate glances  with  which  our  heroine  returned  the 
fond,  admiring  look  of  her  lover,  were  anything  but  dis- 
trustful of  their  future  felicity.  Her  hand  was  in  his,  and 
it  was  often  raised  to  his  lips,  as  they  pursued  the  conver- 
sation. 

"  This  is  so  wonderful,"  exclaimed  Eve,  after  one  of  the 
frequent  musing  pauses  in  which  both  indulged,  "that  I 
can  scarcely  believe  mysel  f  awake.  That  you,  Blunt,  Powis, 
Assheton,  should,  after  all,  prove  an  Effingham  !  " 

"  And  that  I,  who  have  so  long  thought  myself  an  orphan, 
should  find  a  living  father,  and  he  a  man  like  Mr.  John 
Effingham  !  " 

"  I  have  long  thought  that  something  heavy  lay  at  the 
honest  heart  of  Cousin  Jack — you  will  excuse  me,  Powis, 
but  I  shall  need  time  to  learn  to  call  him  by  a  name  of 
greater  respect." 

"  Call  him  always  so,  love,  for  I  am  certain  it  would  pain 
him  to  meet  with  any  change  in  you.  He  is  your  Cousin 
Jack." 

"  Nay,  he  may  some  day  unexpectedly  become  my  father 
too,  as  he  has  so  wonderfully  become  yours,"  rejoined  Eve, 
glancing  archly  at  the  glowing  face  of  the  delighted  young 
man  ;  "and  then  Cousin  Jack  might  prove  too  familiar  and 
disrespectful  a  term." 

"  So  much  stronger  does  your  claim  to  him  appear  than 
mine,  that  I  think,  when  that  blessed  day  shall  arrive,  Eve> 
it  will  convert  him  into  my  Cousin  Jack,  instead  of  your 


368  HOME  AS  FOUfrD. 

father.  But  call  him  as  you  may,  why  do  you  still  insist 
on  calling  me  Powis  ?" 

"  That  name  will  ever  be  precious  in  my  eyes  !  You 
abridge  me  of  my  rights,  in  denying  me  a  change  of  name. 
Half  the  young  ladies  of  the  country  marry  for  the  novelty 
of  being  called  Mrs.  Somebody  else,  instead  of  the  Misses 
they  were,  while  I  am  condemned  to  remain  Eve  Effingham 
for  life." 

"  If  you  object  to  the  appellation,  I  can  continue  to  call 
myself  Powis.  This  has  been  done  so  long  now  as  almost 
to  legalize  the  act." 

"  Indeed,  no — you  are  an  Effingham,  and  as  an  Effingham 
ought  you  to  be  known.  What  a  happy  lot  is  mine  .' 
Spared  even  the  pain  of  parting  with  my  old  friends,  at  the 
great  occurrence  of  my  life,  and  finding  my  married  home 
the  same  as  the  home  of  my  childhood  !  " 

"  I  owe  everything  to  you,  Eve— name,  happiness,  and 
even  a  home." 

"  I  know  not  that.  Now  that  it  is  known  that  you  are 
the  great-grandson  of  Edward  Effingham,  I  think  your 
chance  of  possessing  the  Wigwam  would  be  quite  equal  to 
my  own,  even  were  we  to  look  different  ways  in  quest  of 
married  happiness.  An  arrangement  of  that  nature  would 
not  be  difficult  to  make,  as  John  Effingham  might  easily 
compensate  a  daughter  for  the  loss  of  her  house  and  lands 
by  means  of  those  money-yielding  stocks  and  bonds,  of 
which  he  possesses  so  many." 

"  I  view  it  differently.  You  were  Mr. — my  father's  heir 
— how  strangely  the  word  father  sounds  in  unaccustomed 
ears ! — But  you  were  my  father's  chosen  heir,  and  I  shall 
owe  to  you,  dearest,  in  addition  to  the  treasures  of  your 
heart  and  faith,  my  fortune." 

"  Are  you  so  very  certain  of  this,  ingrate  ? — Did  not  Mr. 
John  Effingham — Cousin  Jack — adopt  you  as  his  son  even 
before  he  knew  of  the  natural  tie  that  actually  exists  be* 
tween  you  ? " 

"  True,  for  I  perceive  that  you  have  been  made  ac- 
quainted with  most  of  that  which  has  passed.  But  I  hope, 
that  in  telling  you  his  own  offer,  Mr. — that  my  father  did 
not  forget  to  tell  you  of  the  terms  on  which  it  was  ac- 
cepted ?  " 

"He  did  you  ample  justice,  for  he  informed   me  that 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  369 

you  stipulated  there  should  be  no  altering  of  wills,  but 
that  the  unworthy  heir  already  chosen  should  still  remain 
the  heir." 

"And  to  this  Mr. " 

"  Cousin  Jack,"  said  Eve,  laughing,  for  the  laugh  comes 
easy  to  the  supremely  happy. 

"  To  this  Cousin  Jack  assented  ? " 

"  Most  true,  again.  The  will  would  not  have  been  al- 
tered, for  your  interests  were  already  cared  for." 

"  And  at  the  expense  of  yours,  dearest  Eve  !  " 

"  It  would  have  been  at  the  expense  of  my  better  feel- 
ings, Paul,  had  it  not  been  so.  However,  that  will  can 
never  do  either  harm  or  good  to  any  now." 

"  I  trust  it  will  remain  unchanged,  beloved,  that  I  may 
owe  as  much  to  you  as  possible." 

Eve  looked  kindly  at  her  betrothed,  blushed  even 
deeper  than  the  bloom  which  happiness  had  left  on  her 
cheek,  and  smiled  like  one  who  knew  more  than  she  cared 
to  express. 

"What  secret  meaning  is  concealed  behind  that  look  of 
portentous  signification  ? " 

"  It  means,  Powis,  that  I  have  done  a  deed  that  is  almost 
criminal.  I  have  destroyed  a  will." 

"  Not  my  father's  ? " 

"  Even  so — but  it  was  done  in  his  presence,  and  if  not 
absolutely  with  his  consent,  with  his  knowledge.  When 
he  informed  me  of  your  superior  rights,  I  insisted  on  its 
being  done  at  once,  so,  should  any  accident  occur,  you  will 
be  heir-at-law,  as  a  matter  of  course.  Cousin  Jack  affected 
reluctance,  but  I  believe  he  slept  more  sweetly,  for  the 
consciousness  that  this  act  of  justice  had  been  done." 

"  I  fear  he  slept  little  as  it  was  ;  it  was  long  past  mid- 
night before  I  left  him,  and  the  agitation  of  his  spirit  was 
such  as  to  appear  awful  in  the  eyes  of  a  son  !  " 

"  And  the  promised  explanation  is  to  come,  to  renew  his 
distress !  Why  make  it  at  all  ?  is  it  not  enough  that  we 
are  certain  that  you  are  his  child  ?  and  for  that,  have  we 
not  the  solemn  assurance,  the  declaration  of  almost  a  dy- 
ing man  !  " 

"  There  should  be  no  shade  left  over  my  mother's  fame. 
Faults  there  have  been,  somewhere,  but  it  is  painful,  oh  ! 
how  painful  !  for  a  child  to  think  evil  of  a  mother." 
24 


370  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  On  this  head  you  are  already  assured.  Your  own  pre- 
vious knowledge,  and  John  Effingham's  distinct  declara- 
tions, make  your  mother  blameless." 

"  Beyond  question  ;  but  this  sacrifice  must  be  made  to 
my  mother's  spirit.  It  is  now  nine  ;  the  breakfast-bell 
will  soon  ring,  and  then  we  are  promised  the  whole  of  the 
melancholy  tale.  Pray  with  me,  Eve,  that  it  may  be  such 
as  will  not  wound  the  ear  of  a  son  I " 

Eve  took  the  hand  of  Paul  within  both  of  hers,  and 
kissed  it  with  a  sort  of  holy  hope,  that  in  its  exhibition 
caused  neither  blush  nor  shame.  Indeed,  so  bound  to- 
gether were  these  young  hearts,  so  ample  and  confiding 
had  been  the  confessions  of  both,  and  so  pure  was  their 
love,  that  neither  regarded  such  a  manifestation  of  feel- 
ing differently  from  what  an  acknowledgment  of  a  de- 
pendence on  any  other  sacred  principle  would  have  been 
esteemed.  The  bell  now  summoned  them  to  the  breakfast 
table,  and  Eve,  yielding  to  her  sex's  timidity,  desired  Paul 
to  precede  her  a  few  minutes,  that  the  sanctity  of  their 
confidence  might  not  be  weakened  by  the  observation  of 
profane  eyes. 

The  meal  was  silent  ;  the  discovery  of  the  previous 
night,  which  had  been  made  known  to  all  in  the  house,  by 
the  declarations  of  John  Effingham  as  soon  as  he  was  re- 
stored to  his  senses,  Captain  Ducie  having  innocently  col- 
lected those  within  hearing  to  his  succor,  causing  a  sort 
of  moral  suspense  that  weighed  on  the  vivacity  if  not  on 
the  comforts  of  the  whole  party,  the  lovers  alone  excepted. 

As  profound  happiness  is  seldom  talkative,  the  meal  was 
a  silent  one,  then  ;  and  when  it  was  ended,  they  who  had 
no  tie  of  blood  with  the  parties  most  concerned  with  the 
revelations  of  the  approaching  interview,  delicately  sepa- 
rated, making  employments  and  engagements  that  left  the 
family  at  perfect  liberty  ;  while  those  who  had  been  pre- 
viously notified  that  their  presence  would  be  acceptable, 
silently  repaired  to  the  dressing-room  of  John  Effingham. 
The  latter  party  was  composed  of  Mr.  Effingham,  Paul, 
and  Eve,  only.  The  first  passed  into  his  cousin's  bed- 
room, where  he  had  a  private  conference  that  lasted  half 
an  hour.  At  the  end  of  that  time,  the  two  others  were 
summoned  to  join  him. 

John  Effingham  was  a  strong-minded  and  a  proud  man 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  371 

his  governing  fault  being  the  self-reliance  that  indisposed 
him  to  throw  himself  on  a  greater  power  for  the  support, 
guidance,  and  counsel  that  all  need.  To  humiliation  be- 
fore God,  however,  he  was  not  unused,  and  of  late  years 
it  had  got  to  be  frequent  with  him,  and  it  was  only  in 
connection  with  his  fellow-creatures  that  his  repugnance 
to  admitting  even  of  an  equality  existed.  He  felt  how 
much  more  just,  intuitive,  conscientious  even,  were  his  own 
views  than  those  of  mankind  in  general  ;  and  he  seldom 
deigned  to  consult  with  any  as  to  the  opinions  he  ought 
to  entertain,  or  as  to  the  conduct  he  ought  to  pursue.  It 
is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  such  a  being  was  one  of 
strong  and  engrossing  passions,  the  impulses  frequently 
proving  too  imperious  for  the  affections,  or  even  for  prin- 
ciples. The  scene  that  he  was  now  compelled  to  go 
through,  was  consequently  one  of  sore  mortification  and 
self-abasement  ;  and  yet,  feeling  its  justice  no  less  than  its 
necessity,  and  having  made  up  his  mind  to  discharge 
what  had  now  become  a  duty,  his  very  pride  of  character 
led  him  to  do  it  manfully,  and  with  no  uncalled-for  re- 
serves. It  was  a  painful  and  humiliating  task,  notwith- 
standing ;  and  it  required  all  the  self-command,  all  the 
sense  of  right,  and  all  the  clear  perception  of  conse- 
quences, that  one  so  quick  to  discriminate  could  not  avoid 
perceiving,  to  enable  him  to  go  through  it  with  the  re- 
quired steadiness  and  connection. 

John  Emngham  received  Paul  and  Eve,  seated  in  an 
easy  chair ;  for,  while  he  could  not  be  said  to  be  ill,  it  was 
evident  that  his  very  frame  had  been  shaken  by  the  events 
and  emotions  of  the  few  preceding  hours.  He  gave  a  hand 
to  each,  and  drawing  Eve  affectionately  to  him,  he  im- 
printed a  kiss  on  a  cheek  that  was  burning,  though  it 
paled  and  reddened  in  quick  succession,  the  heralds  of  the 
tumultuous  thoughts  within.  The  look  he  gave  Paul  was 
kind  and  welcome,  while  a  hectic  spot  glowed  on  each 
cheek,  betraying  that  his  presence  excited  pain  as  well  as 
pleasure.  A  long  pause  succeeded  this  meeting,  when 
John  Emngham  broke  the  silence. 

"  There  can  now  be  no  manner  of  question,  my  dear 
Paul,"  he  said,  smiling  affectionately  but  sadly  as  he 
looked  at  the  young  man,  "  about  your  being  my  son, 
The  letter  written  by  John  Assheton  to  your  mother,  aftei 


372  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

the  separation  of  your  parents,  would  settle  that  impor- 
taut  point,  had  not  the  names,  and  the  other  facts  that 
have  come  to  our  knowledge,  already  convinced  me  of  the 
precious  truth  ;  for  precious  and  very  dear  to  me  is  the 
knowledge  that  I  am  the  father  of  so  worthy  a  child.  You 
must  prepare  yourself  to  hear  things  that  it  will  not  be 
pleasant  for  a  son  to  listen " 

"No,  no,  Cousin  Jack — dear  Cousin  Jack  !"  cried  Eve, 
throwing  herself  precipitately  into  her  kinsman's  arms, 
"  we  will  hear  nothing  of  the  sort.  It  is  sufficient  that  you 
are  Paul's  father,  and  we  wish  to  know  no  more — will 
hear  no  more." 

"This  is  like  yourself,  Eve,  but  it  will  not  answer  what 
I  conceive  to  be  the  dictates  of  duty.  Paul  had  two  par- 
ents, and  not  the  slightest  suspicion  ought  to  rest  on  one 
of  them,  in  order  to  spare  the  feelings  of  the  other.  In 
showing  me  this  kindness  you  are  treating  Paul  inconsid- 
erately." 

"  I  beg,  dear  sir,  you  will  not  think  too  much  of  me,  but 
entirely  consult  your  own  judgment — your  own  sense  of — 
in  short,  dear  father,  that  you  will  consider  yourself  be- 
fore your  son." 

"  I  thank  you,  my  children  ;  what  a  word  and  what  a 
novel  sensation  is  this  for  me,  Ned  !  I  feel  all  your  kind- 
ness ;  but  if  you  would  consult  my  peace  of  mind  and 
wish  me  to  regain  my  self-respect,  you  will  allow  me  to 
disburden  my  soul  of  the  weight  that  oppresses  it.  This 
is  strong  language  ;  but  while  I  have  no  confessions  of  de- 
liberate criminality  or  of  positive  vice  to  make,  I  feel  it  to 
be  hardly  too  strong  for  the  facts.  My  tale  will  be  very 
short,  and  I  crave  your  patience,  Ned,  while  I  expose  my 
former  weakness  to  these  young  people."  Here  John 
Effingham  paused,  as  if  to  recollect  himself  ;  then  he  pro- 
ceeded with  a  seriousness  of  manner  that  caused  every 
syllable  he  uttered  to  tell  on  the  ears  of  his  listeners.  "  It 
is  well  known  to  your  father.  Eve,  though  it  will  probably 
be  new  to  you,"  he  said,  "that  I  felt  a  passion  for  your 
sainted  mother,  such  as  few  men  ever  experience  for  any 
of  your  sex.  Your  father  and  myself  were  suitors  for  her 
favor  at  the  same  time,  though  I  can  scarcely  say,  Ed- 
ward, that  any  feeling  of  rivalry  entered  into  the  compe- 
tition." 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  373 

"  You  do  me  no  more  than  justice,  John,  for  if  the  affec- 
tion of  my  beloved  Eve  could  cause  me  grief,  it  was  be 
cause  it  brought  you  pain." 

"  I  had  the  additional  mortification  of  approving  of  the 
choice  she  made  ;  for,  certainly,  as  respected  her  own  happi- 
ness, your  mother  did  more  wisely  in  confiding  it  to  the  re- 
gulated, mild,  and  manly  virtues  of  your  father,  than  in 
placing  her  hopes  on  one  as  eccentric  and  violent  as  myself." 

"  This  is  injustice,  John.  You  may  have  been  positive, 
and  a  little  stern  at  times,  but  never  violent,  and  least  of 
all  with  a  woman." 

"  Call  it  what  you  will,  it  unfitted  me  to  make  one  so 
meek,  gentle,  and  yet  high-souled,  as  entirely  happy  as 
she  deserved  to  be,  and  as  you  did  make  her,  while  she  re- 
mained on  earth.  I  had  the  courage  to  stay  and  learn 
that  your  father  was  accepted  (though  the  marriage  was 
deferred  two  years  in  consideration  for  my  feelings),  and 
then  with  a  heart  in  which  mortified  pride,  wounded  love, 
a  resentment  that  was  aimed  rather  against  myself  than 
against  your  parents,  I  quitted  home  with  a  desperate  de- 
termination never  to  rejoin  my  family  again.  This  resolu- 
tion I  did  not  own  to  myself  even,  but  it  lurked  in  my  in- 
tentions unowned,  festering  like  a  mortal  disease  ;  and  it 
caused  me,  when  I  burst  away  from  the  scene  of  happiness 
of  which  I  had  been  a  compelled  witness,  to  change  my 
name,  and  to  make  several  inconsistent  and  extravagant 
arrangements  to  abandon  my  native  country  even." 

"  Poor  John  !  "  exclaimed  his  cousin,  involuntarily  ; 
"  this  would  have  been  a  sad  blot  on  our  felicity  had  we 
known  it ! " 

"  I  was  certain  of  that,  even  when  most  writhing  under 
the  blow  you  had  so  unintentionally  inflicted,  Ned  ;  but 
the  passions  are  tyrannical  and  inconsistent  masters.  I 
took  my  mother's  name,  changed  my  servant,  and  avoided 
those  parts  of  the  country  where  I  was  known.  At  this 
time  I  feared  for  my  own  reason,  and  the  thought  crossed 
my  mind,  that  by  making  a  sudden  marriage  I  might  sup- 
plant the  old  passion,  which  was  so  near  destroying  me, 
by  some  of  that  gentler  affection  which  seemed  to  render 
you  so  blest,  Edward." 

"Nay,  John,  this  was  itself  a  temporary  tottering  of  the 
reasoning  faculties." 


374  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  It  was  simply  the  effect  of  passions  over  which  reason 
had  never  been  taught  to  exercise  a  sufficient  influence. 
Chance  brought  me  acquainted  with  Miss  Warrender,  in 
one  of  the  Southern  States,  and  she  promised,  as  I  fancied, 
to  realize  all  my  wild  schemes  of  happiness  and  resentment. " 

"  Resentment,  John  ?  " 

"  I  fear  I  must  confess  it,  Edward,  though  it  were  anger 
against  myself.  I  first  made  Miss  Warren der's  acquaint- 
ance as  John  Assheton,  and  some  months  had  passed  be- 
fore I  determined  to  try  the  fearful  experiment  I  have  men- 
tioned. She  was  young,  beautiful,  well-born,  virtuous,  and 
good  ;  if  she  had  a  fault  it  was  her  high  spirit,  not  high 
temper,  but  she  was  high-souled  and  proud." 

" Thank  God  for  this  \"  burst  from  the  inmost  soul  of 
Paul,  with  unrestrainable  feeling. 

"  You  have  little  to  apprehend,  my  son,  on  the  subject  of 
your  mother's  character  ;  if  not  perfect,  she  was  wanting  in 
no  womanly  virtue,  and  might,  nay  ought  to  have  made 
any  reasonable  man  happy.  My  offer  was  accepted,  for  I 
found  her  heart  disengaged.  Miss  Warrender  was  not  af- 
fluent, and  in  addition  to  the  other  unjustifiable  motives 
that  influenced  me,  I  thought  there  would  be  a  satisfaction 
in  believing  that  I  had  been  chosen  for  myself  rather  than 
for  my  wealth.  Indeed,  I  had  got  to  be  distrustful  and 
ungenerous,  and  then  I  disliked  the  confession  of  the  weak- 
ness that  had  induced  me  to  change  my  name.  The  sim- 
ple, I  might  almost  say  loose  laws  of  this  country,  on  the 
subject  of  marriage,  removed  all  necessity  for  explanations, 
there  being  no  bans  or  license  necessary,  and  the  Christian 
name  only  being  used  in  the  ceremony.  We  were  married, 
therefore,  but  I  was  not  so  unmindful  of  the  rights  of  others 
as  to  neglect  to  procure  a  certificate,  under  a  promise  of 
secrecy,  in  my  own  name.  By  going  to  the  place  where  the 
ceremony  was  performed,  you  will  also  find  the  marriage 
of  John  Effingham  and  Mildred  Warrender  duly  registered 
in  the  books  of  the  church  to  which  the  officiating  clergy- 
man belonged.  So  far  I  did  what  justice  required,  though, 
with  a  motiveless  infatuation  for  which  I  can  now  hardly 
account — which  cannot  be  accounted  for  except  by  ascrib- 
ing it  to  the  inconsistent  cruelty  of  passion — I  concealed 
rny  real  name  from  her,  with  whom  there  should  have  been 
no  concealment.  I  fancied,  I  tried  to  fancy  I  was  no  impos- 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  375 

tor,  as  I  was  of  the  family  I  represented  myself  to  be,  by 
the  mother's  side  ;  and  I  wished  to  believe  that  my  peace 
would  easily  be  made  when  I  avowed  myself  to  be  the  man 
I  really  was.  I  had  found  Miss  Warrender  and  her  sister 
living  with  a  well-intentioned  but  weak  aunt,  and  with  no 
male  relative  to  make  those  inquiries  which  would  so  natur- 
ally have  suggested  themselves  to  persons  of  ordinary 
worldly  prudence.  It  is  true,  I  had  become  known  to  them 
under  favorable  circumstances,  and  they  had  good  reason 
to  believe  me  an  Assheton  from  some  accidental  evidence 
that  I  possessed,  which  unanswerably  proved  my  affinity  to 
that  family,  without  betraying  my  true  name.  But  there  is 
so  little  distrust  in  this  country,  that  by  keeping  at  a  dis- 
tance from  the  places  in  which  I  was  personally  known,  a 
life  might  have  passed  without  exposure." 

"  This  was  all  wrong,  dear  Cousin  Jack,"  said  Eve,  taking 
his  hand  and  affectionately  kissing  it,  while  her  face  kin- 
dled with  a  sense  of  her  sex's  rights,  "  and  I  should  be  un- 
faithful to  my  womanhood  were  I  to  say  otherwise.  You 
had  entered  into  the  most  solemn  of  all  human  contracts, 
and  evil  is  the  omen  when  such  an  engagement  is  veiled  by 
any  untruth.  But,  still,  one  would  think  you  might  have 
been  happy  with  a  virtuous  and  affectionate  wife  !  " 

"  Alas !  it  is  but  a  hopeless  experiment  to  marry  one, 
while  the  heart  is  still  yearning  toward  another.  Confi- 
dence came  too  late  ;  for,  discovering  my  unhappiness, 
Mildred  extorted  a  tardy  confession  from  me  ;  a  confession 
of  all  but  the  concealment  of  the  true  name  ;  and  justly 
wounded  at  the  deception  of  which  she  had  been  the  dupe, 
and  yielding  to  the  impulses  of  a  high  and  generous  spirit, 
she  announced  to  me  that  she  was  unwilling  to  continue 
the  wife  of  any  man  on  such  terms.  We  parted,  and  I 
hastened  into  the  Southwestern  States,  where  I  passed 
the  next  twelvemonth  in  travelling,  hurrying  from  place 
to  place,  in  the  vain  hope  of  obtaining  peace  of  mind.  I 
plunged  into  the  prairies,  and  most  of  the  time  mentioned 
was  lost  to  me  as  respects  the  world,  in  the  company  of 
hunters  and  trappers." 

"  This,  then,  explains  your  knowledge  of  that  section  of 
the  country,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Eflfingham,  "  for  which  I  have 
never  been  able  to  account !  We  thought  you  among  youl 
old  friends  in  Carolina  all  that  time." 


376  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  No  one  knew  where  I  had  secreted  myself,  for  I  passed 
under  another  feigned  name,  and  had  no  servant,  even.  I 
had,  however,  sent  an  address  to  Mildred  where  a  letter 
would  find  me  ;  for  I  had  begun  to  feel  a  sincere  affection 
for  her,  though  it  might  not  have  amounted  to  passion, 
and  looked  forward  to  being  reunited  when  her  wounded 
feelings  had  time  to  regain  their  tranquillity.  The  obliga- 
tions of  wedlock  are  too  serious  to  be  lightly  thrown  aside, 
and  I  felt  persuaded  that  neither  of  us  would  be  satisfied 
in  the  end  without  discharging  the  duties  of  the  state  into 
which  we  had  entered." 

"  And  why  did  you  not  hasten  to  your  poor  wife,  Cousin 
Jack,"  Eve  innocently  demanded,  '*as  soon  as  you  re- 
turned to  the  settlements  ?  " 

"  Alas  !  my  dear  girl,  I  found  letters  at  St.  Louis  an- 
nouncing her  death.  Nothing  was  said  of  any  child,  nor 
did  I  in  the  least  suspect  that  I  was  about  to  become  a 
father.  When  Mildred  died,  I  thought  all  the  ties,  all  the 
obligations,  all  the  traces  of  my  ill-judged  marriage  were 
extinct  ;  and  the  course  taken  by  her  relations,  of  whom, 
in  this  country,  there  remained  very  few,  left  me  no  in- 
clination to  proclaim  it.  By  observing  silence,  I  continued 
to  pass  as  a  bachelor,  of  course  ;  though  had  there  been 
any  apparent  reason  for  avowing  what  had  occurred,  I 
think  no  one  who  knows  me  can  suppose  I  would  have 
shrunk  from  doing  so." 

"  May  I  inquire,  my  dear  sir,"  Paul  asked,  with  a  timidity 
of  manner  that  betrayed  how  tenderly  he  felt  it  necessary 
to  touch  on  the  subject  at  all — "may  I  inquire,  my  dear 
sir,  what  course  was  taken  by  my  mother's  relatives  ?  " 

"  I  never  knew  Mr.  Warrender,  my  wife's  brother,  but 
he  had  the  reputation  of  being  a  haughty  and  exacting 
man.  His  letters  were  not  friendly  ;  scarcely  tolerable  ; 
for  he  affected  to  believe  I  had  given  a  false  address  at  the 
West,  when  I  was  residing  in  the  Middle  States,  and  he 
threw  out  hints  that  to  me  were  then  inexplicable,  but 
which  the  letters  left  with  me  by  Paul  have  sufficiently 
explained.  I  thought  him  cruel  and  unfeeling  at  the 
time,  but  he  had  an  excuse  for  his  conduct." 

"Which  was,  sir ?"  Paul  eagerly  inquired. 

"  I  perceive  by  the  letters  you  have  given  me,  my  son, 
that  your  mother's  family  had  imbibed  the  opinion  that  I 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  377 

was  John  Assheton,  of  Lancaster,  a  man  of  singular  hu- 
mors, who  had  made  an  unfortunate  marriage  in  Spain, 
and  whose  wife,  I  believe,  is  still  living  in  Paris,  though 
lost  to  herself  and  her  friends.  My  kinsman  lived  retired, 
and  never  recovered  the  blow.  As  he  was  one  of  the  only 
persons  of  the  name  who  could  have  married  your  mother, 
her  relatives  appear  to  have  taken  up  the  idea  that  he  had 
been  guilty  of  bigamy,  and,  of  course,  that  Paul  was  ille- 
gitimate. Mr.  Warrender,  by  his  letters,  appears  even  to 
have  had  an  interview  with  this  person,  and,  on  mention- 
ing his  wife,  was  rudely  repulsed  from  the  house.  It  was 
a  proud  family,  and  Mildred  being  dead,  the  concealment 
of  the  birth  of  her  child  was  resorted  to,  as  a  means  of 
averting  a  fancied  disgrace.  As  for  myself,  I  call  the  all- 
seeing  eye  of  God  to  witness,  that  the  thought  of  my  being 
a  parent  never  crossed  my  mind  until  I  learned  that  a 
John  Assheton  was  the  father  of  Paul,  and  that  the  minia- 
ture of  Mildred  Warrender,  that  I  received  at  the  period 
of  our  engagement,  was  the  likeness  of  his  mother.  The 
simple  declaration  of  Captain  Ducie  concerning  the  family 
name  of  his  mother  removed  all  doubt." 

"  But,  Cousin  Jack,  did  not  the  mention  of  Lady  Dun- 
luce,  of  the  Ducies,  and  of  Paul's  connections,  excite  curi- 
osity ? " 

"  Concerning  what,  dear  ?  I  could  have  no  curiosity 
about  a  child  of  whose  existence  I  was  ignorant.  I  did 
know  that  the  Warrenders  had  pretensions  to  both  rank 
and  fortune  in  England,  but  never  heard  the  title,  and  cared 
nothing  about  money  that  would  not,  probably,  be  Mil- 
dred's. Of  General  Ducie  I  never  even  heard,  as  he  mar- 
ried after  my  separation  ;  and  subsequently  to  the  receipt 
of  my  brother-in-law's  letters,  I  wished  to  forget  the  exist- 
ence of  the  family.  I  went  to  Europe,  and  remained 
abroad  seven  years,  and  as  this  was  at  a  time  when  the 
continent  was  closed  against  the  English,  I  was  not  in  a 
way  to  hear  anything  on  the  subject.  On  my  return,  my 
wife's  aunt  was  dead  ;  the  last  of  my  wife's  brothers  was 
dead  ;  her  sister  must  then  have  been  Mrs.  Ducie  ;  no  one 
mentioned  the  Warrenders,  all  traces  of  whom  were  nearly 
lost  in  this  country,  and  to  me  the  subject  was  too  painful 
to  be  either  sought  or  dwelt  on.  It  is  a  curious  fact,  that, 
in  1829,  during  our  late  visit  to  the  old  world,  I  ascended 


378  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

the  Nile  with  General  Ducie  for  a  travelling  companion. 
We  met  at  Alexandria,  and  went  to  the  cataracts  and  re- 
turned in  company.  He  knew  me  as  John  Effingham,  an 
American  traveller  of  fortune,  if  of  no  particular  merit, 
and  I  knew  him  as  an  agreeable  English  general  officer. 
He  had  the  reserve  of  an  Englishman  of  rank,  and  seldom 
spoke  of  his  family,  and  it  was  only  on  our  return  that  I 
found  he  had  letters  from  his  wife,  Lady  Dunluce  ;  but 
little  did  I  dream  that  Lady  Dunluce  was  Mabel  Warren- 
der.  How  often  are  we  on  the  very  verge  of  important  in- 
formation, and  yet  live  on  in  ignorance  and  obscurity  ! 
The  Ducies  appear  finally  to  have  arrived  at  the  opinion 
that  the  marriage  was  legal,  and  that  no  reproach  rests  on 
the  birth  of  Paul,  by  the  inquiries  made  concerning  the 
eccentric  John  Assheton." 

"  They  fancied,  in  common  with  my  uncle  Warrender,  for 
a  long  time  that  the  John  Assheton  whom  you  have  men- 
tioned, sir,"  said  Paul,  "was  my  father.  But  some  acci- 
dental information,  at  a  late  day,  convinced  them  of  their 
error,  and  then  they  naturally  enough  supposed  that  it  was 
the  only  other  John  Assheton  that  could  be  heard  of,  who 
passes,  and  probably  with  sufficient  reason,  for  a  bachelor. 
This  latter  gentleman  I  have  myself  always  supposed  to  be 
my  father,  though  he  has  treated  two  or  three  letters  I  have 
written  to  him  with  the  indifference  with  which  one  would 
be  apt  to  treat  the  pretensions  of  an  impostor.  Pride  has 
prevented  me  from  attempting  to  renew  the  correspondence 
lately." 

"  It  is  John  Assheton,  of  Bristol,  my  mother's  brother's 
son,  as  inveterate  a  bachelor  as  is  to  be  found  in  the 
Union  !  "  said  John  Effingham,  smiling  in  spite  of  the  grave 
subject  and  deep  emotions  that  had  so  lately  been  upper- 
most in  his  thoughts.  "  He  must  have  supposed  your  let- 
ters were  an  attempt  at  mystification  on  the  part  of  some 
of  his  jocular  associates,  and  I  am  surprised  that  he  thought 
it  necessary  to  answer  them  at  all." 

"  He  did  answer  but  one,  and  that  reply  certainly  had 
something  of  the  character  you  suggest,  sir.  I  freely  for- 
give him,  now  I  understand  the  truth,  though  his  apparent 
contempt  gave  me  many  a  bitter  pang  at  the  time.  I  saw 
Mr.  Assheton  once  in  public,  and  observed  him  well,  for, 
strange  as  it  is,  I  have  been  thought  to  resemble  him." 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  379 

"  Why  strange  ?  Jack  Assheton  and  myself  have,  or 
rather  had,  a  strong  family  likeness  to  each  other,  and, 
though  the  thought  is  new  to  me,  I  can  now  easily  trace 
this  resemblance  to  myself.  It  is  rather  an  Assheton  than 
an  Effingham  look,  though  the  latter  is  not  wanting." 

"  These  explanations  are  very  clear  and  satisfactory," 
observed  Mr.  Effingham,  "and  leave  little  doubt  that  Paul 
is  the  child  of  John  Effingham  and  Mildred  Warrender ; 
but  they  would  be  beyond  all  cavil,  were  the  infancy  of 
the  boy  placed  in  an  equally  plain  point  of  view,  and 
could  the  reasons  be  known  why  the  Warrenders  aban- 
doned him  to  the  care  of  those  who  yielded  him  up  to 
Mr.  Powis." 

"  I  see  but  little  obscurity  in  that,"  returned  John  Effing- 
ham. "  Paul  is  unquestionably  the  child  referred  to  in  the 
papers  left  by  poor  Monday,  tb  the  care  of  whose  mother 
he  was  intrusted,  until,  in  his  fourth  year,  she  yielded  him 
to  Mr.  Powis,  to  get  rid  of  trouble  and  expense,  while  she 
kept  the  annuity  granted  by  Lady  Dunluce.  The  names 
appear  in  the  concluding  letters  ;  and  had  we  read  the  lat- 
ter through  at  first,  we  should  earlier  have  arrived  at  the 
same  conclusion.  Could  we  find  the  man  called  Dowse, 
who  appears  to  have  instigated  the  fraud,  and  who  married 
Mrs.  Monday,  the  whole  thing  would  be  explained." 

"  Of  this  I  am  aware,"  said  Paul,  for  he  and  John  Effing- 
ham had  perused  the  remainder  of  the  Monday  papers 
together,  after  the  fainting  fit  of  the  latter,  as  soon  as  his 
strength  would  admit ;  "  and  Captain  Truck  is  now  search 
ing  for  an  old  passenger  of  his,  who  I  think  will  furnish 
the  clue.  Should  we  get  this  evidence,  it  would  settle  all 
legal  questions." 

"  Such  questions  will  never  be  raised,"  said  John  Effing- 
ham, holding  out  his  hand  affectionately  to  his  son  ;  "  you 
possess  the  marriage  certificate  given  to  your  mother,  and 
I  avow  myself  to  have  been  the  person  therein  styled  John 
Assheton.  This  fact  I  have  endorsed  on  the  back  of  the 
certificate  ;  while  here  is  another  given  to  me  in  my  proper 
name,  with  the  endorsement  made  by  the  clergyman  that 
I  passed  by  another  name  at  the  ceremony." 

u  Such  a  man,  Cousin  Jack,  was  unworthy  of  his  cloth  !  " 
said  Eve  with  energy. 

"  I  do  not  think  so,  my  child.     He  was  innocent  of  the 


380  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

original  deception  ;  this  certificate  was  given  after  the  death 
of  my  wife,  and  might  do  good,  whereas  it  could  do  no 
harm.  The  clergyman  in  question  is  now  a  bishop,  and  is 
still  living.  He  may  give  evidence,  if  necessary,  to  the 
legality  of  the  marriage." 

"And  the  clergyman  by  whom  I  was  baptized  is  also 
alive,"  cried  Paul,  "and  has  never  lost  sight  of  me.  He 
was,  in  part,  in  the  confidence  of  my  mother's  family,  and 
even  after  I  was  adopted  by  Mr.  Powis  he  kept  me  in  view 
as  one  of  his  little  Christians,  as  he  termed  me.  It  was  no 
less  a  person  than  Dr. ." 

"  This  alone  would  make  out  the  connection  and  iden- 
tity," said  Mr.  Effmgham,  "  without  the  aid  of  the  Monday 
witnesses.  The  whole  obscurity  has  arisen  from  John's 
change  of  name,  and  his  ignorance  of  the  fact  that  his  wife 
had  a  child.  The  Ducies  appear  to  have  had  plausible 
reasons,  too,  for  distrusting  the  legality  of  the  marriage  ; 
but  all  is  now  clear,  and  as  a  large  estate  is  concerned,  we 
will  take  care  that  no  further  obscurity  shall  rest  over  the 
affair." 

"The  part  connected  with  the  estate  is  already  secured," 
said  John  Effingham,  looking  at  Eve  with  a  smile.  "  An 
American  can  always  make  a  will,  and  one  that  contains 
but  a  single  bequest  is  soon  written.  Mine  is  executed, 
and  Paul  Effingham,  my  son  by  my  marriage  with  Mildred 
Warrender,  and  lately  known  in  the  United  States  Navy 
as  Paul  Powis,  is  duly  declared  my  heir.  This  will  suffice 
for  all  legal  purposes,  though  we  shall  have  large  draughts 
of  gossip  to  swallow." 

"  Cousin  Jack  ! " 

"  Daughter  Eve  !  " 

"  Who  has  given  cause  for  it  ?  " 

"  He  who  commenced  one  of  the  most  sacred  of  his 
earthly  duties  with  an  unjustifiable  deception.  The  wisest 
way  to  meet  it  will  be  to  make  our  avowals  of  the  relation- 
ship as  open  as  possible." 

"  I  see  no  necessity,  John,  of  entering  into  details,"  said 
Mr.  Effingham  ;  "you  were  married  young,  and  lost  your 
wife  within  a  year  of  your  marriage.  She  was  a  Miss  War- 
render,  and  the  sister  of  Lady  Dunluce  ;  Paul  and  Ducie 
are  declared  cousins,  and  the  former  proves  to  be  your  son, 
of  whose  existence  you  were  ignorant.  No  one  will  pre- 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  381 

same  to  question  any  of  us,  and  it  really  strikes  me  that 
all  rational  people  ought  to  be  satisfied  with  this  simple 
account  of  the  matter." 

"  Father  !  "  exclaimed  Eve,  with  her  pretty  little  hands 
raised  in  the  attitude  of  surprise,  "  in  what  capital  even, 
in  what  part  of  the  world,  would  such  a  naked  account  ap- 
pease curiosity  ?  Much  less  will  it  suffice  here,  where 
every  human  being,  gentle  or  simple,  learned  or  ignorant, 
refined  or  vulgar,  fancies  himself  a  constitutional  judge  of 
all  the  acts  of  all  his  fellow-creatures  !  " 

"  We  have  at  least  the  consolation  of  knowing  that  no 
revelations  will  make  the  matter  any  worse  or  any  better," 
said  Paul,  "  as  the  gossips  would  tell  their  own  tale,  in 
every  case,  though  its  falsehood  were  as  apparent  as  the 
noon-day  sun.  A  gossip  is  essentially  a  liar,  and  truth  is 
the  last  ingredient  that  is  deemed  necessary  to  his  other 
qualifications ;  indeed,  a  well-authenticated  fact  is  a  death- 
blow to  a  gossip.  I  hope,  my  dear  sir,  you  will  say  no 
more  than  that  I  am  your  son,  a  circumstance  much  too 
precious  to  me  to  be  omitted." 

John  Effingham  looked  affectionately  at  the  noble  young 
man,  whom  he  had  so  long  esteemed  and  admired  ;  and 
the  tears  forced  themselves  to  his  eyes  as  he  felt  the  su- 
preme happiness  that  can  alone  gladden  a  parent's  heart. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

"  For  my  part,  I  care  not ;  I  say  little  ;  but  when  the  time  comes,  there 
shall  be  smiles." — NYM. 

ALTHOUGH  Paul  Effingham  was  right,  and  Eve  Effingham 
was  also  right,  in  their  opinions  of  the  art  of  gossiping, 
they  both  forgot  one  qualifying  circumstance,  that,  arising 
from  different  causes,  produces  the  same  effect  equally  in 
a  capital  and  in  a  province.  In  the  first,  marvels  form  a 
nine  days'  wonder  from  the  hurry  of  events  ;  in  the  latter, 
from  the  hurry  of  talking.  When  it  was  announced  in 
Templeton  that  Mr.  John  Effingham  had  discovered  a  son 
in  Mr.  Powis,  as  that  son  had  conjectured,  everything  but 


382  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

the  truth  was  rumored  and  believed  in  connection  with  the 
circumstance.  Of  course  it  excited  a  good  deal  of  natural 
and  justifiable  curiosity  and  surprise  in  the  trained  and  in- 
telligent, for  John  Effingham  had  passed  for  a  confirmed 
bachelor  ;  but  they  were  generally  content  to  sun0 er  a  fam- 
ily to  have  feelings  and  incidents  that  were  not  to  be  pa- 
raded before  a  neighborhood.  Having  some  notions  them- 
selves of  the  delicacy  and  sanctity  of  the  domestic  affections, 
they  were  willing  to  respect  the  same  sentiments  in  others. 
But  these  few  excepted,  the  village  was  in  a  tumult  of  sur- 
mises, reports,  contradictions,  confirmations,  rebutters, 
and  sur- rebutters,  for  a  fortnight.  Several  village  elegants, 
whose  notions  of  life  were  obtained  in  the  valley  in  which 
they  were  born,  and  who  had  turned  up  their  noses  at  the 
quiet,  reserved,  gentlemanlike  Paul,  because  he  did  not 
happen  to  suit  their  tastes,  were  disposed  to  resent  his 
claim  to  be  his  father's  son,  as  if  it  were  an  injustice  done 
to  their  rights  ;  such  commentators  on  men  and  things 
uniformly  bringing  everything  down  to  the  standard  of 
self.  Then  the  approaching  marriages  at  the  Wigwam  had 
to  run  the  gauntlet,  not  only  of  village  and  county  criti- 
cisms, but  that  of  the  mighty  Emporium  itself,  as  it  is  the 
fashion  to  call  the  confused  and  tasteless  collection  of  flar- 
ing red  brick  houses,  :marten-box  churches,  and  colossal 
taverns,  that  stands  on  the  island  of  Manhattan  ;  the  dis- 
cussion of  marriages  being  a  topic  of  never-ending  interest 
in  that  well-regulated  social  organization,  after  the  sub- 
jects of  dollars,  lots,  and  wines,  have  been  duly  exhausted. 
Sir  George  Templemore  was  transformed  into  the  Honor- 
able Lord  George  Templemore,  and  Paul's  relationship  to 
Lady  Dunluce  was  converted,  as  usual,  into  his  being  the 
heir-apparent  of  a  duchy  of  that  name  ;  Eve's  preference 
for  a  nobleman,  as  a  matter  of  course,  to  the  aristocratical 
tastes  imbibed  during  a  residence  in  foreign  countries ; 
Eve,  the  intellectual,  feminine,  instructed  Eve,  whose  Eu- 
ropean associations,  while  they  had  taught  her  to  prize  the 
refinement,  grace,  retenue,  and  tone  of  an  advanced  condi- 
tion of  society,  had  also  taught  her  to  despise  .its  mere 
covering  and  glitter  !  But  as  there  is  no  protection  against 
falsehood,  so  is  there  no  reasoning  with  ignorance. 

A  sacred  few,  at  the  head  of  whom  were  Mr.  Steadfast 
Dodge  and  Mrs.  Widow-Bewitched  Abbott,  treated  the  mat- 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  383 

ter  as  one  of  greater  gravity,  and  as  possessing  an  engross- 
ing interest  for  the  entire  community. 

"  For  my  part,  Mr.  Dodge,"  said  Mrs.  Abbott,  in  one  of 
their  frequent  conferences,  about  a  fortnight  after  the 
c'claircisscment  of  the  last  chapter,  "  I  do  not  believe  that 
Paul  Powis  is  Paul  Effingham  at  all.  You  say  that  you 
knew  him  by  the  name  of  Blunt,  when  he  was  a  younger 


man 


"  Certainly,  ma'am.  He  passed  universally  by  that  name 
formerly,  and  it  may  be  considered  as  at  least  extraordin- 
ary that  he  should  have  had  so  many  aliases.  The  truth 
of  the  matter  is,  Mrs.  Abbott,  if  truth  could  be  come  at, 
which  I  always  contend  is  very  difficult  in  the  present 
state  of  the  world " 

"  You  never  said  a  juster  thing,  Mr.  Dodge  ! "  inter- 
rupted the  lady,  feelings  impetuous  as  her's  seldom  wait- 
ing for  the^  completion  of  a  sentence,  "I  never  can  get 
hold  of  the  truth  of  anything  now  ;  you  may  remember 
you  insinuated  that  Mr.  John  Effingham  himself  was  to  be 
married  to  Eve,  and,  lo  and  behold  !  it  turns  out  to  be  his 
son  ! " 

"  The  lady  may  have  changed  her  mind,  Mrs.  Abbott ; 
she  gets  the  same  estate  with  a  younger  man." 

"  She's  monstrous  disagreeable,  and  I'm  sure  it  will  be  a 
relief  to  the  whole  village  when  she  is  married,  let  it  be  to 
the  father  or  to  the  son.  Now,  do  you  know,  Mr.  Dodge, 
I  have  been  in  a  desperate  taking  about  one  thing,  and 
that  is  to  find  that,  bony  fie-dy,  the  two  old  Effinghams  are 
not  actually  brothers  !  I  knew  that  they  called  each  other 
Cousin  Jack  and  Cousin  Ned,  and  that  Eve  affected  to  call 
her  uncle  Cousin  Jack,  but  then  she  has  so  many  affecta- 
tions, and  the  old  people  are  so  foreign,  that  I  looked 
upon  all  that  as  mere  pretence  ;  I  said  to  myself  a  neigh- 
borhood ought  to  know  better  about  a  man's  family  than 
he  can  know  himself,  and  the  neighborhood  all  declared 
they  were  brothers  ;  and  yet  it  turns  out,  after  all,  that 
they  are  only  cousins  !  " 

"  Yes,  I  do  believe  that,  for  once,  the  family  was  right 
iu  that  matter,  and  the  public  mistaken." 

"Well,  I  should  like  to  know  who  has  a  better  right  to 
be  mistaken  than  the  public,  Mr.  Dodge.  This  is  a  free 
country,  and  if  the  people  can't  sometimes  be  wrong,  what 


384  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

is  the  mighty  use  of  their  freedom  ?  We  are  all  sinful 
wretches,  at  the  best,  and  it  is  vain  to  look  for  anything 
but  vice  from  sinners." 

"  Nay,  my  dear  Mrs.  Abbott,  you  are  too  hard  on  your- 
self, for  everybody  allows  that  you  are  as  exemplary  as 
you  are  devoted  to  your  religious  duties." 

"  Oh  !  I  was  not  speaking  particularly  of  myself,  sir  ;  I 
am  no  egotist  in  such  things,  and  wish  to  leave  my  own 
imperfections  to  the  charity  of  my  friends  and  neighbors. 
But,  do  you  think,  Mr.  Dodge,  that  a  marriage  between 
Paul  Effingham,  for  so  I  suppose  he  must  be  called,  and 
Eve  Effingham,  will  be  legal  ?  Can't  it  be  set  aside,  and 
if  that  should  be  the  case,  wouldn't  the  fortune  go  to  the 
public  ?" 

"  It  ought  to  be  so,  my  dear  ma'am,  and  I  trust  the  day 
is  not  distant  when  it  will  be  so.  The  people  are  begin- 
ning to  understand  their  rights,  and  another  century  will 
not  pass  before  they  will  enforce  them  by  the  necessary 
penal  statutes.  We  have  got  matters  so  now,  that  a  man 
can  no.  longer  indulge  in  the  aristocratic  and  selfish  desire 
to  make  a  will,  and,  take  my  word  for  it,  we  shall  not  stop 
until  we  bring  everything  to  the  proper  standard." 

The  reader  is  not  to  suppose  from  his  language  that  Mr. 
Dodge  was  an  agrarian,  or  that  he  looked  forward  to  a 
division  of  property  at  some  future  day  ;  for,  possessing 
in  his  own  person  already  more  than  what  could  possibly 
fall  to  an  individual  share,  he  had  not  the  smallest  desire 
to  lessen  its  amount  by  a  general  division.  In  point  of 
fact  he  did  not  know  his  own  meaning,  except  as  he  felt 
envy  of  all  above  him,  in  which,  in  truth,  was  to  be  found 
the  whole  secret  of  his  principles,  his  impulses,  and  his 
doctrines.  Anything  that  would  pull  down  those  whom 
education,  habits,  fortune,  or  tastes,  had  placed  in  posi- 
tions more  conspicuous  than  his  own,  was,  in  his  eyes, 
reasonable  and  just — as  anything  that  would  serve  him,  in 
person,  the  same  ill  turn,  would  have  been  tyranny  and 
oppression.  The  institutions  of  America,  like  everything 
human,  have  their  bad  as  well  as  their  good  side  ;  and 
while  we  firmly  believe  in  the  relative  superiority  of  the 
latter,  as  compared  with  other  systems,  we  should  fail  of 
accomplishing  the  end  set  before  us  in  this  work,  did  we 
not  exhibit,  in  strong  colors,  one  of  the  most  prominent 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  385 

consequences  that  has  attended  the  entire  destruction  of 
factitious  personal  distinctions  in  the  country,  which  has 
certainly  aided  in  bringing  out  in  bolder  relief  than  com- 
mon, the  prevalent  disposition  in  man  to  covet  that  which 
is  the  possession  of  another,  and  to  decry  merits  that  are 
unattainable. 

"Well,  I  rejoice  to  hear  this,"  returned  Mrs.  Abbott, 
whose  principles  were  of  the  same  loose  school  as  those  of 
her  companion,  "for  I  think  no  one  should  have  rights 
but  those  who  have  experienced  religion,  if  you  would 
keep  vital  religion  in  a  country.  There  goes  that  old  sea- 
lion,  Truck,  and  his  fishing  associate,  the  commodore,  with 
their  lines  and  poles,  as  usual,  Mr.  Dodge  ;  I  beg  you  will 
call  to  them,  for  I  long  to  hear  what  the  first  can  have  to 
say  about  his  beloved  Effinghams,  now." 

Mr.  Dodge  complied,  and  the  navigator  of  the  ocean 
and  the  navigator  of  the  lake  were  soon  seated  in  Mrs. 
Abbott's  little  parlor,  which  might  be  styled  the  focus  of 
gossip,  near  those  who  were  so  lately  its  sole  occupants. 

"  This  is  wonderful  news,  gentlemen,"  commenced  Mrs. 
Abbott,  as  soon  as  the  bustle  of  the  entrance  had  subsided. 
"  Mr.  Powis  is  Mr.  Effingham,  and  it  seems  that  Miss  Ef- 
fingham  is  to  become  Mrs.  Effingham.  Miracles  will 
never  cease,  and  I  look  upon  this  as  one  of  the  most  sur- 
prising of  my  time." 

"Just  so,  ma'am, "said  the  commodore,  winking  his  eye, 
and  giving  the  usual  flourish  with  a  hand;  "  your  time 
has  not  been  that  of  a  day  neither,  and  Mr.  Powis  has  rea- 
son to  rejoice  that  he  is  the  hero  of  such  a  history.  For 
my  part,  I  could  not  have  been  more  astonished  were  I  to 
bring  up  the  sogdollager  with  a  trout-hook,  having  a 
cheese-paring  for  the  bait." 

"I  understand,"  continued  the  lady,  "that  there  are 
doubts  after  all,  whether  this  miracle  be  really  a  true  mira- 
cle. It  is  hinted  that  Mr.  Powis  is  neither  Mr.  Effingham 
nor  Mr.  Powis,  but  that  he  is  actually  a  Mr.  Blunt.  Do  you 
happen  to  know  anything  of  the  matter.  Captain  Truck  ?" 

"  I  have  been  introduced  to  him,  ma'am,  by  all  three 
names,  and  I  consider  him  an  acquaintance  in  each  char- 
acter. I  can  assure  you,  moreover,  that  he  is  A  No.  i,  on 
whichever  tack  you  take  him  ;  a  man  who  carries  a  weather 
helm  in  the  midst  of  his  enemies." 
26 


386  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  Well,  I  do  not  consider  it  a  very  great  recommendation 
for  one  to  have  enemies,  at  all.  Now,  I  dare  say,  Mr. 
Dodge,  you  have  not  an  enemy  on  earth  ? " 

"  I  should  be  sorry  to  think  that  I  had,  Mrs.  Abbott.  I 
am  every  man's  friend,  particularly  the  poor  man's  friend, 
and  I  should  suppose  that  every  man  ought  to  be  my  friend. 
I  hold  the  whole  human  family  to  be  brethren,  and  that 
they  ought  to  live  together  as  such." 

"  Very  true,  sir ;  quite  true — we  are  all  sinners,  and 
ought  to  look  favorably  on  each  other's  failings.  It  is  no 
business  of  mine — I  say  it  is  no  business  of  ours,  Mr. 
Dotfge,  who  Miss  Eve  Effingham  marries  ;  but  were  she 
my  daughter,  I  do  think  I  should  not  like  her  to  have 
three  family  names,  and  to  keep  her  own  in  the  bargain ! " 

"  The  Effinghams  hold  their  heads  very  much  up, 
though  it  is  not  easy  to  see  why ;  but  so  they  do,  and 
the  more  names  the  better,  perhaps,  for  such  people,"  re- 
turned the  editor.  "  For  my  part,  I  treat  them  with  con- 
descension, just  as  I  do  everybody  else  ;  for  it  is  a  rule 
with  me,  Captain  Truck,  to  make  use  of  the  same  deport- 
ment to  a  king  on  his  throne  as  I  would  to  a  beggar  in 
the  street." 

"  Merely  to  show  that  you  do  not  feel  yourself  to  be 
above  your  betters.  We  have  many  such  philosophers  in 
this  country." 

"  Just  so,"  said  the  commodore. 

"I  wish  I  knew,"  resumed  Mrs.  Abbott;  for  there  ex- 
isted in  her  head,  as  well  as  in  that  of  Mr.  Dodge,  ouch  a 
total  confusion  on  the  subject  of  deportment,  that  neither 
saw  nor  felt  the  cool  sarcasm  of  the  old  sailor  ;  •'  I  wish  I 
knew,  now,  whether  Eve  Effingham  has  really  been  regen- 
erated !  What  is  your  opinion,  commodore  ? " 

"  Re-what,  ma'am,"  said  the  commodore,  who  was  not 
conscious  of  ever  having  heard  the  word  before  ;  for,  in 
his  Sabbaths  on  the  water,  where  he  often  worshipped 
God  devoutly  in  his  heart,  the  language  of  the  professedly 
pious  was  never  heard  ;  "  I  can  only  say  she  is  as  pretty  a 
skiff  as  floats,  but  I  can  tell  you  nothing  about  resuscita- 
tion— indeed,  I  never  heard  of  her  having  been  drowned." 

"  Ah,  Mrs.  Abbott,  the  very  best  friends  of  the  Effing- 
hams  will  not  maintain  that  they  are  pious.  I  do  not  wish 
to  be  invidious,  or  to  say  unneighborly  things  ;  but  were 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  387 

I  upon  oath,  I  could  testify  to  a  great  many  things,  which 
would  unqualifiedly  show  that  none  of  them  have  ever  ex- 
perienced." 

"  Now,  Mr.  Dodge,  you  know  how  much  I  dislike 
scandal,"  the  widow-bewitched  cried,  affectedly,  "  and  I 
cannot  tolerate  such  a  sweeping  charge.  I  insist  on  the 
proofs  of  what  you  say,  in  which,  no  doubt,  these  gentle- 
men will  join  me." 

By  proofs,  Mrs.  Abbott  meant  allegations. 

"  Well,  ma'am,  since  you  insist  on  my  proving  what  I 
have  said,  you  shall  not  be  disappointed.  In  the  first 
place,  then,  they  read  their  family  prayers  out  of  a  book.'' 

"  Aye,  aye,"  put  in  the  captain  ;  "  but  that  merely  shows 
they  have  some*education  ;  it  is  done  everywhere." 

"  Your  pardon,  sir  ;  no  people  but  the  Catholics  and  the 
church  people  commit  this  impiety.  The  idea  of  reading 
to  the  Deity,  Mrs.  Abbott,  is  particularly  shocking  to  a 
pious  soul." 

"  As  if  the  Lord  stood  in  need  of  letters  !  That  is  very 
bad,  I  allow  ;  for  at  family  prayers  a  form  becomes  mock- 
ery." 

"  Yes,  ma'am  ;  but  what  do  you  think  of  cards  ?  " 

"Cards!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Abbott,  holding  up  her 
pious  hands  in  holy  horror. 

"  Even  so  ;  foul  pasteboard,  marked  with  kings  and 
queens,"  said  the  captain.  "  Why,  this  is  worse  than  a 
common  sin,  being  unqualifiedly  anti-republican." 

"  I  confess  I  did  not  expect  this  !  I  had  heard  that  Eve 
Effingham  was  guilty  of  indiscretions,  but  I  did  not  think 
she  was  so  lost  to  virtue  as  to  touch  a  card.  Oh  !  Eve 
Effingham,  Eve  Effingham,  for  what  is- your  poor  diseased 
soul  destined  ! " 

"She  dances,  too,  I  suppose  you  know  that,"  continued 
Mr.  Dodge,  who,  finding  his  popularity  a  little  on  the 
wane,  had  joined  the  meeting  himself,  a  few  weeks  before, 
and  who  did  not  fail  to  manifest  the  zeai  of  a  new  convert. 

"  Dances  !  "  repeated  Mrs.  Abbott,  in  noly  horror. 

"  Real  fi  diddle  de  di !  "  echoed  Captain  Truck. 

"Just  so,"  put  in  the  commodore  ;  k- 1  have  seen  it  with 
my  own  eyes.  But,  Mrs.  Abbott,  I  feel  bound  to  tell  you 
that  your  own  daughter — 

"  Biansy-Alzumy-Anne ! "  exclaimed  the  mother,  in  alarm. 


388  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"Just  so;  my-aurity-all-suit-me-Anne,  if  that  is  hei 
name.  Do  you  know,  ma'am,  that  I  have  seen  your  own 
blessed  daughter,  my-aunty-Anne,  do  a  worse  thing  even 
than  dancing  ? " 

"  Commodore,  you  are  awful  !  What  could  a  child  of 
mine  do  that  is  worse  than  dancing? " 

"Why,  ma'am,  if  you  will  hear  all,  it  is  my  duty  to  tell 
you.  I  saw  aunty-Anne  (the  commodore  was  really  igno- 
rant of  the  girl's  name)  jump  a  skipping-rope  yesterday 
morning,  between  the  hours  of  seven  and  eight.  As  I 
hope  ever  to  see  the  sogdollager  again,  ma'am,  I  did  !  " 

**  And  do  you  call  this  as  bad  as  dancing  ? " 

u  Much  worse,  ma'am,  to  my  notion.  It  is  jumping 
about  without  music,  and  without  any  grace,  either,  par- 
ticularly as  it  was  performed  by  my-aunty-Anne." 

"You  are  given  to  light  jokes.  Jumping  the  skipping- 
rope  is  not  forbidden  in  the  Bible." 

"  Just  so  ;  nor  is  dancing,  if  I  know  anything  about  it ; 
nor,  for  that  matter,  cards." 

"  But  waste  of  time  is  ;  a  sinful  waste  of  time  ;  and  evil 
passions,  and  all  unrighteousness." 

"  Just  so.  My-aunty-Anne  was  going  to  the  pump  for 
water — I  dare  say  you  sent  her — and  she  was  misspending 
her  time  ;  and  as  for  evil  passions,  she  did  not  enjoy  the 
hop  until  she  and  your  neighbor's  daughter  had  pulled  each 
other's  hair  for  the  rope,  as  if  they  had  been  two  she-dragons. 
Take  my  word  for  it,  ma'am,  it  wanted  for  nothing  to  make 
it  sin  of  the  purest  water,  but  a  cracked  fiddle." 

While  the  commodore  was  holding  Mrs.  Abbott  at  bay 
in  this  manner,  Captain  Truck,  who  had  given  him  a  wink 
to  that  effect,  was  employed  in  playing  off  a  practical  joke 
at  the  expense  of  the  widow.  It  was  one  of  the  standing 
amusements  of  these  worthies,  who  had  got  to  be  sworn 
friends  and  constant  associates,  after  they  had  caught  as 
many  fish  as  they  wished,-  to  retire  to  the  favorite  spring, 
light,  the  one  his  cigar,  the  other  his  pipe,  mix  their  grog, 
and  then  relieve  their  ennui,  when  tired  of  discussing  men 
and  things,  by  playing  cards  on  a  particular  stump.  Now, 
it  happened  that  the  captain  had  the  identical  pack  which 
had  been  used  on  all  such  occasions  in  his  pocket,  as  was 
evident  in  the  fact  that  the  cards  were  nearly  as  distinctly 
marked  on  their  backs  as  on  their  faces.  These  cards  he 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  389 

showed  secretly  to  his  companion,  and  when  the  attention 
of  Mrs.  Abbott  was  altogether  engaged  in  expecting  the 
terrible  announcement  of  her  daughter's  errors,  the  captain 
slipped  them,  kings,  queens,  and  knaves,  high,  low.  jack, 
and  the  game,  without  regard  to  rank,  into  the  lady's  work- 
basket.  As  soon  as  this  feat  was  successfully  performed, 
a  sign  was  given  to  the  commodore  that  the  conspiracy  was 
effected,  and  that  disputant  in  theology  gradually  began  to 
give  ground,  while  he  continued  to  maintain  that  jumping 
the  rope  was  a  sin,  though  it  might  be  one  of  a  nominal 
class.  There  is  little  doubt,  had  he  possessed  a  smattering 
of  phrases,  a  greater  command  of  biblical  learning,  and 
more  zeal,  that  the  fisherman  might  have  established  a  new 
shade  of  the  Christian  faith  ;  for,  while  mankind  still  per- 
severe in  disregarding  the  plainest  mandates  of  God,  as 
respects  humility,  the  charities,  and  obedience,  nothing 
seems  to  afford  them  more  delight  than  to  add  to  the  cata- 
logue of  the  offences  against  his  divine  supremacy.  It  was 
perhaps  lucky  for  the  commodore,  who  was  capital  at  cast- 
ing a  pickerel  line,  but  who  usually  settled  his  polemics 
with  the  fist  when  hard  pushed,  that  Captain  Truck  found 
leisure  to  come  to  the  rescue. 

"  I'm  amazed,  ma'am,"  said  the  honest  packet-master, 
"  that  a  woman  of  your  sanctity  should  deny  that  jumping 
the  rope  is  a  sin,  for  I  hold  that  point  to  have  been  settled 
by  all  our  people,  these  fifty  years.  You  will  admit  that 
the  rope  cannot  be  well  jumped  without  levity." 

"Levity,  Captain  Truck!  I  hope  you  do  not  insinuate 
that  a  daughter  of  mine  discovers  levity  ?" 

" Certainly,  ma'am;  she  is  called  the  best  rope-jumper 
in  the  village,  I  hear  ;  and  levity,  or  lightness  of  carriage, 
is  the  great  requisite  for  skill  in  the  art.  Then  there  are 
*  vain  repetitions  '  in  doing  the  same  thing  over  and  over  so 
often,  and  'vain  repetitions'  are  forbidden  even  in  our 
prayers.  I  can  call  both  father  and  mother  to  testify  to  that 
fact." 

"  Well,  this  is  news  to  me  !  I  must  speak  to  the  minister 
about  it." 

"  Of  the  two,  the  skipping-rope  is  rather  more  sinful 
than  dancing,  for  the  music  makes  the  latter  easy  ;  whereas, 
one  has  to  force  the  spirit  to  enter  into  the  other.  Commo- 
dore, our  hour  has  come,  and  we  must  make  sail.  May  I 


390  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

ask  the  favor,  Mrs.  Abbott,  of  a  bit  of  thread  to  fasten  this 
hook  afresh  ? " 

The  widow-bewitched  turned  to  her  basket,  and  raising 
a  piece  of  calico  to  look  for  the  thread,  "  high,  low,  jack, 
and  the  game  "  stared  her  in  the  face.  When  she  bent  her 
eyes  toward  her  guests,  she  perceived  all  three  gazing  at 
the  cards,  with  as  much  apparent  surprise  and  curiosity  as 
if  two  of  them  knew  nothing  of  their  history. 

"Awful !"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Abbott,  shaking  both  hands 
— " awful — awful — awful!  The  powers  of  darkness  have 
been  at  work  here  !  " 

"  They  seem  to  have  been  pretty  much  occupied,  too," 
observed  the  captain,  "  for  a  better  thumbed  pack  I  never 
yet  found  in  the  forecastle  of  a  ship." 

"  Awful — awful — awful  !  This  is  equal  to  the  forty  days 
in  the  wilderness,  Mr.  Dodge." 

"  It  is  a  trying  cross,  ma'am." 

"  To  my  notion  now,"  said  the  captain,  "those  cards 
are  not  worse  than  the  skipping-rope,  though  I  allow  that 
they  might  have  been  cleaner." 

But  Mrs.  Abbott  was  not  disposed  to  view  the  matter  so 
lightly.  She  saw  the  hand  of  the  devil  in  the  affair,  and 
fancied  it  was  a  new  trial  offered  to  her  widowed  con- 
dition. 

"Are  these  actually  cards!"  she  cried,  like  one  who 
distrusted  the  evidence  of  her  senses. 

"  Just  so,  ma'am,"  kindly  answered  the  commodore  ; 
"  this  is  the  ace  of  spades,  a  famous  fellow  to  hold  when 
you  have  the  lead  ;  and  this  is  the  Jack,  which  counts  one, 
you  know,  when  spades  are  trumps.  I  never  saw  a  more 
thorough-working  pack  in  my  life." 

"  Or  a  more  thoroughly  worked  pack,"  added  the  cap- 
tain, in  a  condoling  manner.  "  Well,  we  are  not  all  per- 
fect, and  I  hope  Mrs.  Abbott  will  cheer  up  and  look  at 
this  matter  in  a  gayer  point  of  view.  For  myself,  I  hold 
that  a  skipping-rope  is  worse  than  the  Jack  of  spades, 
Sundays  or  week  days.  Commodore,  we  shall  see  no  pick- 
erel to-day,  unless  we  tear  ourselves  from  this  good  com- 
pany." 

Here  the  two  wags  took  their  leave,  and  retreated  to  the 
skiff ;  the  captain,  who  foresaw  an  occasion  to  use  them, 
considerately  offering  to  relieve  Mrs.  Abbott  from  the 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  391 

presence  of  the  odious  cards,  intimating  that  he  would 
conscientiously  see  them  fairly  sunk  in  the  deepest  part 
of  the  lake. 

When  the  two  worthies  were  at  a  reasonable  distance 
from  the  shore,  the  commodore  suddenly  ceased  rowing, 
made  a  flourish  with  his  hand,  and  incontinently  began  to 
laugh,  as  if  his  mirth  had  suddenly  broken  through  all  re- 
straint. Captain  Truck,  who  had  been  lighting  a  cigar, 
commenced  smoking,  and,  seldom  indulging  in  boisterous 
merriment,  he  responded  with  his  eyes,  shaking  his  head 
from  time  to  time,  with  great  satisfaction,  as  thoughts 
more  ludicrous  than  common  came  over  his  imagination. 

"  Harkee,  commodore,"  he  said,  blowing  the  smoke  up- 
ward and  watching  it  with  his  eye  until  it  floated  away  in 
a  little  cloud,  "  neither  of  us  is  a  chicken.  You  have 
studied  life  on  the  fresh  water,  and  I  have  studied  life  on 
the  salt.  I  do  not  say  which  produces  the  best  scholars, 
but  I  know  that  both  make  better  Christians  than  the 
jack-screw  system." 

"  Just  so.  I  tell  them  in  the  village  that  little  is  gained 
in  the  end  by  following  the  blind  ;  that  is  my  doctrine, 
sir." 

"  And  a  very  good  doctrine  it  would  prove,  I  make  no 
doubt,  were  you  to  enter  into  it  a  little  more  fully " 

"  Well,  sir,  I  can  explain " 

"  Not  another  syllable  is  necessary.  I  know  what  you 
mean  as  well  as  if  I  said  it  myself,  and,  moreover,  short 
sermons  are  always  the  best.  You  mean  that  a  pilot 
ought  to  know  where  he  is  steering,  which  is  perfectly 
sound  doctrine.  My  own  experience  tells  me,  that  if  you 
press  a  sturgeon's  nose  with  your  foot,  it  will  spring  up  as 
soon  as  it  is  loosened.  Now  the  jack-screw  will  heave  a 
great  strain,  no  doubt ;  but  the  moment  it  is  let  up,  down 
comes  all  that  rests  on  it  again.  This  Mr.  Dodge,  I  sup- 
pose you  know,  has  been  a  passenger  with  me  once  or 
twice  ? " 

"  I  have  heard  as  much — they  say  he  was  tigerish  in  the 
fight  with  the  niggers — quite  an  out-and-outer." 

"  Aye,  I  hear  he  tells  some  such  story  himself  ;  but 
harkee,  commodore,  I  wish  to  do  justice  to  all  men,  and  I 
find  there  is  a  very  little  of  it  inland,  hereaway.  The  hero 
of  that  day  is  about  to  marry  your  beautiful  Miss  Effing* 


392  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

ham  ;  other  men  did  their  duty  too,  as,  for  instance,  was 
the  case  with  Mr.  John  Effingham  ;  but  Paul  Blunt-Po'wis- 
Effingham  finished  the  job.  As  for  Mr.  Steadfast  Dodge, 
sir,  I  say  nothing,  unless  it  be  to  add  that  he  was  nowhere 
near  me  in  that  transaction  ;  and  if  any  man  felt  like  an 
alligator  in  Lent,  on  that  occasion,  it  was  your  humble 
servant." 

"Which  means  that  he  was  not  nigh  the  enemy,  I'll 
swear  before  a  magistrate." 

"  And  no  fear  of  perjury.  Any  one  who  saw  Mr.  John 
Effingham  and  Mr.  Powis  on  that  day,  might  have  sworn 
that  they  were  father  and  son  ;  and  any  one  who  did  not 
see  Mr.  Dodge  might  have  said  at  once,  that  he  did  not 
belong  to  their  family.  That  is  all,  sir ;  I  never  disparage 
a  passenger,  and,  therefore,  shall  say  no  more  than  merely 
to  add,  that  Mr.  Dodge  is  no  warrior." 

"  They  say  he  has  experienced  religion  lately,  as  they 
call  it."' 

"  It  is  high  time,  sir,  for  he  has  experienced  sin  quite 
long  enough,  according  to  my  notion.  I  hear  that  the 
man  goes  up  and  down  the  country  disparaging  those 
whose  shoe-ties  he  is  unworthy  to  unloose,  and  that  he  has 
published  some  letters  in  his  journal  that  are  as  false 
as  his  heart  ;  but  let  him  beware  lest  the  world  should 
see,  some  rainy  day,  an  extract  from  a  certain  log-book 
belonging  to  a  ship  called  the  Montauk.  I  am  rejoicing 
at  this  marriage  after  all,  commodore,  or  marriages,  rather, 
for  I  understand  that  Mr.  Paul  Effingham  and  Sir  George 
Templemore  intend  to  make  a  double  bowline  of  it  to- 
morrow morning.  All  is  arranged,  and  as  soon  as  my 
eyes  have  witnessed  that  blessed  sight,  I  shall  trip  for 
New  York  again." 

"  It  is  clearly  made  out,  then,  that  the  young  gentleman 
is  Mr.  John  Effingham's  son  ?" 

"  As  clear  as  the  north-star  in  a  bright  night.  The  fel- 
low  who  spoke  to  me  at  the  Fun  of  Fire  has  put  us  in  away 
to  remove  the  last  doubt,  if  there  were  any  doubt.  Mr. 
Effingham  himself,  who  is  so  cool-headed  and  cautious, 
says  there  is  now  sufficient  proof  to  make  it  good  in  any 
court  in  America.  That  point  may  be  set  down  as  settled, 
and,  for  my  part,  I  rejoice  it  is  so,  since  Mr.  John  Effing- 
ham has  so  long  passed  for  an  old  bachelor,  that  it  is  q 


HOME  AS  FOUfrD.  393 

credit  to  the  corps  to  find  one  of  them  the  father  of  so 
noble  a  son." 

Here  the  commodore  dropped  his  anchor,  and  the  two 
friends  began  to  fish.  For  an  hour  neither  talked  much, 
but  having  obtained  the  necessary  stock  of  perch,  they 
landed  at  the  favorite  spring,  and  prepared  a  fry.  While 
seated  on  the  grass,  alternating  between  the  potations  of 
punch  and  the  mastication  of  fish,  these  worthies  again  re- 
newed the  dialogue  in  their  usual  discursive,  philosophi- 
cal, and  sentimental  manner. 

"  We  are  citizens  of  a  surprisingly  great  country,  com- 
modore," commenced  Mr.  Truck,  after  one  of  his  heaviest 
draughts  ;  "  everybody  says  it,  from  Maine  to  Florida,  and 
what  everybody  says  must  be  true." 

"  Just  so,  sir.  I  sometimes  wonder  how  so  great  a  coun- 
try ever  came  to  produce  so  little  a  man  as  myself." 

"  A  good  cow  may  have  a  bad  calf,  and  that  explains  the 
matter.  Have  you  many  as  virtuous  and  pious  women  in 
this  part  of  the  world  as  Mrs.  Abbott  ? " 

"  The  hills  and  valleys  are  filled  with  them.  You  mean 
persons  who  have  got  so  much  religion  that  they  have  no 
room  for  anything  else  ? " 

"  I  shall  mourn  to  my  dying  day,  that  you  were  not 
brought  up  to  the  sea  !  If  you  discover  so  much  of  the 
right  material  on  fresh-water,  what  would  you  have  been 
on  salt  ?  The  people  who  suck  in  nutriment  from  a  brain 
and  a  conscience  like  those  of  Mr.  Dodge,  too,  commo- 
dore, must  get  in  time  to  be  surprisingly  clear-sighted." 

"  Just  so  ;  his  readers  soon  overreach  themselves.  But 
it's  of  no  great  consequence,  sir  ;  the  people  of  this  part  of 
the  world  keep  nothing  long  enough  to  do  much  good  or 
much  harm." 

"  Fond  of  change,  ha  ?  " 

"  Like  unlucky  fishermen,  always  ready  to  shift  the 
ground.  I  don't  believe,  sir,  that  in  all  this  region  you  caff 
find  a  dozen  graves  of  sons  that  lie  near  their  fathers. 
Everybody  seems  to  have  a  mortal  aversion  to  stability." 

"  It  is  hard  to  love  such  a  country,  commodore  !'' 

"  Sir,  I  never  try  to  love  it.  God  has  given  me  a  pretty 
sheet  of  water,  that  suits  my  fancy  and  wants,  a  beautiful 
sky,  fine  green  mountains,  and  I  am  satisfied.*  One  may 
love  God,  in  such  a  temple,  though  he  love  nothing  else," 


394  HOltfE  AS  FOUND. 

"  Well,  I  suppose  if  you  love  nothing,  nothing  loves  you, 
and  no  injustice  is  done." 

"  Just  so,  sir.  Self  has  got  to  be  the  idol,  though  in  the 
general  scramble  a  man  is  sometimes  puzzled  to  know 
whether  he  is  himself  or  one  of  the  neighbors." 

"  I  wish  I  knew  your  political  sentiments,  commodore  ; 
you  have  been  communicative  on  all  subjects  but  that,  and 
I  have  taken  up  the  notion  that  you  are  a  true  philoso- 
pher." 

"  I  hold  myself  to  be  but  a  babe  in  swaddling-clothes 
compared  to  yourself,  sir  ;  but  such  as  my  poor  opinions 
are,  you  are  welcome  to  them.  In  the  first  place,  then,  sir, 
I  have  lived  long  enough  on  this  water  to  know  that  every 
man  is  a  lover  of  liberty  in  his  own  person,  and  that  he 
has  a  secret  distaste  for  it  in  the  persons  of  other  people. 
Then,  sir,  I  have  got  to  understand  that  patriotism  means 
bread  and  cheese,  and  that  opposition  is  every  man  for 
himself." 

"  If  the  truth  were  known,  I  believe,  commodore,  you 
have  buoyed  out  the  channel  !" 

"Just  so.  After  ^eing  pulled  about  by  the  salt  of  the 
land,  and  using  my  freeman's  privileges  at  their  command 
until  I  got  tired  of  so  much  liberty,  sir,  I  have  resigned, 
and  retired  to  private  life,  doing  most  of  my  own  thinking 
out  here  on  the  Otsego-Water,  like  a  poor  slave  as  I  am." 

"You  ought  to  be  chosen  the  next  President  !  " 

"  I  owe  my  present  emancipation,  sir,  to  the  sogdollager. 
I  first  began  to  reason  about  such  a  man  as  this  Mr.  Dodge, 
who  has  thrust  himself  and  his  ignorance  together  into  the 
village,  lately,  as  an  expounder  of  truth,  and  a  ray  of  light 
to  the  blind.  Well,  sir,  I  said  to  myself,  if  this  man  be  the 
man  I  know  him  to  be  as  a  man,  can  he  be  anything  better 
as  an  editor  ?  " 

"  That  was  a  home  question  put  to  yourself,  commo^ 
dore  ;  how  did  you  answer  it  ? " 

"The  answer  was  satisfactory,  sir,  to  myself,  whatever  it 
might  be  to  other  people.  I  stopped  his  paper,  and  set  up 
for  myself.  Just  about  that  time  the  sogdollager  nibbled, 
and  instead  of  trying  to  be  a  great  man,  over  the  shoulders 
of  the  patriots  and  sages  of  the  land,  I  endeavored  to  im- 
mortalize myself  by  hooking  him.  I  go  to  the  elections 
now,  for  that  I  feel  to  be  a  duty,  but  instead  of  allowing  a 


HOME  AS  FOU-ND.  395 

man  like  this  Mr.  Dodge  to  tell  me  how  to  vote,  I  vote  for 
the  mrun  in  public  that  I  would  trust  in  private." 

"  Excellent  !  I  honor  you  more  and  more  every  minute 
I  pass  in  your  society.  We  will  now  drink  to  the  future 
happiness  of  those  who  will  become  brides  and  bridegrooms 
to-morrow.  If  all  men  were  as  philosophical  and  as  learned 
as  you,  commodore,  the  human  race  would  be  in  a  fairer 
way  than  they  are  to-day." 

"  Just  so  ;  I  drink  to  them  with  all  my  heart.  Is  it  not 
surprising,  sir,  that  people  like  Mrs.  Abbott  and  Mr.  Dodge 
should  have  it  in  their  power  to  injure  such  as  those  whose 
happiness  we  have  just  had  the  honor  of  commemorating 
in  advance  ?" 

"  Wny,  commodore,  a  fly  may  bite  an  elephant,  if  he  can 
nnd  a  weak  spot  in  his  hide.  I  do  not  altogether  under- 
stand the  history  of  the  marriage  of  John  Effingham,  my- 
self ;  but  we  see  the  issue  of  it  has  been  a  fine  son.  Now 
I  hold  that  when  a  man  fairly  marries,  he  is  bound  to  own 
it,  the  same  as  any  other  crime  ;  for  he  owes  it  to  those 
who  have  not  been  as  guilty  as  himself,  to  show  the  world 
that  he  no  ionger  belongs  to  them." 

"Just  so  ;  but  we  have  flies  in  this  part  of  the  world  that 
will  bite  through  the  toughest  hide." 

"  That  comes  from  there  being  no  quarter-deck  in  your 
social  ship,  commodore.  Now,  aboard  of  a  well-regulated 
packet,  all  the  thinking  is  done  aft ;  they  who  are  desirous 
of  knowing  whereabouts  the  vessel  is,  being  compelled  to 
wait  till  the  observations  are  taken,  or  to  sit  down  in  their 
ignorance.  The  whole  difficulty  comes  from  the  fact  that 
sensible  people  live  so  far  apart  in  this  quarter  of  the  world 
that  fools  have  more  room  than  should  fall  to  their  share. 
You  understand  me,  commodore  ? " 

"Just  so,"  said  the  commodore,  laughing  and  winking. 
"Well,  it  is  fortunate  that  there  are  some  people  who  ^.re 
not  quite  as  weak-minded  as  some  other  people.  I  take  it, 
Captain  Truck,  that  you  will  be  present  at  the  wedding?" 

The  captain  now  winked  in  his  turn,  looked  around  him 
to  make  sure  no  one  was  listening,  and  laying  a  finger  on 
his  nose,  he  answered  in  a  much  lower  key  than  was  usual 
for  him — 

"  You  can  keep  a  secret,  I  know,  commodore.  Now 
what  I  have  to  say  is  not  to  be  told  to  Mrs.  Abbott,  in  or* 


396  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

der  that  it  may  be  repeated  and  multiplied,  but  is  to  be 
kept  as  snug  as  your  bait  in  the  bait-box." 

"  You  know  your  man,  sir." 

"  Well  then,  about  ten  minutes  before  the  clock  strikes 
nine,  to-morrow  morning,  do  you  slip  into  the  gallery  of 
New  St.  Paul's,  and  you  shall  see  beauty  and  modesty, 
when  '  unadorned,  adorned  the  most.'  You  comprehend  ?  " 

"  Just  so,"  and  the  hand  was  flourished  even  more  than 
usual. 

"It  does  not  become  us  bachelors  to  be  too  lenient  to 
matrimony,  but  I  should  be  an  unhappy  man  were  I  not  to 
witness  the  marriage  of  Paul  Powis  to  Eve  Effingham." 

Here  both  the  worthies  "freshened  the  nip,"  as  Captain 
Truck  called  it,  and  then  the  conversation  soon  got  to  be 
too  philosophical  and  contemplative  for  this  unpretending 
record  of  events  and  ideas. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

"Then  plainly  know,  my  heart's  dear  love  is  set 
On  the  fair  daughter  of  rich  Capulet ; 
As  mine  on  hers,  so  hers  is  set  on  mine  ; 
And  all  combined,  save  what  thou  must  confine 
By  holy  marriage." — ROMEO  AND  JULIET. 

THE  morning  chosen  for  the  nuptials  of  Eve  and  Grace 
arrived,  and  all  the  inmates  of  the  Wigwam  were  early 
afoot,  though  the  utmost  care  had  been  taken  to  prevent 
the  intelligence  of  the  approaching  ceremony  from  getting 
into  the  village.  They  little  knew,  however,  how  closely 
they  were  watched  ;  the  mean  artifices  that  were  resorted 
to  ijiy  some  who  called  themselves  their  neighbors,  to  tam- 
per with  servants,  to  obtain  food  for  conjecture,  and  to 
justify  to  themselves  their  exaggerations,  falsehoods,  and 
frauds.  The  news  did  leak  out,  as  will  presently  be  seen, 
and  through  a  channel  that  may  cause  the  reader,  who  is 
unacquainted  with  some  of  the  peculiarities  of  American 
life,  a  little  surprise. 

We  have  frequently  alluded  to  Annette,  the  femme  tU 
chambre  that  had  followed  Eve  from  Europe,  although  we 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  397 

have  had  no  occasion  to  dwell  on  her  character,  which  was 
that  of  a  woman  of  her  class,  as  they  are  well  known  to 
exist  in  France.  Annette  was  young,  had  bright,  spark« 
ling  black  eyes,  was  well  made,  and  had  the  usual  tournure 
and  manner  of  a  Parisian  grisette.  As  it  is  the  besetting 
weakness  of  all  provincial  habits  to  mistake  graces  for 
grace,  flourishes  for  elegance,  and  exaggeration  for  merit, 
Annette  soon  acquired  a  reputation  in  her  circle,  as  a  wom- 
an of  more  than  usual  claims  to  distinction.  Her  attire 
was  in  the  height  of  the  fashion,  being  of  Eve's  cast-off 
clothes,  and  of  the  best  materials,  and  attire  is  also  a  point 
that  is  not  without  its  influence  on  those  who  are  unac- 
customed to  the  world. 

As  the  double  ceremony  was  to  take  place  before  break- 
fast, Annette  was  early  employed  about  the  person  of  her 
young  mistress,  adorning  it  in  the  bridal  robes.  While 
she  worked  at  her  usual  employment,  the  attendant  ap- 
peared unusually  agitated,  and  several  times  pins  were 
badly  pointed,  and  new  arrangements  had  to  supersede 
or  to  supply  the  deficiencies  of  her  mistakes.  Eve  was  al- 
ways a  model  of  patience,  and  she  bore  with  these  little 
oversights  with  a  quiet  that  would  have  given  Paul  an  ad- 
ditional pledge  of  her  admirable  self-command,  as  well  as 
of  a  sweetness  of  temper  that,  in  truth,  raised  her  almost 
above  the  commoner  feelings  of  mortality. 

"  Vous  etes  un  pen  agitee  ce  matin,  ma  bonne  Annette"  she 
merely  observed,  when  her  maid  had  committed  a  blunder 
more  material  than  common. 

"  J'espere  que  Mademoiselle  a  ete  contente  de  moi  jusqu'a 
present"  returned  Annette,  vexed  with  her  own  awkward- 
ness, and  speaking  in  the  manner  in  which  it  is  usual  to 
announce  an  intention  to  quit  a  service. 

"  Certainly,  Annette,  you  have  conducted  yourself  well, 
and  are  very  expert  in  your  metier.  But  why  do  you  ask 
this  question  just  at  this  moment  ?  " 

"  Parce  que — because — with  Mademoiselle's  permission, 
I  intended  to  ask  for  my  conge." 

"  Conge  !     Do  you  think  of  quitting  me,  Annette  ?  " 

"  It  would  make  me  happier  than  anything  else  to  die  in 
the  service  of  Mademoiselle,  but  we  are  all  subject  to  our 
destiny  " — the  conversation  was  in  French — "  and  mine 
compels  me  to  cease  my  services  as  a  /emme de chambre" 


398  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  This  is  a  sudden,  and  for  one  in  a  strange  country,  an 
extraordinary  resolution.  May  I  ask,  Annette,  what  you 
propose  to  do  ?  " 

Here  the  woman  gave  herself  certain  airs,  endeavored 
to  blush,  did  look  at  the  carpet  with  a  studied  modesty 
that  might  have  deceived  one  who  did  not  know  the  genus, 
and  announced  her  intention  to  get  married,  too,  at  the 
end  of  the  present  month." 

"  Married  !"  repeated  Eve — "  surely  not  to  old  Pierre, 
Annette  ?" 

"  Pierre,  Mademoiselle  !  I  shall  not  condescend  to  look 
at  Pierre.  Je  vats  me  marier  avec  un  avocat." 

"  Un  avocat !  " 

"  Oui,  Mademoiselle.  I  will  marry  myself  with  Monsieur 
Aristabule  Bragg,  if  Mademoiselle  shall  permit." 

Eve  was  perfectly  mute  with  astonishment,  notwithstand- 
ing the  proofs  she  had  often  seen  of  the  wide  range  that  the 
ambition  of  an  American  of  a  certain  class  allows  itself. 
Of  course,  she  remembered  the  conversation  on  the  Point, 
and  it  would  not  have  been  in  nature,  had  not  a  mistress 
who  had  been  so  lately  wooed,  felt  some  surprise  at  finding 
her  discarded  suitor  so  soon  seeking  consolation  in  the 
smiles  of  her  own  maid.  Still  her  surprise  was  less  than 
that  which  the  reader  will  probably  experience  at  this  an- 
nouncement ;  for,  as  has  just  been  said,  she  had  seen  too 
much  of  the  active  and  pliant  enterprise  of  the  lover,  to 
feel  much  wonder  at  any  of  his  moral  tours  de  force.  Even 
Eve,  however,  was  not  perfectly  acquainted  with  the  views 
and  policy  that  had  led  Aristabulus  to  seek  this  consumma- 
tion to  his  matrimonial  schemes,  which  must  be  explained 
explicitly  in  order  that  they  may  be  properly  understood. 

Mr.  Bragg  had  no  notion  of  any  distinctions  in  the  world, 
beyond  those  which  came  from  money  and  political  success. 
For  the  first  he  had  a  practical  deference  that  was  as  pro- 
found as  his  wishes  for  its  enjoyments  ;  and  for  the  last  he 
felt  precisely  the  sort  of  reverence  that  one  educated  under 
a  feudal  system  would  feel  for  a  feudal  lord.  The  first,  after 
several  unsuccessful  efforts,  he  had  found  unattainable  by 
means  of  matrimony,  and  he  turned  his  thoughts  toward 
Annette,  whom  he  had  for  some  months  held  in  reserve,  in 
the  event  of  his  failing  with  Eve  and  Grace,  for  on  both 
these  heiresses  had  he  entertained  designs,  as  sapis-aller. 


HOME   AS  FOUND.  399 

Annette  was  a  dressmaker  of  approved  taste,  her  person 
was  sufficiently  attractive,  her  broken  English  gave  piq- 
uancy to  thoughts  of  no  great  depth,  she  was  of  a  suitable 
age,  and  he  had  made  her  proposals  and  been  accepted,  as 
soon  as  it  was  ascertained  that  Eve  and  Grace  were  irre- 
trievably lost  to  him.  Of  course,  the  Parisienne  did  not 
hesitate  an  instant  about  becoming  the  wife  of  un  avocat ; 
for,  agreeably  to  her  habits,  matrimony  was  a  legitimate 
means  of  bettering  her  condition  in  life.  The  plan  was 
soon  arranged.  They  were  to  be  married  as  soon  as  An- 
nette's month's  notice  had  expired,  and  then  they  were  to 
emigrate  to  the  far  West,  where  Mr.  Bragg  proposed  to 
practise  law,  or  to  keep  school,  or  to  go  to  Congress,  or  to 
turn  trader,  or  to  saw  lumber,  or,  in  short,  to  turn  his  hand 
to  anything  that  offered ;  while  Annette  was  to  help  along 
with  the  menage  by  making  dresses,  and  teaching  French ; 
the  latter  occupation  promising  to  be  somewhat  peripatetic, 
the  population  being  scattered,  and  few  of  the  dwellers  in 
the  interior  deeming  it  necessary  to  take  more  than  a  quar- 
ter's instruction  in  any  of  the  higher  branches  of  education ; 
the  object  being  to  study,  as  it  is  called,  and  not  to  know. 
Aristabulus,  who  was  filled  with  goaheadism,  would  have 
shortened  the  delay,  but  this  Annette  positively  resisted  ; 
her  esprit  de  corps  as  a  servant,  and  all  her  notions  of  jus- 
tice, repudiating  the  notion  that  the  connection  which  had 
existed  so  long  between  Eve  and  herself  was  to  be  cut  off 
at  a  moment's  warning.  So  diametrically  were  the  ideas 
of  the  fiances  opposed  to  each  other  on  this  point,  that  at 
one  time  it  threatened  a  rupture,  Mr.  Bragg  asserting  the 
natural  independence  of  man  to  a  degree  that  would  have 
rendered  him  independent  of  all  obligations  that  were  not 
effectually  enacted  by  the  law,  and  Annette  maintaining  thev 
dignity  of  a  European  femme  de  chambre,  whose  sense  of 
propriety  demanded  that  she  should  not  quit  her  place 
without  giving  a  month's  warning.  The  affair  was  happily 
decided  by  Aristabulus's  receiving  a  commission  to  tend  a 
store  in  the  absence  of  its  owner  ;  Mr.  Effingham,  on  a  hint 
from  his  daughter,  having  profited  by  the  annual  expiration 
of  the  engagement  to  bring  their  connection  to  an  end. 

This  termination  to  the  passion  of  Mr.  Bragg  would  have 
aiforded  Eve  a  good  deal  of  amusement  at  any  other  mo- 
ment ;  but  a  bride  cannot  be  expected  to  give  too  much  of 


|oo  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

her  attention  to  the  felicity  and  prospects  of  those  who  hav6 
no  natural  or  acquired  claims  to  her  affection.  The  cou- 
sins met,  attired  for  the  ceremony,  in  Mr.  Effingham's 
room,  where  he  soon  came  in  person  to  lead  them  to  the 
drawing-roam.  It  is  seldom  that  two  more  lovely  young 
women  are  brought  together  on  similar  occasions.  As 
Mr.  Effingham  stood  between  them,  holding  a  hand  of  each, 
his  moistened  eyes  turned  from  one  to  the  other  in  honest 
pride,  and  in  an  admiration  that  even  his  tenderness  could 
not  restrain.  The  toilettes  were  as  simple  as  the  marriage 
ceremony  will  permit  ;  for  it  was  intended  that  there  should 
be  no  unnecessary  parade  ;  and  perhaps  the  delicate  beauty 
of  each  of  the  brides  was  rendered  the  more  attractive  by 
this  simplicity,  as  it  has  often  been  justly  remarked  that 
the  fair  of  this  country  are  more  winning  in  a  dress  of  a 
less  conventional  character  than  when  in  the  elaborate  and 
regulated  attire  of  ceremonies.  As  might  have  been  ex- 
pected, there  was  most  of  soul  and  feeling  in  Eve's  coun- 
tenance, thougli  Grace  wore  an  air  of  charming  modesty 
and  nature.  Both  were  unaifected,  simple,  and  graceful, 
and  we  may  add  that  both  trembled  as  Mr.  Effingham  took 
their  hands. 

"  This  is  a  pleasing  and  yet  a  painful  hour,"  said  that 
kind  and  excellent  man  ;  "  one  in  which  I  gain  a  son,  and 
lose  a  daughter." 

"  And  /,  dearest  uncle,"  exclaimed  Grace,  whose  feelings 
trembled  on  her  eyelids,  like  the  dew  ready  to  drop  from 
the  leaf,  "  have  /no  connection  with  your  feelings  ? '* 

"  You  are  the  daughter  that  I  lose,  my  child,  for  Eve 
will  still  remain  with  me.  But  Templemore  has  promised 
to  be  grateful,  and  I  will  trust  his  word." 

Mr.  Effingham  then  embraced  with  fervor  both  the  charm- 
ing young  women,  who  stood  apparelled  for  the  most  im- 
portant event  of  their  lives,  lovely  in  their  youth,  beauty, 
innocence,  and  modesty  ;  and  taking  an  arm  of  each  he 
led  them  below.  John  Effingham,  the  two  bridegrooms, 
Captain  Ducie,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  Mrs.  Hawker, 
Captain  Truck,  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  Annette,  and  Ann 
Sidley,  were  all  assembled  in  the  drawing-room,  ready  to 
receive  them  ;  and  as  soon  as  shawls  were  thrown  around 
Eve  and  Grace,  in  order  to  conceal  the  wedding  dresses^ 
the  whole  party  proceeded  to  the  church. 


HOME  AS  FOUND. 


401 


The  distance  between  the  Wigwam  and  New  St.  Paul's 
was  very  trifling,  the  solemn  pines  of  the  churchyard 
blending,  from  many  points,  with  the  gayer  trees  in  the 
grounds  of  the  former  ;  and  as  the  buildings  in  this  part 
of  the  village  were  few,  the  whole  of  the  bridal  train  en- 
tered the  tower  unobserved  by  the  eyes  of  the  curious.  The 
clergyman  was  waiting  in  the  chancel,  and  as  each  of  the 
young  men  led  the  object  of  his  choice  immediately  to  the 
altar,  the  double  ceremony  began  without  delay.  At  this 
instant  Mr.  Steadfast  Dodge  and  Mrs.  Abbott  advanced 
from  the  rear  of  the  gallery,  and  coolly  took  their  seats  in 
its  front.  Neither  belonged  to  this  particular  church, 
though,  having  discovered  that  the  marriages  were  to  take 
place  that  morning  by  means  of  Annette,  they  had  no 
scruples  on  the  score  of  delicacy  about  thrusting  themselves 
forward  on  the  occasion  ;  for,  to  the  latest  moment,  that 
publicity-principle  which  appeared  to  be  interwoven  with 
their  very  natures,  induced  them  to  think  that  nothing  was 
so  sacred  as  to  be  placed  beyond  the  reach  of  curiosity. 
They  entered  the  church,  because  the  church  they  held  to 
be  a  public  place,  precisely  on  the  principle  that  others  of 
their  class  conceive  if  a  gate  be  blown  open  by  accident, 
it  removes  all  the  moral  defences  against  trespassers  as  it 
removes  the  physical. 

The  solemn  language  of  the  prayers  and  vows  proceeded 
none  the  less  for  the  presence  of  these  unwelcome  in- 
truders ;  for  at  that  grave  moment  all  other  thoughts  were 
hushed  in  those  that  more  properly  belonged  to  the  scene. 
When  the  clergyman  made  the  usual  appeal  to  know  if 
any  man  could  give  a  reason  why  those  who  stood  before 
him  should  not  be  united  in  holy  wedlock,  Mrs.  Abbott 
nudged  Mr.  Dodge,  and,  in  the  fulness  of  her  discontent, 
eagerly  inquired  in  a  whisper  if  it  were  not  possible  to 
raise  some  valid  objection.  Could  she  have  had  her  pious 
wish,  the  simple,  unpretending,  meek,  and  church-going 
Eve  should  never  be  married.  But  the  editor  was  not  a 
man  to  act  openly  in  anything,  his  particular  province 
lying  in  insinuations  and  innuendoes.  As  a  hint  would  not 
now  be  available,  he  determined  to  postpone  his  revenge 
to  a  future  day.  We  say  revenge,  for  Steadfast  was  one  of 
the  class  that  consider  any  happiness  or  advantage  in  which 
they  are  not  ample  participators  wrongs  done  to  themselves. 
26 


402  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

That  is  a  wise  regulation  of  the  church  which  makes 
the  marriage  ceremony  brief,  for  the  intensity  of  the 
feelings  it  often  creates  would  frequently  become  too 
powerful  to  be  suppressed,  were  it  unnecessarily  pro- 
longed. Mr.  Effingham  gave  away  both  the  brides,  the 
one  in  the  quality  of  parent,  the  other  in  that  of  guardian, 
and  neither  of  the  bridegrooms  got  the  ring  on  the  wrong 
finger.  This  is  all  we  have  to  say  of  the  immediate  scene 
at  the  altar.  As  soon  as  the  benediction  was  pronounced 
and  the  brides  were  released  from  the  first  embraces  of 
their  husbands,  Mr.  Effingham,  without  even  kissing  Eve, 
threw  the  shawls  over  their  shoulders,  and,  taking  an  arm 
of  each,  he  led  them  rapidly  from  the  church,  for  he 
felt  reluctant  to  suffer  the  holy  feelings  that  were  upper- 
most in  his  heart  to  be  the  spectacle  of  rude  and  obtrusive 
observers.  At  the  door  he  relinquished  Eve  to  Paul,  and 
Grace  to  Sir  George,  with  a  silent  pressure  of  the  hand  of 
each,  and  signed  for  them  to  proceed  toward  the  Wigwam. 
He  was  obeyed,  and  in  less  than  half  an  hour  from  the 
time  they  had  left  the  drawing-room,  the  whole  party  was 
again  assembled  in  it. 

What  a  change  had  been  produced  in  the  situation  of  so 
many  in  that  brief  interval ! 

"  Father  !"  Eve  whispered,  while  Mr.  Effingham  folded 
her  to  his  heart,  the  unbidden  tears  falling  from  both  their 
eyes — "  I  am  still  thine  !" 

"  It  would  break  my  heart  to  think  otherwise,  darling. 
No,  no — I  have  not  lost  a  daughter,  but  have  gained  a 
son." 

"  And  what  place  am  I  to  occupy  in  this  scene  of  fond- 
ness ?"  inquired  John  Effingham,  who  had  considerately 
paid  his  compliments  to  Grace  first,  that  she  might  not 
feel  forgotten  at  such  a  moment,  and  who  had  so  managed 
that  she  was  now  receiving  the  congratulations  of  the  rest 
of  the  party  ;  "  am  I  to  lose  both  son  and  daughter  ?" 

Eve,  smiling  sweetly  through  her  tears,  raised  herseli 
from  her  own  father's  arms,  and  was  received  in  those  of 
her  husband's  parent.  After  he  had  fondly  kissed  her 
forehead  several  times,  without  withdrawing  from  his 
bosom,  she  parted  the  rich  hair  on  his  forehead,  passing 
her  hand  down  his  face  like  an  infant,  and  said  softly — 

"Cousin  Jack!" 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  403 

"  I  believe  this  must  be  my  rank  and  estimation  still  ! 
Paul  shall  make  no  difference  in  our  feeling;  we  will  love 
each  other  as  we  have  ever  done." 

"  Paul  can  be  nothing  new  between  you  and  me.  You 
have  always  been  a  second  father  in  my  eyes,  and  in  my 
heart,  too,  dear — dear  Cousin  Jack." 

John  Effingham  pressed  the  beautiful,  ardent,  blushing 
girl  to  his  bosom  again  ;  and  as  he  did  so,  both  felt,  not- 
withstanding their  language,  that  a  new  and  dearer  tie 
than  ever  bound  them  together.  Eve  now  received  the 
compliments  of  the  rest  of  the  party,  when  the  two  brides 
retired  to  change  the  dresses  in  which  they  had  appeared 
at  the  altar  for  their  more  ordinary  attire. 

In  her  own  dressing-room  Eve  found  Ann  Sidley  waiting 
with  impatience  to  pour  out  her  feelings,  the  honest  and 
affectionate  creature  being  much  too  sensitive  to  open  the 
floodgates  of  her  emotion  in  the  presence  of  third  parties. 

"  Ma'am — Miss  Eve — Mrs.  Effingham  !  "  she  exclaimed, 
as  soon  as  her  young  mistress  entered,  afraid  of  saying  too 
much,  now  that  her  nursling  had  become  a  married  woman. 

"My  kind  and  good  Nanny  !"  said  Eve,  taking  her  old 
nurse  in  her  arms,  their  tears  mingling  in  silence  for  near 
a  minute.  "  You  have  seen  your  child  enter  on  the  last  of 
her  great  earthly  engagements,  Nanny,  and  I  know  you 
pray  that  they  may  prove  happy." 

"  I  do — I  do — I  do — ma'am — madam — Miss  Eve — what 
am  I  to  call  you  in  future,  ma'am  ? " 

"  Call  me  Miss  Eve,  as  you  have  done  since  my  childhood, 
dearest  Nanny." 

Nanny  received  this  permission  with  delight,  and  twenty 
times  that  morning  she  availed  herself  of  it ;  and  she  con- 
tinued to  use  the  term  until,  two  years  later,  she  danced  a 
miniature  Eve  on  her  knee,  as  she  had  done  its  mother  be- 
fore her,  when  matronly  rank  began  silently  to  assert  its 
rights,  and  our  present  bride  became  Mrs.  Effingham. 

"  I  shall  not  quit  you,  ma'am,  now  that  you  are  married  ?" 
Ann  Sidley  timidly  asked  ;  for,  although  she  could  scarcely 
think  such  an  event  within  the  bounds  of  probability,  and 
Eve  had  already  more  than  once  assured  her  of  the  contrary 
with  her  own  tongue,  still  did  she  love  to  have  assurance 
made  doubly  sure.  "  I  hope  nothing  will  ever  happen  to 
make  me  quit  you,  ma'am  ?  " 


404  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  Nothing  of  that  sort,  with  my  consent,  ever  shall 
happen,  my  excellent  Nanny.  And  now  that  Annette  is 
about  to  get  married,  I  shall  have  more  than  the  usual  ne- 
cessity for  your  services." 

"  And  Mamerzelle,  ma'am  ? "  inquired  Nanny,  with  spark- 
ling eyes  ;  "  I  suppose,  she,  too,  will  return  to  her  own 
country,  now  you  know  everything,  and  have  no  further 
occasion  for  her  ?  " 

"  Mademoiselle  Viefville  will  return  to  France  in  the  au- 
tumn, but  it  will  be  with  us  all ;  for  my  dear  father,  Cousin 
Jack,  my  husband  " — Eve  blushed  as  she  pronounced  the 
novel  word — "  and  myself,  not  forgetting  you,  my  old  nurse, 
will  all  sail  for  England,  with  Sir  George  and  Lady  Tem- 
plemore,  on  our  way  to  Italy,  the  first  week  in  October." 

"  I  care  not,  ma'am,  so  that  I  go  with  you.  I  would 
rather  we  did  not  live  in  a  country  where  I  caiinot  under- 
stand all  that  the  people  say  to  you,  but  wherever  you  are 
will  be  my  earthly  paradise." 

Eve  kissed  the  true-hearted  woman,  and  Annette  enter- 
ing, she  changed  her  dress. 

The  two  brides  met  at  the  head  of  the  great  stairs,  on 
their  way  back  to  the  drawing-room.  Eve  was  a  little  in 
advance,  but  with  a  half-concealed  smile  she  gave  way  to 
Grace,  curtsying  gravely,  and  saying — 

u  It  does  not  become  me  to  precede  Lady  Templemore — 
I,  who  am  only  Mrs.  Paul  Effingham." 

"  Nay,  dear  Eve,  I  am  not  so  weak  as  you  imagine.  Do 
you  not  think  I  should  have  married  him  had  he  not  been 
a  baronet  ? " 

"  Templemore,  my  dear  coz,  is  a  man  any  woman  might 
love,  and  I  believe,  as  firmly  as  I  hope  it  sincerely,  that  he 
will  make  you  happy." 

"And  yet  there  is  one  woman  who  would  not  love  him, 
Eve  !  " 

Eve  looked  steadily  at  her  cousin  for  a  moment,  was 
startled,  and  then  she  felt  gratified  that  Sir  George  had 
been  so  honest,  for  the  frankness  and  manliness  of  his 
avowal  was  a  pledge  of  the  good  faith  and  sincerity  of  his 
character.  She  took  her  cousin  affectionately  by  the  hand, 
and  said — 

"  Grace,  this  confidence  is  the  highest  compliment  you 
can  pay  me,  and  it  merits  a  return.  That  Sir  George 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  405 

Templemore  may  have  had  a  passing  inclination  for  one 
who  so  little  deserved  it,  is  possibly  true — but  my  affec- 
tions were  another's  before  I  knew  him." 

"You  never  would  have  married  Templemore,  Eve  ;  he 
says  himself,  now,  that  you  are  quite  too  continental,  as 
he  calls  it,  to  like  an  Englishman." 

"  Then  I  shall  take  the  first  good  occasion  to  undeceive 
him  ;  for  I  do  like  an  Englishman,  and  he  is  the  identical 
man." 

As  few  women  are  jealous  on  their  wedding-day,  Grace 
took  this  in  good  part,  and  they  descended  the  stairs  to- 
gether, side  by  side,  reflecting  each  other's  happiness  in 
their  timid  but  conscious  smiles.  3n  the  great  hall  they 
were  met  by  the  bridegrooms,  and  each  taking  the  arm 
of  him  who  had  now  become  of  so  vast  importance  to  her, 
they  paced  the  room  to  and  fro,  until  summoned  to  the 
dejeuner  a  la  fourchette,  which  had  been  prepared  under  the 
especial  superintendence  of  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  after 
the  manner  of  her  country. 

Wedding-days,  like  all  formally  prepared  festivals,  are 
apt  to  go  off  a  little  heavily.  Such,  however,  was  not  the 
case  with  this,  for  every  appearance  of  premeditation  and 
preparation  vanished  with  this  meal.  It  is  true  the  family 
did  not  quit  the  grounds,  but,  with  this  exception,  ease  and 
tranquil  happiness  reigned  throughout.  Captain  Truck 
was  alone  disposed  to  be  sentimental,  and  more  than 
once,  as  he  looked  about  him,  he  expressed  his  doubts 
whether  he  had  pursued  the  right  course  to  attain  happi- 
ness. 

"I  find  myself  in  a  solitary  category,"  he  said  at  the 
dinner-table  in  the  evening.  "  Mrs.  Hawker  and  both  the 
Messrs.  Efifingham  have  been  married  ;  everybody  else  is 
married,  and  I  believe  I  must  take  refuge  in  saying  that  I 
will  be  married,  if  I  can  now  persuade  any  one  to  have  me. 
Even  Mr.  Powis,  my  right-hand  man  in  all  that  African 
affair,  has  deserted  me,  and  left  me  like  a  single  dead  pine 
in  one  of  your  clearings,  or  a  jewel-block  dangling  at  a 
yard-arm  without  a  sheave.  Mrs.  Bride " — the  captain 
styled  Eve  thus  throughout  the  day,  to  the  utter  neglect 
of  the  claims  of  Lady  Templemore — "  Mrs.  Bride,  we  will 
consider  my  forlorn  condition  more  philosophically  when 
I  shall  have  the  honor  to  take  you,  and  so  many  of  this 


4o6  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

blessed  party,  back  again  to  Europe,  where  I  found  you 
Under  your  advice  I  think  I  might  even  yet  venture " 

"And  I  am  overlooked  entirely,"  cried  Mr.  Howel,  who 
had  been  invited  to  make  one  at  the  wedding-feast ;  "  what 
is  to  become  of  me,  Captain  Truck,  if  this  marrying  ma- 
nia go  any  further  ?  " 

"  I  have  long  had  a  plan  for  your  welfare,  my  dear  sir; 
that  I  will  take  this  opportunity  to  divulge  ;  I  propose, 
ladies  and  gentlemen,  that  we  enlist  Mr.  Howel  in  our 
project  for  this  autumn,  and  that  we  carry  him  with  us  to 
Europe.  I  shall  be  proud  to  have  the  honor  of  introduc- 
ing him  to  his  old  friend,  the  island  of  Great  Britain." 

"  Ah  !  that  is  a  happiness,  I  fear,  that  is  not  in  reserve  for 
me ! "  said  Mr.  Howel,  shaking  his  head.  "  I  have  thought 
of  these  things  in  my  time,  but  age  will  now  defeat  any 
such  hopes." 

"Age,  Tom  Howel !"  said  John  Effingham  ;  "you  are 
but  fifty,  like  Ned  and  myself.  We  were  all  boys  together 
forty  years  ago,  and  yet  you  find  us,  who  have  so  lately 
returned,  ready  to  take  a  fresh  departure.  Pluck  up 
heart ;  there  may  be  a  steamboat  ready  to  bring  you  back 
by  the  time  you  wish  to  return." 

"  Never,"  said  Captain  Truck,  positively.  "  Ladies  and 
gentlemen,  it  is  morally  impossible  that  the  Atlantic  should 
ever  be  navigated  by  steamers.  That  doctrine  I  shall 
maintain  to  my  dying  day  ;  but  what  need  of  a  steamer 
when  we  have  packets  like  palaces  ? " 

"  I  did  not  know,  captain,  that  you  entertained  so  hearty 
a  respect  for  Great  Britain — it  is  encouraging,  really,  to 
find  so  generous  a  feeling  toward  the  old  island  in  one  of 
her  descendants.  Sir  George  and  Lady  Templemore,  per- 
mit me  to  drink  to  your  lasting  felicity." 

"  Aye — aye — I  entertain  no  ill-will  to  England,  though 
her  tobacco  laws  are  none  of  the  genteelest.  But  my  wish 
to  export  you,  Mr.  Howel,  is  less  from  a  desire  to  show 
you  England  than  to  let  you  perceive  that  there  are  other 
countries  in  Europe — 

"  Other  countries  !  Surely  you  do  not  suppose  I  am  so 
ignorant  of  geography  as  to  believe  that  there  are  no  other 
countries  in  Europe — no  such  places  as  Hanover,  Bruns- 
wick, and  Brunswick  Lunenberg,  and  Denmark  ;  the  sis- 
ter of  old  George  the  Third  married  the  king  of  that 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  407 

country  ;  and  Wurtemberg,  the  king  of  which  married  the 
Princess  Royal — 

"  And  Mecklenburg-Strelitz,"  added  John  Effingham, 
gravely,  "a  princess  of  which  actually  married  George 
the  Third  proprid  persona  as  well  as  by  proxy.  Nothing 
can  be  plainer  than  your  geography,  Howel ;  but,  in  ad- 
dition to  these  particular  regions,  our  worthy  friend  the 
captain  wishes  you  to  know,  also,  that  there  are  such  places 
as  France,  and  Austria,  and  Russia,  and  Italy  ;  though  the 
latter  can  scarcely  repay  a  man  for  the  trouble  of  visiting 
it." 

"You  have  guessed  my  motive,  Mr.  John  Effingham, 
and  expressed  it  much  more  discreetly  than  I  could  pos- 
sibly have  done,"  cried  the  captain.  "If  Mr.  Howel  will 
do  me  the  honor  to  take  passage  with  me,  going  and  com- 
ing, I  shall  consider  the  pleasure  of  his  remarks  on  men 
and  things  as  one  of  the  greatest  advantages  I  ever  pos- 
sessed." 

"  I  do  not  know  but  I  might  be  induced  to  venture  as 
far  as  England,  but  not  a  foot  farther." 

"Pas  a  Part's  f"  exclaimed  Mademoiselle  Viefville,  who 
wondered  why  any  rational  being  would  take  the  trouble  to 
cross  the  Atlantic  merely  to  see  ce  mclancolique  Londres  ; 
"you  will  go  to  Paris  for  my  sake,  Monsieur  Howel  ?" 

"  For  your  sake,  indeed,  Mam'selle,  I  would  do  any- 
thing, but  hardly  for  my  own.  I  confess  I  have  thought 
of  this,  and  I  will  think  of  it  farther.  I  should  like  to  see 
the  King  of  England  and  the  House  of  Lords,  I  confess, 
before  I  die." 

"Aye,  and  the  Tower,  and  the  Boar's-Head  at  East- 
Cheap,  and  the  statue  of  the  Duke  of  Wellington,  and 
London  Bridge,  and  Richmond  Hill,  and  Bow  Street,  and 
Somerset  House,  and  Oxford  Road,  and  Bartlemy  Fair, 
and  Hungerford  Market,  and  Charing-Cross — ^/Charing- 
Cross,  Tom  Howel ! " — added  John  Effingham,  with  a 
good-natured  nod  of  the  head. 

'*  A  wonderful  nation  !  "  cried  Mr.  Howel,  whose  eyes 
sparkled  as  the  other  proceeded  in  his  enumeration  of 
wonders.  "  I  do  not  think,  after  all,  that  I  can  die  in 
peace  without  seeing  some  of  these  things — all  would  be 
too  much  for  me.  How  far  is  the  Isle  of  Dogs,  now  fronj 
St.  Catharine's  Docks,  captain  ? " 


4o8  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

"  Oh  !  but  a  few  cables'  lengths.  If  you  will  only  stick 
to  the  ship  until  she  is  fairly  docked,  I  will  promise  you  a 
sight  of  the  Isle  of  Dogs  before  you  land,  even.  But  then 
you  must  promise  me  to  carry  out  no  tobacco  ! " 

"  No  fear  of  me  ;  I  neither  smoke  nor  chew,  and  it  does 
not  surprise  me  that  a  nation  as  polished  as  the  English 
should  have  this  antipathy  to  tobacco.  And  one  might 
really  see  the  Isle  of  Dogs  before  landing?  It  is  a  won- 
derful country!  Mrs.  Bloomfield,  will  you  ever  be  able 
to  die  tranquilly  without  seeing  England  ? " 

"  I  hope,  sir,  whenever  that  event  shall  arrive  that  it 
may  be  met  tranquilly,  let  what  may  happen  previously. 
I  do  confess,  in  common  v/ith  Mrs.  Effingham,  a  longing 
desire  to  see  Italy;  a  wish  that  I  believe  she  entertains 
from  her  actual  knowledge,  and  which  I  entertain  from 
my  anticipations." 

"  Now  this  really  surprises  me.  What  can  Italy  possess 
to  repay  one  for  the  trouble  of  travelling  so  far  ? " 

"  I  trust,  Cousin  Jack,"  said  Eve,  coloring  at  the  sound 
of  her  own  voice,  for  on  that  day  of  supreme  happiness 
and  intense  emotions,  she  had  got  to  be  so  sensitive  as  to 
be  less  self-possessed  than  common,  "that  our  friend  Mr. 
Wenham  will  not  be  forgotten,  but  that  he  may  be  invited 
to  join  the  party." 

This  representative  of  lajeune  Amerique  was  also  present 
at  the  dinner,  out  of  regard  to  his  deceased  father,  who 
was  a  very  old  friend  of  Mr.  Effingham's,  and  being  so  fa- 
vorably noticed  by  the  bride,  he  did  not  fail  to  reply. 

"  I  believe  an  American  has  little  to  learn  from  any  na- 
tion but  his  own,"  observed  Mr.  Wenham,  with  the  com- 
placency of  the  school  to  which  he  belonged,  "although 
one  might  wish  that  all  of  this  country  should  travel,  in 
order  that  the  rest  of  the  world  might  have  the  benefit  of 
the  intercourse." 

"It  is  a  thousand  pities,"  said  John  Effingham,  "that 
one  of  our  universities,  for  instance,  was  not  ambulant. 
Old  Yale  was  so  in  its  infancy  ;  but  unlike  most  other 
creatures,  it  went  about  with  greater  ease  to  itself  when  3 
child  than  it  can  move  in  manhood." 

"Mr.  John  Effingham  loves  to  be  facetious,"  said  Mr. 
Wenham,  with  dignity ;  for,  while  he  was  as  credulous  as 
could  be  wished  on  the  subject  of  American  superiority,, 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  4001 

he  was  not  quite  as  blind  as  the  votaries  of  the  Anglo- 
American  school,  who  usually  yield  the  control  of  all  their 
faculties  and  common  sense  to  their  masters  on  the  points 
connected  with  their  besetting  weaknesses.  "  Everybody 
is  agreed,  I  believe,  that  the  American  imparts  more  than 
he  receives  in  his  intercourse  with  Europeans." 

The  smiles  of  the  more  experienced  of  this  young  man's 
listeners  were  well-bred  and  concealed,  and  the  conversa- 
tion turned  to  other  subjects.  It  was  easy  to  raise  the 
laugh  on  such  an  occasion,  and  contrary  to  the  usages  of 
the  Wigwam,  where  the  men  usually  left  the  table  with 
the  other  sex,  Captain  Truck,  John  Effingham,  Mr.  Bloom- 
field,  and  Mr.  Howel,  made  what  is  called  a  night  of  it. 
Much  delicious  claret  was  consumed,  and  the  honest  cap- 
tain was  permitted  to  enjoy  his  cigar.  About  midnight  he 
swore  he  had  half  a  mind  to  write  a  letter  to  Mrs.  Hawker, 
with  an  offer  of  his  hand ;  as  for  his  heart,  that  she  well 
knew  she  had  possessed  for  a  long  time. 

The  next  day,  about  the  hour  when  the  house  was  tran- 
quil, from  the  circumstance  that  most  of  its  inmates  were 
abroad  on  their  several  avocations  of  boating,  riding,  shop- 
ping, or  walking,  Eve  was  in  the  library,  her  father  having 
left  it  a  few  minutes  before  to  mount  his  horse.  She  was 
seated  at  a  table,  writing  a  letter  to  an  aged  relative  of  her 
own  sex,  to  communicate  the  circumstance  of  her  marriage. 
The  door  was  half  open,  and  Paul  appeared  at  it  unex- 
pectedly, coming  in  search  of  his  young  bride.  His  step 
had  been  so  light,  and  so  intently  was  our  heroine  en- 
gaged with  her  letter,  that  his  approach  was  unnoticed, 
though  it  had  now  been  a  long  time  that  the  ear  of  Eve 
had  learned  to  know  his  tread,  and  her  heart  to  beat  at  its 
welcome  sound.  Perhaps  a  beautiful  woman  is  never  so 
winningly  lovely  as  when,  in  her  neat  morning  attire,  she 
seems  fresh  and  sweet  as  the  new-born  day.  Eve  had  paid 
a  little  more  attention  to  her  toilette  than  usual  even,  ad- 
mitting just  enough  of  a  properly  selected  jewelry,  a  style 
of  ornament  that  "so  singularly  denotes  the  refinement  of 
a  gentlewoman,  when  used  understandingly,  and  which  so 
infallibly  betrays  vulgarity  under  other  circumstances, 
while  her  attire  had  rather  more  than  its  customary  finish, 
though  it  was  impossible  not  to  perceive  at  a  glance,  that 
she  was  in  an  undress.  The  Parisian  skill  of  Annette,  on 


4io  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

which  Mr.  Bragg  based  so  many  of  his  hopes  of  future 
fortune,  had  cut  and  fitted  the  robe  to  her  faultlessly  beau- 
tiful person,  with  a  tact,  or  it  might  be  truer  to  say  a  con- 
tact, so  perfect,  that  it  even  left  more  charms  to  be  im- 
agined than  displayed,  though  the  outline  of  the  whole 
figure  was  that  of  the  most  lovely  womanhood.  But,  not- 
withstanding the  exquisite  modelling  of  the  whole  form, 
the  almost  fairy  lightness  of  the  full,  swelling,  but  small 
foot,  about  which  nothing  seemed  lean  and  attenuated,  the 
exquisite  hand  that  appeared  from  among  the  ruffles  of 
the  dress,  Paul  stood  in  nearly  breathless  admiration  of 
the  countenance  of  his  "bright  and  blooming  bride." 
Perhaps  there  is  no  sentiment  so  touchingly  endearing  to 
a  man,  as  that  which  comes  over  him  as  he  contemplates 
the  beauty,  confiding  faith,  holy  purity,  and  truth  that 
shine  in  the  countenance  of  a  young,  unpractised,  innocent 
woman,  when  she  has  so  far  overcome  her  natural  timidity 
as  to  pour  out  her  tenderness  in  his  behalf,  and  to  submit 
to  the  strongest  impulses  of  her  nature.  Such  was  now 
the  fact  with  Eve.  She  was  writing  of  her  husband,  and, 
though  her  expressions  were,  restrained  by  taste  and  edu- 
cation, they  partook  of  her  unutterable  fondness  and  de- 
votion. The  tears  stood  in  her  eyes,  the  pen  trembled  in 
her  hand,  and  she  had  shaded  her  face  as  if  to  conceal  the 
weakness  from  herself.  Paul  was  alarmed,  he  knew  not 
why,  but  Eve  in  tears  was  a  sight  painful  to  him.  In  a 
moment  he  was  at  her  side,  with  an  arm  placed  gently 
around  her  waist,  and  he  drew  her  fondly  toward  his 
bosom. 

"Eve — dearest  Eve!"  he  said — "what  mean  these 
tears  ? " 

The  serene  eye,  the  radiant  blush,  and  the  meek  tender- 
ness that  rewarded  his  own  burst  of  feeling,  re-assured  the 
young  husband,  and,  deferring  to  the  sensitive  modesty  of 
so  young  a  bride,  he  released  his  hold,  retaining  only  a 
hand. 

"  It  is  happiness,  Powis — nothing  but  excess  of  happi- 
ness, \vhich  makes  us  women  weaker,  I  fear,  than  even 
sorrow." 

Paul  kissed  her  hands,  regarded  her  with  an  intensity  of 
admiration,  before  which  the  eyes  of  Eve  rose  and  fell,  as 
if  dazzled  while  meeting  his  looks,  and  yet  unwilling  to 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  4it 

lose  them  ;  and  then  he  reverted  to  the  motive  which  had 
brought  him  to  the  library. 

"  My  father — your  father,  that  is  now " 

"  Cousin  Jack  !  " 

"  Cousin  Jack,  if  you  will,  has  just  made  me  a  present, 
which  is  second  only  to  the  greater  gift  I  received  from 
your  own  excellent  parent,  yesterday,  at  the  altar.  See, 
dearest  Eve,  he  has  bestowed  this  lovely  image  of  yourself 
on  me  ;  lovely,  though  still  so  far  from  the  truth.  And 
here  is  the  miniature  of  my  poor  mother,  also,  to  supply 
the  place  of  the  one  carried  away  by  the  Arabs." 

Eve  gazed  long  and  wistfully  at  the  beautiful  features 
of  this  image  of  her  husband's  mother.  She  traced  in 
them  that  pensive  thought,  that  winning  kindness,  that 
had  first  softened  her  heart  toward  Paul,  and  her  lips 
trembled  as  she  pressed  the  insensible  glass  against  them. 

"She  must  have  been  very  handsome,  Eve,  and  there  is 
a  look  of  melancholy  tenderness  in  the  face,  that  would 
seem  almost  to  predict  an  unhappy  blighting  of  the 
affections." 

"  And  yet  this  young,  ingenuous,  faithful  woman  en- 
tered on  the  solemn  engagement  we  have  just  made,  Paul, 
with  as  many  reasonable  hopes  of  a  bright  future  as  we 
ourselves  ! " 

"  Not  so,  Eve — confidence  and  holy  truth  were  wanting 
at  the  nuptials  of  my  parents.  When  there  is  deception 
at  the  commencement  of  such  a  contract,  it  is  not  difficult 
to  predict  the  end." 

"  I  do  not  think,  Paul,  you  ever  deceived  ;  that  noble 
heart  of  yours  is  too  generous  !  " 

"  If  anything  can  make  a  man  worthy  of  such  a  love, 
dearest,  it  is  the  perfect  and  absorbing  confidence  with 
which  your  sex  throw  themselves  on  the  justice  and  faith 
of  ours.  Did  that  spotless  heart  ever  entertain  a  doubt  of 
the  worth  of  any  living  being  on  which  it  had  set  its 
affections  ? " 

"  Of  itself,  often,  and  they  say  self-love  lies  at  the 
bottom  of  all  our  actions." 

"You  are  the  last  person  to  hold  this  doctrine,  beloved, 
for  those  who  live  most  in  your  confidence  declare  that  all 
traces  of  self  are  lost  in  your  very  nature." 

"  Most  in  my  confidence !     My  father — my  dear,  kind 


414  HOME  AS  FOUND. 

own  child,  and  is  not  this  your  own  child's  " — again  Eve 
hesitated,  blushed,  and  smiled,  ere  she  pronounced  the 
formidable  word — "husband." 

"  Yes,  ma'am ;  and  God  be  praised  that  it  is  so.  I 
dreamt,  it  is  now  four  years,  Miss  Eve  ;  we  were  then 
travelling  among  the  Den  markers,  and  I  dreamt  that  you 
were  married  to  a  great  prince " 

"  But  your  dream  has  not  come  true,  my  good  Nanny, 
and  you  see  by  this  fact  that  it  is  not  always  safe  to  trust 
in  dreams." 

"  Ma'am,  I  do  not  esteem  princes  by  the  kingdoms  and 
crowns,  but  by  their  qualities — and  if  Mr.  Powis  be  not  a 
prince,  who  is  ?  " 

"That,  indeed,  changes  the  matter,"  said  the  gratified 
young  wife  ;  "  and  I  believe,  after  all,  dear  Nanny,  that  I 
must  become  a  convert  to  your  theory  of  dreams." 

"  While  I  must  always  deny  it,  good  Mrs.  Sidley,  if  this 
is  a  specimen  of  its  truth,"  said  Paul,  laughing.  "  But, 
perhaps  this  prince  proved  unworthy  of  Miss  Eve,  after 
all !  " 

"  Not  he,  sir  ;  he  made  her  a  most  kind  and  affectionate 
husband  ;  not  humoring  all  her  idle  wishes,  if  Miss  Eve 
could  have  had  such  wishes,  but  cherishing  her,  and  coun- 
selling her,  and  protecting  her,  showing  as  much  tender- 
ness for  her  as  her  own  father,  and  as  much  love  for  her 
as  I  had  myself." 

"  In  which  case,  my  worthy  nurse,  he  proved  an  invalu- 
able husband,"  said  Eve,  with  glistening  eyes,  "and  I  trust, 
too,  that  he  was  considerate  and  friendly  to  you  ? " 

"  He  took  me  by  the  hand,  the  morning  after  the  mar- 
riage, and  said, (  Faithful  Ann  Sidley,  you  have  nursed  and 
attended  my  beloved  when  a  child,  and  as  a  young  lady ; 
and  I  now  entreat  you  will  continue  to  wait  on  and  serve 
her  as  a  wife  to  her  dying  day.'  He  did,  indeed,  ma'am  ; 
and  I  think  I  can  now  hear  the  very  words  he  spoke  so 
kindly.  The  dream,  so  far,  has  come  good." 

"  My  faithful  Ann,"  said  Paul,  smiling,  and  taking  the 
hand  of  the  nurse,  "you  have  been  all  that  is  good  and 
true  to  my  best  beloved,  as  a  child,  and  as  a  young  lady  ; 
and  now  I  earnestly  entreat  you  to  continue  to  wait  on 
her,  and  to  serve  her  as  my  wife,  to  your  dying  day." 

Nanny  clapped  her  hands  with  a  scream  of  delight,  and 


HOME  AS  FOUND.  4!S 

bursting  into  tears,  she  exclaimed,  as  she  hurried  from  the 
room, 

"It  has  all  come  true — it  has  all  come  true ! " 

A  pause  of  several  minutes  succeeded  this  burst  of  su- 
perstitious but  natural  feeling. 

"  All  who  live  near  you  appear  to  think  you  the  com- 
mon centre  of  their  affections,"  Paul  resumed,  when  his 
swelling  heart  permitted  him  to  speak. 

"  We  have  hitherto  been  a  family  of  love — God  grant  it 
may  always  continue  so." 

Another  delicious  silence,  which  lasted  still  longer  than 
the  other,  followed.  Eve  then  looked  up  into  her  hus- 
band's face  with  a  gentle  curiosity,  and  observed  : 

"You  have  told  me  a  great  deal,  Powis — explained  all 
but  one  little  thing,  that  at  the  time  caused  me  great  pain. 
Why  did  Ducie,  when  you  were  about  to  quit  the  Montauk 
together,  so  unceremoniously  stop  you,  as  you  were  about 
to  get  into  the  boat  first  ;  is  the  etiquette  of  a  man-of-war 
so  rigid  as  to  justify  so  much  rudeness,  I  had  almost 
called  it—? " 

"  The  etiquette  of  a  vessel  of  war  is  rigid  certainly,  and 
wisely  so.  But  what  you  fancied  rudeness,  was  in  truth  a 
compliment.  Among  us  sailors,  it  is  the  inferior  who  goes 
first  into  a  boat,  and  who  quits  it  last." 

"  So  much,  then,  for  forming  a  judgment  ignorantly  !  I 
believe  it  is  always  safer  to  have  no  opinion,  than  to  form 
one  without  a  perfect  knowledge  of  all  the  accompanying 
circumstances." 

"  Let  us  adhere  to  this  safe  rule  through  life,  dearest, 
and  we  may  find  its  benefits.  An  absolute  confidence, 
caution  in  drawing  conclusions,  and  a  just  reliance  on  each 
other,  may  keep  us  as  happy  to  the  end  of  our  married 
life  as  we  are  at  this  blessed  moment,  when  it  is  commen- 
cing under  auspices  so  favorable  as  to  seem  almost  provi- 
dential." 


THE   END. 


NRLF 


THE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  SANTA  CRUZ 


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